Hungarian Church Press, 1957 (9. évfolyam, 14-15. szám)

1957-11-30 / 14. szám

HCHP XI, 30,1957; Vol. IX/14- 12

168

unparalleled exertion of sacrificial giving in the life of our congregations and also an űriparai leled example of how effectively ard lovingly the congregations could help one another, I mention those things lest we fail to pay our debt of gratitude,

I attach more importance to the inner growth which we could have observed in recent years. As an illustration I quote a few data from a senior*s report submitted t<: a presbytery meeting held on the 26th of September, 1957, The report comprises the past 5 years, 1952-1956, 1; As to the number of communioonts,

this increased, during the five-year period, in 19 of the 37 independent parishes, decreased in 6 and remained unchanged in 12 parishes. The total increase in the whole presbytery, as compared with the 3^52 statistics, was 9,000, - 2, Collections taken at services - from this one might also inxkx as to the number of church-goers - made, during the five-year period, a toted, increase of 82.000 Forints-, Increase vas registered in 33, decrease in 4 congregations, - 3, The total income of the presbytery's parishes was 1,400,000 Forints in 1952, and 2,034*000 Forints in 1956, that is, an increase of more than 600.000 Forints. (This represents an increase in 31 parishes, decrease in 4 parishes end no change in 2 parishes), - The ocnynvgntions raised, during the five-year period, fron their own resources, more then, one million Forints for the congregation of new or the repair of old buildings* The senior raises the question, in his report: Con any one be so biassed as to sitppose that these are decaying or even dead congregations ? t must add that these data were most carefully compiled and checked.

Then I must report on the happiest experiences of my eight years of service as bishop: These attended ny visitations. On innumerable occasions I was together with our congregations: dedications of churches and chapel3, installations of ministers and conferences. The memory of these visits and of the fellowship attending rzj meetings with the congregations always warms up ny heart. The love rc rioting directly towards me, not through the old-fashioned media of ceremonial formalities but tlirough thousand tokens of sincerity, was in the most gratifying source of strength jn my life. X am convinced that those beloved oongregations, in large towns one! small villages, wanted to prove, also through myself, their hunger for the Vford of God ard their love for the church, and. that their love was free of all disEimu3.it ion, I think I must quote from the circular issued, crx the 13th of November- 1956, by the so-called 1 national Executive Cor mitt ee", or known under the name "Movement of Renewal" ; "Yflry is this movement necessary? Because the church had lapsed into the state of abject misery". Yes, I actually saw the church plunge into a state of abject misery, both outwardly and inwardly, after the apparent glamour of a period of consolidation, - o, not unexpectedly! - in 1944.

And now I would deny ny gratitude to God and ny wholehearted and loving response to the love of the congregation, if I refrained from "boasting" with what is not my merit but the gift of God's grace. The congregations lived, grew and received much from God, both inwardly end outwardly, - no twit list ending the foot that I was their bishop^

It would be most natural to enumerate a few more facts which would tip the scale, ard there is especially one positive aspect about which I cannot be silent for it indicates what was perhaps the most decisive gift of God to us in the past period under review. This positive fact was the row and very serious attention we paid to the cause of preaching, and it was this fact that determined the ecclesiastical development of the last decade. The ministers of our synod nay testify that the Coi.rdssion of Preaching - which, st tint time, was received with suspicion - mu. s, in fact, a blessed instrument, in the workshop of Daemon prayer and joint effort to evaluate one another’s preaching, to rate us realise how inept