Magyar Egyház, 1970 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-06-01 / 6-7. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ MAGYAR DISASTROUS FLOOD IN HUNGARY Rt. Rev. Bishop Dezső Ábrahám issued the following appeal to the congregations: Dear Friends in Christ: Almighty God has visited our Reformed Brethren in Hungary and Transylvania with a great plague: an unprecedented and unexpected flood in May destroyed a large portion of many towns and villages. At the present time, the exact extent of the damages is not yet known. But we do know that the fullest measure of our sacrificial sympathy is needed in order to meet the challenge of this disaster. Due to the fact that the emergency aspects of the flood have been handled by the respective governments, we should be ready to initiate a long-range plan for the reconstruction of destroyed or heavily damaged church buildings. For this purpose we call our congregations to use the second half of the current year for special FLOOD RELIEF offerings in the following ways: 1. Special envelopes to be used each Sunday until the end of 1970 for systematic “Flood Relief” giving; 2. Special collections to be taken; 3. Special fund raising events to be sponsored; 4. A certain portion of the General Benevolence Budget to be allocated for this purpose; 5. Church, fraternal and social organizations to be challenged for generous contributions. Our churches should send their contributions to the treasurer of our Mission Fund, Mr. Albert St. Miklossy. Un-coordinated, direct contacts with churches in the disaster area are discouraged. However, special donations to individual churches can be earmarked as such. We have asked the Rev. Imre Bertalan, pastor in New Brunswick, to act as central treasurer for the “Flood Relief — Church Building Reconstruction Fund.” His address is 179 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, and his telephone number 201-545-5841. May God grant us the grace He granted to the Macedonian Christians in the first century who “gave according to their means . . . and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging . . . earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2. Corinthians 8:3-4). “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance” (2. Corinthians 9:8). Yours in His service, Dezső Abraham Bishop, Hungarian Reformed Church in America When the flood receded. Mud in the Reformed Church of Jankmajtis. The usual melting of snow in the Carpathian mountains this spring coupled with torrential rains resulted in the worst flood in two generation’s time along the banks of the Szamos, Kraszna, Tur, Tisza rivers in Eastern Hungary and Transylvania. At many places the water level rose 12 feet within a few hours. In Hungary, 48 villages had to be evacuated. 5,000 houses were totally destroyed, thousands more severly damaged, 20% of the livestock perished and there will be no harvest this summer in the flooded area. According to reports received from the World Council of Churches’ Department of Inter-Church Aid, which sent out a team to survey the disaster area, the rescue operations by the Hungarian authorities had been very efficient. The disaster area is predominantly “Reformed” country. Many churches, parsonages and other church buildings collapsed or were badly damaged, some beyond repair. This is where our churches should concentrate their aid to preserve the continuity of the preaching of God’s Word. The Bishop’s Office will send out brochures and offering envelopes to all congregations of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. Photo credits: Almassy, Debrecen, Julius Szalay, N. Miami Beach, Aurora, Oakwood. CHURCH
