Magyar Egyház, 1976 (55. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1976-03-01 / 3. szám
8 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ cannot attend services due to illness. Mr. Joseph Banyacski was elected to this position. We hope that our church with the direction and guidance of our Lord will fulfill the mission entrusted upon her by our Master. In the beginning of the year, however, there were more than just one organization that elected new officers. Our Women’s guild entrusted its leadership upon the following members: President, Mrs. Margaret Silagyi; Vice- President, Mrs. Dolores Eldredge; Secretary, Mrs. Irene Racz; Treasurer, Mrs. Lorraine Blaho. The spiritual advisor of the Women’s Guild is Mrs. Susan Török. Elections were also held by the Senior Women’s Club. Those elected to offices are as follows: President, Mrs. Helen Daróci; Vice-President, Mrs. Daniel Sebestyén; Secretary, Mrs. Lydia Lovash; Treasurer, Mrs. Irma Király. The Honorary President of the Club is Mrs. Susan Török. May God give strength to our women to do the work for which they are known to help the church and help to build the Kingdom of God. In honor of our newly elected officers a banquet was held in our center which was well attended by our members. On the first Sunday of March, we observed the Lord’s Supper. Our guest minister was Rev. Gabor Nitsch. This first Sunday of March was also the mark of something new in our church life, when with the recommendation of the Sunday School Reorganization Committee we invited our Sunday School children to our church for a children’s service. We hope that all will enjoy and benefit from this new arrangement of our services. On Sunday, March 14, together with the Hungarian Churches of the vicinity we remembered the 1848 struggle for freedom in Hungary. Those participating in the program were our two Dance Groups and Mrs. Valeria Király who offered a poem by Sándor Petőfi. It was such a heart warming feeling to know that our culture did not die out in our young and old even if they live in a different land. ROEBLING, N. J. The Annual Congregational Meeting was held on January 17. Officers for 1976 are as follows: Mr. Bert Somogyi, Jr., Chief Elder; Mr. Bert Bartha, Vice Chief Elder; Mr. Joseph Bartha, Treasurer; and Mr. Allan Birkholz, Secretary. Newly elected members to the Church Council are Mr. James Harkel and Mr. Joey Varga. Mr. James Gilanyi was elected Honorary Member. Appreciation was extended to the outgoing Chief Elder Elmer Soltész and to Mr. John Kollar, who has served for the last 28 years as the Hungarian Secretary. On February 1 we had the installation of the new Church Council for 1976. We wish our new council well in their endeavors this year. The Women’s groups had a most busy month. For one thing, we have been having a coffee hour after church each Sunday as a means for people to visit and enjoy one another’s company instead of dispersing after the time of worship. So far, it has been rather successful. At the first meeting of 1976 of the Lorántffy Guild the following officers were reelected: Mrs. Emma Peter, President; Mrs. Anna Egyud, Vice- President; Mrs. Betty Bayzath, Treasurer, and Mrs. Julia Somogyi, Secretary. Honorary President is Mrs. H. Bojtos. The Women’s Guild had a covered dish supper at their meeting this month. The past year’s president, Mrs. Georgiana Harkel was presented with a lovely pendant as a small token of appreciation from the other women in the group. The new officers were sworn in on February 22, along with the officers of the Lorántffy Guild. The new officers of the Women’s Guild for 1976 are: Miriam Bayzathy, President; Bertha Bartha, Vice-President; Jean Somogyi, Secretary; and Helen Bordash, Treasurer. On February 15 we had an all-church covered dish dinner which the Women’s Guild organized. It was a fine affair and the children and adults alike were treated to a performance of magic tricks by a young magician from town, John Mackó. On February 22, the Lorántffy Guild sponsored a Tea Party in order to raise money for a sprucing up of the church hall kitchen. It, too, was a fine success and featured entertainment by the Florence Township Good Neighbors Kitchen Band as well as a most informative slide show of Rev. Patch’s three years in Liberia, West Africa. STATEN ISLAND, N. Y. Changes in the constitution of the denomination enabled the annual congregational meeting to elect the first woman to the board of elders. For 1976 the following were elected to serve on the board of elders: Alexander Teryek, president; John Kosa, Sr., vice president; Mrs. Olga Szabó, treasurer; John F. Kosa, Jr., secretary; Steve Ambrus, Joseph Balia, Albert Kish, Alex Kosa, Charles Kosa, Jeff Nemeth, John Rodvansky. The officers of the Women’s Guild for 1976 are: Mrs. Edna MacDonald, president; Mrs. Betty Szász, vice president; Mrs. Joan Nemeth, treasurer; Mrs. Helen Cutler, secretary; and Mrs. Helen Kosa, financial secretary. By confirmation four youth were received into the church and two adults were received as new members of the congregation in 1975. The total communicant membership of the congregation is 80. Other vital statistics are that there was one funeral in the church and that there were no baptisms nor marriages in 1975. The Sunday School met regularly and at the end of 1975 it had two teachers and eight pupils. A newly formed choir of young and mature voices has been organized to sing at holiday worship services. The program of the Women’s Guild during the past year included many successful activities, such as a bazaar, strawberry festival, Chinese auctions, special dinners and kolbász sales. At the annual meeting, the congregation heard an encouraging financial report for 1975 with total income at $15,- 479.38 and expenses amounting to $9,- 992.26, with a net balance of $17,813.04. This balance reflected an increase of $5,500 over the previous year’s balance. In 1976 the congregation shall observe its 60th anniversary. In preparing for this event, which occurs during the American Bicentennial year, a historical census of the congregation is planned. Several anniversary occasions will be observed. TRENTON, N. J. From the Year Book: The income of the church in 1975 was $48,231.09, the balance from 1974 $62,712.39. Total income with interest was $113,547.43. Expenses in 1975 were $46,030.91. Total assets on December 31, 1975 were $67,- 516.62. The sacrament of Holy Baptism was administered to 13 children, eight young people were confirmed, 11 couples were married and 27 brethren were buried. Mrs. Margaret Ture, one of our most faithful church members, received the prominent position of City Clerk, and was installed on March 17. The whole congregation most sincerely congratulates Mrs. Ture for being the highest woman office-holder in Trenton’s city administration. At the “People to People” International Festival, held on March 6, the Trenton Hungarian Community was represented by 21 members of our church. Our display of beautiful Hungarian needlework, craft articles, and books, plus our contribution to the buffet of Hungarian food made a good impression with the 650 guests attending the affair.
