Magyar Egyház, 1993 (72. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)

1993-07-01 / 3. szám

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

13. oldal

homes where Hungarian speaking people live. The need of the scattered Hungarians is well known. We can see now the revitalization of our churches. Reformed Christians of Transylvania, Slovakia, the former Yugoslavia, may experience the one faith, and one Baptism, watching these broadcasts. A unique opportunity is given to our providence. In this case, Hungarian Christians are also involved outside of Eastern Europe.

Now I wish to inform you about the subjects of programs and the length of transmission in 1992 (this is about the 8 different denominations together):

Types of services

Avg. length of broadcasts, min.

Yearly total broadcasts, hrs.

Worship services

60

15

Meditations

5

20

Informations

10

19

Documentaries

40

6

Children's

programs

8

11

Dialogues

30

6

Educational progs.

30

26

This way we can see that about 103 hours minimum, 26 hours annually, has been broadcasted in 1992. According to the Gallup-poll an average of half a million people watched the TV programs in Hungary, sometimes more than 750 Thousand.

These TV programs are run according to the European, EBU standards which ensure good quality. The religious department #10 of the Hungarian TV would be glad to broadcast short news summaries from the USA as well if they are recorded with H8, U-Matic, or Beta system.

Although the religious department #10 creates programs for 8 denominations, it cannot record important events of the Hungarian Reformed Christianity because they are in need of cameras. This problem could be solved by a Beta SP camera. If anyone could be of help, please contact the clergy producer:

Reformed Church of Hungary Danubian Church District Rev. György Szabó H-1092 Budapest Raday u. 28, Hungary

I finish this article with the hope that this information about the great mission opportunity has filled our hearts with joy.

Rev. Peter L. Toth

THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCHES IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

In 1921, under the terms of the Trianon Treaty, following World War I, parts of the southern region of the Kingdom of Hungary along a 450 miles borderline from Romania to Austria were annexed to the newly formed Yugoslavia. Until the recent disorganization of this country, about 450,000 ethnic Hungarians lived there. The majority of them in Vojvodina, including the former county of Bara-nya, some in Slavonia, Croatia and Slovenia, none in Bosnia or Macedonia. A cruel ethnic cleansing is taking now place in Vojvodina. Many Hungarians flee to the north, to areas of the present Republic of Hungary, among them young men who are called to serve in the Serbian armed forces to fight in Bosnia. The Serbian government settles over 2,000 ethnic Serb refugees from Bosnia in a number of cities and villages of ethnic Hungarian population. As an example: to the city of Zenta which has an ethnic Hungarian population of 18,053 out of a total population of 18,863, 2,800 ethnic Serbs were assigned.

Before the present disorganization of Yugoslavia, the Reformed Church had 21,250 members, living in 33 congregations with 33 preaching stations, served by 19 ordained ministers. Hungarian reformed people in the new state of Slovenia are living by and large in peace. But in the Baranya-area and in Eastern Croatia, many churches were destroyed or burned down, and there were reports of harassment against Hungarian-speaking pastors in Vojvodina.

Because of the difficulties of communication between Vojvodina and Croatia, the Reformed Church in that area felt the need to divide. Beside the “old” Reformed Church in Vojvodina, headed by Bishop Imre Hodosy, in Feketics, Bacska, a new Hungarian Reformed Church was born. The independent Synod of the Reformed Church in Croatia had its constituent assembly on January 30, 1993, in Retfalu, a suburb of Osijedk (Eszek). Pastor Endre Langh was elected bishop, Jaroslav Machacek, chief elder, Janos Antal vice-chief elder. The new church has about 3,000 members - many of them refugees - driven from their homes. Pastor Karoly Andel, secretary and deputy bishop of the Synod declared: “It is our duty to live and if possible, by the grace of God, survive.”

Greetings of acknowledgment were received from many churches and church leaders, among them Dr. Milan Opocensky, General Secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Dr. Lorant Hegedűs, presiding Bishop of the Reformed Church of Hungary as well as from Dr. Andrew Harsanyi, Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America.