Magyar Egyház, 1994 (73. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1994 / 4. szám

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

15. oldal

the Oath of office to Mr. Stephen Szabó, Chief Elder of the Synod. Dr. Andrew Harsanyi administered the oath of office to the members of the judicial commission members of the Synod elected by the congregations. From that point on the newly ordained Bishop the Rt. Rev. Alexander Forro called forth the members of the Synod elected by the delegates which were the following: Dr. Andrew Harsanyi, Titular Bishop, Synod Consultant for Ecumenical Concerns, the Rt. Rev. Stefan M. Torok Ecclesiastical Secretary, Mr. Zoltán Ambrus, Lay Secretary and Miss Priscilla Hunyady. Synod treasurer. During the service the Rt. Rev. Stefan M. Torok and the Very Rev. Andor Demeter also participated, together with the host pastor the Rev. József Vásárhelyi. Special thanks and appreciation is hereby extended further to the mother of the host pastor for her services as organist, and to the 23 ministers who were present at the service. Following the Worship Service a banquet was held in the social hall of the Church with many guests. Main speakers for the Banquet were the Rev. Imre Bertalan pastor of the Washington D.C. Congregation and Mr. Stephen Szabó Chief Elder of the Synod.

WORLD ALLIANCE OF REFORMED CHURCHES FOR

THE TRAINING OF HUNGARIAN REFORMED MINISTERS WITHIN AND BEYOND ITS BORDERS

September 7, 1972 was the day celebrating the great renovation of the over 400 years old Reformed College of Debrecen, Hungary. Among the invited guests present from the United States of America were Dr. William P. Thompson, President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches and Dr. James I. McCord, President of Princeton Theological Seminary.

The American guests conveyed greetings at the festive service of worship in the Great Church (Nagytemplom).

Dr. William P. Thompson, who as mentioned above was at that time President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, said in his salutation: “I wish this college continue to train ministers for the Hungarian Reformed Church within and beyond its borders.

This was in 1972. Not in 1994 at the time when the plan of the Hungarian Reformed World Synod met With strong disfavor by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches,

(Note: Dr. Andrew Harsanyi who just retired as Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America was in 1972 dean of the Eastern Classis and in that capacity greeted the Debrecen convocation in the name of the Hungarian Reformed community in America.)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BISHOP’S REPORT

At the request of participants of the general Assembly of the Hungarian Reformed church on November 19 in New York not in command of the Hungarian language here are the highlights of Bishop Harsanyi’s presentation on the “State Of the Church.”

Dr. Harsanyi characterized his service with verses 5 and 9 from the Sermon of the Mount “acting with gentleness in spirit and endeavoring always to be a peacemaker.

His relationship with pastors and officials of the congregations was undisturbed, even friendly; cooperation with immediate fellow workers—chief elder, officials of the classes—was excellent. He thanked for their love and for their devotion.

He reminded that 8 years ago the condition he accepted the service as bishop was that his wife would accompany him on all his official travels with no cost to the synod treasury. A special Discretionary Bishop’s Fund was created from an individual donor’s gift—he thanked the donor for his filial affection and for his love to the Church. Dr. Harsanyi received no bishop’s honorarium nor did he charge rent for his office or for its use. There was no paid official help. All office work was done by himself and by his wife who received no honorarium either. Dr. Harsanyi thanked her for her love and faithfulness. Mail and telephone expenses were semiannually reimbursed. All the above named costs and expenses must be fixed in advanced for the new bishop.

The Hungarian Reformed Church in America (from now HRCA in this report) belongs to the synodalpresbyterian family of Reformed Churches, In fact her life form is closer to the congregational style. Directives from higher judicatories (classis, synod) are carried into effect at the will of the local councils.

Apart from some “bumps” HRCA is a Church Synod. Every congregation has a qualified pastor and an elected church council. HRCA has 31 congregations. 21 regular pastors serve these congregations (some pastors serve more than one of them). There is one “preacher,” one “lay minister,” 2 interim pastors and 2 ministers from other denominations. HRCA carries in addition 19 ministers without a pastoral charge on the rolls of her classes.

HRCA has 3437 church members with the right to vote; the total number of church constituency including children is 4850.

There were no cases dealt by the judicial commissions of the classes or of the Synod.

HRCA made some constitutional amendments last year accepted by the congregations. Yet some further corrections will be necessary. One, e.g. is to define the office of the “associate pastor” as the senior minister in a church of two or more equally qualified ministers.

The HRCA continues as member of the various interdenominational councils—World Alliance of