Magyar Egyház, 1994 (73. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1994 / 4. szám
16. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches (USA). Because of the small membership of the HRCA the annual fees are low (for all the three together slightly over $1,000 (one thousand). Yet HRCA representatives are valued members, invited to participate in their meetings, receive their newsletters and contribute to their publications. The synod‘s official language is Hungarian. Beginning the early 40s out of natural necessity English was made the second official language. HRCA has some congregations using almost only Hungarian, some others only English while a few maintain both languages in pulpit and in administration. The attitude of the congregations toward the preservation of the Hungarian heritage varies from enthusiasm to close to indifference. A fine work and example is Allen Park’s “Hungarian Tradition Preservation Circle”. Dr. Harsanyi referred to Chief Elder István Szabó who was expected to give and expert report on the church situation in Hungary from his personal experience. Dr. Harsanyi recalled a synod official’s comment some years earlier charging “why so much is being cared for about affairs of the Church in Hungary.” Dr. Harsanyi believed it was too little. The summer schools teaching Hungarian history, literature, geography and language are not operating anymore. During the past years—just like during the previous four years—thousands of dollars were sent to Hungarian reformed Churches in the Carpathian Basin. The gifts orientated from the General and Mission Funds of the Synod, from individual congregations sent to the Synod for forwarding, from the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund and gifts directly sent by individual church members, The gifts went to aid congregations, for building churches, to assist schools, pastors, help needy church members; sums varied from a few Dollars to a thousand or more. From the Bishop’s Fund churches and schools received $5,000, individuals $3,500, Hungarian organizations $4,000—in Hungary, in Transylvania, in Southern and Upper Hungary, and in Transcarpathia; this included refugee relief. The Bishop’s travels— mentioned earlier—used up about $2,500 during the four years. Other sizeable gifts from Synod Funds worth mentioning were e.g. $3,550 to buy Hungarian religious instruction textbooks for children in Slovakia. Thousand dollars were given for the church building renovation of Warrenville, CT. Several churchmen from Carpathian Basin churches visited the HRCA. The cost of such visits was borne equally divided by the Calvin Synod, the Hungarian Reformed Federation and by the Bishop’s Fund of the HRCA. Worth mentioning that the two uninvited visits of László Papp, former bishop of Nagyvarad who fled after the liberation, were not given the pulpit privilege of any of the American Hungarian Reformed Churches. The HRCA fully participated in the II. Hungarian Reformed World Conference. Bishop Elemer Kocsis of Debrecen introduced it in America in 1989. A meeting of all Hungarian Reformed Churches in America and Canada approved its participation. Bishop Harsanyi wrote the declaration of approval. The Rt. Rev. Alexander Forro, then dean of the New York Classis, was the HRCA representative in Debrecen. HRCA is active in the Third Hungarian Convocation of the Hungarian Reformed World Federation and in the Fourth Hungarian World Congress. Chief Elder István Szabó is a leader in the preparations. HRCA approves and participates in the plans of the Hungarian Reformed World Synod. This plan met with open disfavor of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Together with Hungarian Reformed Churches all over the world—from Australia to Transylvania—the attack was sternly rejected. The Bishop’s Council of the HRCA is used a strongly worded declaration to that effect. Last part of Dr. Harsanyi’s presentation was a list of shortcomings and omissions in the life of the HRCA to be corrected or to be made up. These are: to increase the membership of existing congregations, further to establish new congregations (some are ripe for it like Boston, Denver, Hollywood in Florida, Omaha, St. Louis). HRCA has three mission churches (Dallas and Houston in Texas built up by the faithful service of Katherine Nagy, San Diego through the efforts of Sándor Szabó of Ontario, CA). A fourth, in Syracuse, NY is coming into being through the work of Dr. Andrew Schilling. Pastoral supply is one of the greatest problems of HRCA. To secure new pastors has been an irregular process . Ministers “imported” from Hungary have not been trained to familiarize with American ways. Working for these projects calls for a lot of money. Just a few percent of the many thousands of reserve dollars of the congregations could be a good beginning. The reverse of the Word from Scripture, Matthew 6:19, could serve well: “Where your heart is there your treasury will be also“. A last one of HRCA’s debts: the future of the unity of Hungarian Reformed Churches in America. Entrusted by the leaders of the Calvin Synod and the HRCA the two bishops, Dr. Ferenc Vitéz and Dr. Andrew Harsanyi worked out a plan for a “Federation of Hungarian Reformed Churches in America”. Dr. Harsanyi concluded by feeling like the old year passing on the baton of leadership to the new year. ji±k ip V
