Magyar Egyház, 1997 (76. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1997 / 3. szám
8. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Szemesi, and they are planning to have the examination of another pastor, Rev. László Ujj, to serve within our denomination. On Ecumenical Relations, Bishop Forro indicated that with the passing of our Ecumenical Secretary, Rt. Rev. Dr. Andrew Harsanyi, we need to appoint a new secretary. Our relationship with the sister denominations is good, and very shortly a meeting will be held with the Calvin Synod to further discuss the possibility of unity. He also stated that Chief Elder, Mr. Stephen Szabó, and Bishop Emeritus Dezső Abraham will represent our Denomination at the upcoming meeting of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) to be held in August in Debrecen, Hungary. (Editor’s note: Since the date of this meeting, we sorrowfully said farewell to Bishop Abraham who passed away suddenly in July and, in this issue, a special tribute will be paid to him. Bishop Rt. Rev. Alexander Forro attended the WARC meeting in his place.) The Council gave consideration and fully discussed the following subjects: The Bethlen Museum and Archives, requests for financial assistance from around the world, and announced upcoming important events. The final act of the meeting was to listen to the reports of the appointed committees. The Auditing Committee approved the report of the Treasurer and made suggestions on disbursements. The Nominating Committee recommended to the Council that Rev. Ambrus Batiz be appointed to fill the position of Ecumenical Secretary. The Council approved this unanimously. The Recommendations Committee reported on the following: 1. To authorize $500.00 to Bishop Dezső Abraham toward travel expenses for his upcoming representation at the WARC meeting. Approved. 2. To confirm the appointment of Miss Priscilla Hunyady to be co-camp director at the upcoming Annual Hungarian Reformed Youth Conference. Approved. 3. To confirm the move of the Bethlen Museum and Archives’ materials to New Brunswick as proposed by the Board of Trustees of the Archives Approved. 4. To find a way to send our formerly approved gift to the Hungarian Reformed Church of Argentina, namely to Rev. Gyula Suto. Approved. 5. To confirm the representation of Miss Priscilla Hunyady on behalf of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America on the Board of Trustees of the Bethlen Museum and Archives. Approved. 6. To fill our financial obligations, namely dues in the following organizations: Hungarian American Coalition, Hungarian Reformed World Federation, Consultative Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Churches, National Council of Churches, WARC: World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Hungarian World Federation, World Council of Churches. Approved. 7. The Bishop’s Council recommends that our presbyters, pastors, and congregations take seriously their roles in upholding their financial obligations toward the General Fund, the Magyar Egyház, and the Mission Fund. Approved. 8. The Bishop’s Council recommends that the subject of the division of the Western Classis be placed on the Agenda of the 1998 General Assembly of the Synod and that this be approved. 9. The Bishop’s Council recommends the acceptance of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, under the pastorate of Rev. Lajos Fabian, into the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. Approved. 10. The Bishop’s Council requests that the Rt. Rev. Alexander Forro, Bishop, prepare a list of all requests for financial assistance and submit it for publication in the next issues of Magyar Egyház. Approved. Following a lengthy meeting when all consideration was given to further the cause of Christ within the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, we bid farewell to each other in the hope that our work was not in vain. Bishop Alexander Forro closed the meeting with a benediction. S.M. Torok, Ecclesiastical Secretary BISHOP FORRO’S REPORT TO THE COUNCIL Right Reverend Bishop’s Council! Dear Brethren, We are living in an age of specialization. Our life, sciences became so complicated, that you require twice as much study, learning today, than our forefathers did even a hundred years ago. The jack of all trades people, uneducated, without college or at least a high school diploma, cannot find jobs so easily nowadays, than, let’s say, only fifty years ago. The philosophical as well as the natural sciences demands an ever increasing amount of knowledge. The Church leaders are supposed to be professionals just like the medical doctors, lawyers, engineers etc. The Church should be a professional institution, like any hospital, court houses or schools. But what is the speciality of the Church?—Is it being involved in everyday or world politics and take an active role to help out the governors of some state in the areas of great need, giving food, clothing, shelter to those, who are overlooked and neglected by those, who are duly elected in a free society to do the same?— Many professes so. Having no other, higher aim, they are quite contended with that role, which is indeed honorable, so it seems. To give moral
