2021. november 14-én, vasárnap du. 3:00-kor (Los Angeles-i idő)
Kérjük, támogassa a gyülekezetünket,
a Los Angeles-i Első Magyar Református Egyház munkáját.
Fogadja hálás köszönetünket a nagylelkű adományáért.
Isten áldását kérjük az adományokra, és az adományozókra egyaránt.
A jó Isten áldását, békességét kívánjuk mindennapjaira!
Szeretettel, tisztelettel: A Los Angeles-i Első Magyar Református Egyház Vezetősége
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Garai Tünde főgondnok megnyitója
Garai Tünde főgondnok elismerése
Szent vagy, szent vagy, szent vagy...
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Üdvözletek - Greetings in Hungarian and English - via the internet or mail
Sajó Norbert - Solidaris Egyesület üdvözlete Marosvásárhelyről
Greeting from Judith Pfeiffer Neszlenyi
My dear Tunde - and ALL to whom it may concern
I would like to express my sincere congratulations for the preparation and the Celebration for the 95th Anniversary of the Elso Magyar Reformatus Egyhaz. The commemoration of Margit Saltzer was an added loving event, and so very befitting. She was a devoted member of the Church's family for a long time.
I also have loving memories of how the Church received my family, back in 1958. Since then, the Church was blessed with your unending love and work for the community. You and the respected Pastors and officials deserve all the acknowledgements and respect for all you did during the past many years. God Bless you dear Tunde and our faithful Friends, who helped this event to be successful.
With much respect and sincere love to ALL of you -
Yours truly -
Judith Pfeiffer Neszlenyi
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ORDER of WORSHIP - ISTENTISZTELETI SORREND
KÖSZÖNTÉS
Attila Hegedüs
Szeretettel köszöntünk! Szeretettel várunk közösségünkbe, hogy jól érezd magad, barátokra találj, de leginkább, hogy Isten Igéje megérintse a szívedet és megváltoztassa, megáldja életedet! Hálás szívvel köszönjük Istenünknek e szép délután megteremtéséért. Hálásak vagyunk vendégeinknek, mind azoknak akik részt vesznek, bárhol segítenek, vagy dolgoznak. Dicsőség Istenünknek mindenért. Ámen.
Welcome and thank you for being here to share our joy and gratitude for God's gift of 95 years of grace and mercy! Thank you to all our guests and everyone who is participating in any way to make today special! God bless all of you for your kindness and generosity!
MUSICAL PRELUDE
Oliver Mónus
ÁLDÁS, BÉKESSÉG - Peace And Blessings in Hungarian and English
Pastor Zoltán Bátori
ELŐFOHÁSZ - Opening Prayer in Hungarian and English
Rt. Rev. Kolomán Ludwig
Calvin Synod Conference, United Church of Christ
KEZDŐ ÉNEK - Opening Hymn: Szent vagy, szent vagy, szent vagy (Holy, Holy, Holy)
Szent vagy, szent vagy, szent vagy,
Mindenható Isten,
Énekünk jó reggel száll hozzád szívesen.
Szent vagy, szent vagy, szent vagy,
Végetlen kegyelem,
Három személyben áldott egy Isten!
ÁLDÁS ÉS APOSTOLI HITVALLÁS - Blessings And The Apostles' Creed in Hungarian
Nt. Attila Agoston-Palkó
Free Hungarian Reformed Church of Ontario, California
Hiszek egy Istenben, mindenható Atyában, mennynek és földnek teremtőjében. És a Jézus Krisztusban, az Ő egyszülött Fiában, mi Urunkban, aki fogantatott Szentlélektől, született Szűz Máriától; szenvedett Poncius Pilátus alatt, megfeszítették, meghalt és eltemették. Alászállt a poklokra, harmadnapon feltámadott a halottak közül, fölment a mennybe, ott ül a mindenható Atya Isten jobbján, onnan jön el ítélni élőket és holtakat. Hiszek Szentlélekben. Hiszem az egyetemes anyaszentegyházat, a szentek közösségét, a bűnök bocsánat; a test feltámadását és az örök életet.
FENNÁLLÓ ÉNEK - Standing Hymn: Az egyháznak a Jézus (The Church's One Foundation)
Az egyháznak a Jézus a fundámentoma,
A szent Ígére épült fel lelki temploma.
Leszállt a mennyből hívni és eljegyezni őt,
Megváltva drága vérén a váltságban hívőt.
BIBLIA OLVASÁS - English Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7
Dr. Tai Chen
Church Member
Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
IGEHIRDETÉS - Message In English: Life Together – Spirituality in Community
Rev. Dr. Rudy van Graan
Associate Conference Minister SCNC, United Church of Christ
Life Together – Spirituality in Community - Rev. Rudy van Graan's sermon
The words of the sermon title are not my own; I borrowed the title from the doctoral track which I completed at the Wesley Theological Seminary, in Washington DC. The track was called “Life Together – Spirituality in Community,” specifically asking what the church of the future might look like, and what the characteristics of a person of faith would be in the future. It affirms that faith and a spiritual community go hand in hand, although each one manifests differently in the lives of people who call themselves people of faith, or spiritual, or as some still call themselves, religious.
It is fitting to ask about the future, especially for a church that celebrates such a milestone anniversary as the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles, your beloved community. Ninety-five years, congratulations! We will share greetings later in the program.
Let’s hear what the Apostle Paul has to say about church in general, that we could apply in our specific situation today. Paul speaks of unity.
Living as one is Godlike. And he gives a definition. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” This is an amazing statement of faith, and one that guided the church of Jesus Christ over millennia. We are all part of the United Church of Christ, whose motto is, “That they may be one” and the stole I wear was the General Synod stole of 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio, where the theme was “Unexpected Places: God and Spirit show up in unexpected places and times.” As a congregation seeks unity among its members, so do we seek unity in our denomination. Paul’s statement of unity is one we all hold dear, and I am particularly glad that we can express that unity today.
This statement of unity, however, has also been a stumbling block for as long as it has been a blessing, especially when people of faith do not know how to live unified, together as one. Just looking at the history of the Christian tradition; it often resembles a sad, disjointed often conflicted body. Seldom do we actually achieve this lofty ideal of oneness. Dogma and ideas split rock-solid communities apart, siblings stand up against one another, generations fight about trivialities, and lifelong Christian friends part ways because of disagreements, leaving behind a trail of sadness, tears, sorrows. Oneness is often elusive, and communities remain fragmented.
Would you then not agree that we might want to ask what oneness really means, and how to best achieve that lofty yet elusive ideal? Once we state our unity, we might want to ask, what follows next? Interestingly, the Apostle Paul might have suspected that the folks in Ephesus would struggle with this lofty ideal, and he simply added the next verse, saying. “But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” The Message translation really says it beautifully, “Everything you are, and think, and do is permeated with Oneness. But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each one of us is given our own gift.”
It might be easier to consider what oneness does not mean. Oneness does not mean uniformity, standardization, a cookie-cutter approach to life, control and regulation, coercing people into groupthink. Oneness does not negate individuality, or creativity or the liberty to making decisions. The Google definition of groupthink is “the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility,” also, groupthink is when a desire for conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. (Wikipedia). That certainly is not the kind of oneness we are talking about, that is not oneness that speaks of vitality, but one that stifles, limits, controls.
The oneness our text speaks about means something else. Oneness that carries within it the seed of vitality is different. It means that we use the different gifts that Spirit gave us, each one is of us is uniquely gifted, for the benefit of all. Oneness might mean that we all celebrate diversity and the richness of our human fabric and that we are all equally appreciated for who we are, and appreciative of one another. I cannot tell you much about the church in Ephesus, but Paul sure knew their strengths and weaknesses. He knew that they were all so very different, and of the temptation to pull in different directions, that they would struggle with oneness. In the remainder of the letter, he urges them with a list of dos and don’ts on how to live together and to become a spiritual community, a household of God. Oneness has to do with finding our voice in the choir of voices, standing for the same things, seeking a greater goal despite our differences. Seeking oneness becomes a spiritual discipline. It has to do with good behavior, respect for one another, kindness toward one another.
Paul tells it straight as it is, telling grown-ups how to behave! You might look at yourself thinking, no need to be told how to behave, we are mature, we are modern, we have evolved, we know good from bad. Indeed, there is no offense intended but he gives clear instructions, saying, “No more lies, tell the truth, no more pretense, no more anger, never plot revenge, don’t give evil a foothold in your life, watch your language, be kind!” What he basically says in the remainder of the letter is that because each one of us is differently gifted, and because each one of us is marked with the Spirit of God, we are called to live our best behavior, so we become more Godlike, so we become imitators of God, so the household of God comes alive through God’s beloved children, those who live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Many have forgotten these words. Today there is an attack on kindness, decency, and good behavior. We see this in the way people talk to one another, there is a basic lack of civility. We see how our national narrative undermines kindness, we even see church folks acting from a spirit of meanness, for as long as I am the top dog, I don’t care about the underdog, as long as I get what I want. One could say we have a moral crisis in our time that also the church has not escaped.
For the church in Paul’s time there were certain gift necessary, and he lists the gifts of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit in some of his other letters, and no doubt these gifts and fruits still live among us. But our times are different and requires different gifts. What gifts would the church of the future need most to escape the moral crisis and survive these troubling times?
The church of the future needs moral warriors, spiritual warriors. Warriors are individuals who are willing to stand for what is right. Author and spiritual teacher, Margaret Wheatley, calls us to make a moral choice, to not enter the spiral of darkness and despair, but to make clear moral choices for compassion and insight. She calls people of faith to become spiritual warriors. The warrior is not a foot soldier who travels to a distant land to conquer a territory on behalf of his king, a warrior is someone who exhibits characteristics of strength and valor, insight, and compassion. A church community that makes radical moral choices will have a positive impact on its community and surroundings. Who among you received this gift of spiritual discernment, who is called to become that moral spiritual warrior?
The church of the future needs to learn new ways of relating, spawning hope, creating connections and networks that are flexible. No more isolation, but seeing new possibilities, casting new visions. Some call it emergent strategy, a new way of looking at life and seeing new possibilities, finding new ways for people to being in right relationship to ourselves, our neighbor and our home, our planet. Emergent strategy will seek new ways of intentionally changing our ways, so we grow our capacity to embody the liberated world we are all yearning for. You celebrate a wonderful 95-year history, but your life today and tomorrow needs new possibilities, new visions, new thinking. Who among you received the gift of casting a new vision and seeing new possibilities for the future?
The church of the future needs deep listening, delving deep to find answers from within. We might discover that many of the answers we already have, but bringing them to the fore, finding a path where we thought none existed, always moving forward towards new possibilities, is what is required of the church of the future. It is never about fixing the past, but it has always to do with finding a new direction, finding new hope. Are there any of you who received the gift of deep listening, and if so, please, for the sake of God’s church, would you lead your congregation into the future?
And Friends, none of this will happen unless we become very intentional about our calling. This is the question of purpose. What is your purpose, and how can you best live your purpose? A church community that is rooted in healthy spirituality will discover their anchor is grounded in God and nothing else, Again, as I look out over you, I am asking, who received the gift of seeking purpose? Again, I implore, sign up for the sake of the wellbeing of all. If the gift of purpose has been given to you, live intentionally for the sake of God’s people.
Today the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Las Angeles is celebrating and dreaming. I named but a few gifts that are essential to the church of the future. Without these there will be no future for the church. There may many more, in fact, how could I know the intention of Spirit, and the abundance of spiritual gifts that Spirit gives to the children of God, to each one of you? Those gifts live among you, seek them out, nurture your gifts and apply your gifts for the greater good.
Oneness for its own sake is stale. But oneness because of the combined blessing of Spirit in this time and place is a gift from God for the people of God. You tasted God’s incredible blessing for many years, my wish for you is that God will continue to be kind and merciful to you, and I implore you, in the name of God, to discover your spiritual gifts and bring life to the household of God.
Blessings as you live your calling in the next decades of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles and beyond, and again, congratulations!
Amen
ÁLDÁS - Blessing In English
Rev. Kris Bergstrom via internet
Acting Conference Minister SCNC, United Church of Christ
SOLO: I Then Shall Live by Gloria Gaither, music by Jean Sibelius
Éva Mátté Geburth (voice) and Oliver Mónus (piano)
Church members
MAGYAR BIBLIA OLVASÁS - Hungarian Bible Reading: Mózes 5 könyve, 8: 6-14. (Deut. 8: 6-14)
Dr. Katalin Havasi
Church Member
Mózes 5. könyve, 8: 6-14
6 Tartsd meg tehát Istenednek, az ÚRnak a parancsolatait, az ő utain járj, és őt féljed! 7 Mert jó földre visz be most téged Istened, az ÚR, folyóvizeknek és mélyből fakadó forrásoknak a földjére, amelyek a völgyben és a hegyen erednek; 8 búzát és árpát, szőlőt, fügét és gránátalmát termő földre, olajfáknak és méznek a földjére. 9 Olyan földre, ahol nem kell szűkösen enned a kenyeret, és nem szűkölködöl semmiben sem; olyan földre, amelynek a köveiben vas van, a hegyeiből pedig rezet bányászhatsz. 10 Ehetsz jóllakásig, és áldani fogod Istenedet, az URat azért a jó földért, amelyet neked adott. 11 De vigyázz, ne feledkezzél el Istenedről, az ÚRról oly módon, hogy nem tartod meg parancsolatait, döntéseit és rendelkezéseit, amelyeket én ma parancsolok neked! 12 Amikor jóllakásig eszel, szép házakat építesz és azokban laksz, 13 amikor elszaporodnak marháid és juhaid, lesz sok ezüstöd és aranyad, és bővében leszel mindennek, 14 akkor föl ne fuvalkodjék a szíved, és el ne feledkezz Istenedről, az ÚRról, aki kihozott téged Egyiptom földjéről, a szolgaság házából!
MAGYAR IGEHIRDETÉS - Sermon In Hungarian: Az Ígéret Földje - The Promised Land
Rt. Rev. Kolomán K. Ludwig
ADAKOZÁS - Offering
You may donate online. Fogadja hálás köszönetünket a nagylelkű adományáért!
Thank you for your kindness! Your donation goes toward a much-needed new roof for our church.
"És örült a nép az önkéntes adakozásnak, mert tiszta szívvel, önként adakoztak az ÚRnak.” -- 2 Kronikak 29,9.
ÁLDÁS, HÁLAADÓ IMA ÉS A MIATYÁNK - Blessings, Prayer Of Thanks And The Lord's Prayer
Nt. Bálint Nagy
Free Hungarian Reformed Church of Hollywood, California
Mi Atyánk, ki vagy a mennyekben, szenteltessék meg a te neved; Jöjjön el a te országod; legyen meg a te akaratod, mint a mennyben, úgy a földön is. A mi mindennapi kenyerünket add meg nékünk ma. És bocsásd meg a mi vétkeinket, miképpen mi is megbocsátunk azoknak, a kik ellenünk vétkeztek; És ne vígy minket kísértésbe, de szabadíts meg minket a gonosztól. Mert tiéd az ország és a hatalom és a dicsőség mind örökké. Ámen!
VERS - Poem In Hungarian - Vörösmarty Mihály: Honszeretet
Timea Antal
representing the following two organizations: the Szoboszlai Sándor Hungarian Theatre of Southern California (Szoboszlai Sándor Dél-Kaliforniai Magyar Színház) and also the Hungarian Heritage Foundation of Southern California (Dél-Kaliforniai Magyar Örökség Alapítvány)
PIANO SOLO: You Light Up My Life by Joe Brooks
Oliver Mónus
DUO: Special Music
Oliver Monus (piano) and Dr. Tai Chen (flute)
ZÁRÓ ENEK - Closing Hymn: Te benned biztunk eleitől fogva (90th Psalm, music by Burgeois L.,)
Tebenned bíztunk eleitől fogva,
Uram, téged tartottunk hajlékunknak!
Mikor még semmi hegyek nem voltanak,
Hogy még sem ég sem föld nem volt formálva,
Te voltál és te vagy, erős Isten,
És te megmaradsz minden időben.
ÁLDÁS ÉS ZÁRÓ IMA - Blessing And Closing Prayer in Hungarian and English
Pastor Zoltán Bátori
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Isten Hozott - Welcome in Hungarian and English
Pastor Zoltan Bátori
Chief Elder Tünde Garai
Üdvözlet - Greetings in Hungarian and English
dr. Imola Anett Szabó
representing the Consul General of the Republic of Hungary
Üdvözletek - Greetings in Hungarian and English
Rev. Kris Bergstrom
Rev. Dr. Rudy van Graan
Rt. Rev. Kolomán Ludwig
Nt. Attila Agoston-Palkó
Nt. Bálint Nagy
Rev. Les Martin (from GBU Life, Dist. 3000-Hungarian Reformed Federation of America)
In Recognition of Special Guests in Hungarian and English
Dr. Katalin Saltzer Hickey (grandaughter of Rev. Antal Szabó)
Dr. Dan Bónis (son of Rev. Dr. Béla Bónis)
and others
Vers - Poem In Hungarian
Loránt Papp via internet
Thank you for Coming and God Bless You, Everyone! in Hungarian and English
Pastor Zoltán Bátori
Himnuszok - The National Anthem of the United States and the Hungarian National Anthem
led by Pastor Zoltán Bátori
MUSICAL POSTLUDE
Oliver Mónus
THANK YOU! Hálás Köszönet!
Gyülekezetünk fennállásának 95. évfordulóért...
Our community exists because of God’s grace, our prayers, and our gifts of time, talent and treasure. May God bless you for your kindness and generosity!
Ha Isten Igéjét a szívedben hordozod és megosztod másokkal, életed olyan lehet, mint a hullámot indító vízcsepp!
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