September 8, 2008

Memorial Service of Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan (1918-2008)

The Hungarian American Reformed Church held a memorial service in memory of Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan, one the most important personalities of the Hungarian American community, on Saturday, September 6, 2008, at 11am in the Wesley Theological Seminary Chapel in Washington, DC.

Members of the Hungarian American Reformed Church Clergy during the memorial service

The Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan was born in Nyirtass in Szabolcs County, Hungary on June 3^rd, 1918. He was the youngest of four sons born to The Rev. Imre and Mrs. Bertalan, née Piroska Zsolcai. Rev. Bertalan’s elementary education took place in Hajdúböszörmény, and his secondary and theological education at the Sárospatak Kollégium.

Zoltán Bagdy, Chief Elder of the Hungarian American Reformed Church, and Ferenc Koszorús, Co-President of the American Hungarian Federation saying farewell to Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan

Rev. Bertalan completed postgraduate studies in Halle, Germany, and in Basel, Zurich, and Geneva, Switzerland. Completing his studies in 1946, he was unable to return to Hungary due to first German and then Soviet occupation. Within a year, however, he received a scholarship to Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. In late 1946 he arrived in the United States and continued his education at the Princeton Seminary.

In New Brunswick, NJ he met with Margaret Kósa, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Andrew Kósa, pastor of the Magyar Reformed Church, New Brunswick and they got married in 1948. The Lord blessed their marriage with three children: Lillian, Imre and Margaret Sarah. And he was the happy grandfather of his 9 grandchildren: Michael, Lili, Sara, Magdi, Kati, Juli, Gitti, Elizabeth and Imre.

Sara Bertalan saying farewell to her grandfather

During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s Rev. and Mrs. Bertalan served the Hungarian Reformed congregations in Manville, NJ and Staten Island, NY. In 1954, Rev. and Mrs. Bertalan, along with their three children arrived in Passaic, NJ, where Rev. Bertalan served the Hungarian Reformed Church for nine years. In 1963, Rev. Bertalan succeeded his father-in-law as pastor of the Magyar Reformed Church, New Brunswick, NJ.

In 1980, Rev. Bertalan was elected President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. He and Mrs. Bertalan moved to Washington, D.C. that year, which is where he continued to live (Rockville, MD) until his death on July 10^th. He led the organization until his retirement in 1992. At the same time, he served, until the present day, as senior pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church, Washington D.C., which worships monthly in the Wesley Theological Seminary Chapel.

Rev. Bertalan received honorary doctoral degrees from Hope College, Holland, MI (1988) and from the Reformed Theological Academy of Debrecen, Hungary (1989). In addition to serving the HRFA, Rev. Bertalan was active in the American Hungarian Federation, the Hungarian American Coalition, the Hungarian Scout Federation, the International Hungarian Federation and the Friends of Sárospatak. In Sárospatak, he and Mrs. Bertalan were instrumental in bringing about the dedication and use of the Bertalan House for students and guests of the Kollégium. Rev. Bertalan was also asked by former President Jimmy Carter to represent America at the Helsinki Accord Conference in Madrid. In February of 2000 the Hungarian Government awarded him the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársasági Érdemrend Tisztikeresztje) for his life’s work on behalf of Hungarian causes.

Rev. Bertalan preached for three decades on the airwaves of Radio Free Europe and the Voice of America. He authored many articles for both the American and Hungarian press. His two, most noted volumes are entitled: “Az Újrakezdés Népe” (Passion For New Beginnings) and “Ott ülék… ő közöttük” (And There… I Sat Among Them). The Bible verse which Rev. Bertalan chose as his life’s theme is Psalm 126:6, “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”