Our History
Separate Beginnings – Our Fellowship
1920 – 2010
A Short History of the John Calvin
Magyar Reformed Church of Perth Amboy
The John Calvin Magyar Reformed Church was organized on June16,1929. The church became part of the Hungarian Classis and later the Magyar Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, now called the Calvin Synod, United Church of Christ.
The Church property and parsonage was purchased for $23,000 and the building of the Church began at 493 Amboy Ave. Perth Amboy. However, unfavorable times of the depression between the first pastor, Rev. Gyorgy Tukacs shook the congregation and the foundation of the Church and shortly thereafter Rev. Tukacs left the congregation.
The congregation called the Rev. Antal Szabo in the spring of 1931. On March 30,1941 Rev. Szabo resigned and a new pastor was elected, Rev. John Kerekes, who stayed with the congregation until October 31,1943, when Rev. Antal Szabo was recalled again to serve the congregation. Rev. Szabo remained with the congregation until the spring of 1946 when Rev. Andras Harto was elected as Pastor. Following his resignation on September 21,1947 the Rev. Bertalan Szathmary was elected to serve as Pastor. During his pastorate the Mothers Club and in 1949 the Calvin Brotherhood was organized. In 1954 a Church Cemetery section was started in the Clover Leaf Park Cemetery in Woodbridge. In 1955 for future expansion. Two houses were purchased on Lawrie Street next to the church. During the summer of 1955, Rev. Szathmary resigned and Rev. Francis Vitez began his ministry on October 15,1955.
Rev. Francis Vitez became the longest serving pastor of the congregation, who served two terms from 1955 to 1983 and from 1985 until his sudden passing just after the Christmas holidays in 2004. Rev. Francis Vitez earned his doctorate and later became the Bishop of Calvin Synod. His faithful and dedicated service will long be remembered in future generations. Upon his retirement, his son-in-law Rev. Bela Poznan became the new pastor of the congregation. Upon his leaving Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Vitez returned to serve as pastor.
His sudden passing left a tremendous void in the life of the congregation. Upon his passing his best friend and neighbor the Rev. Albert W. Kovacs, pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Woodbridge served the spiritual welfare of the congregation, until his retirement in 2008. Rev. Stefan Istvan Torok was elected as Pastor and served the church until its merger in 2010 with the Woodbridge Congregation. The merged church changed its name incorporating the name of the Perth Amboy and Woodbridge churches to Calvin Hungarian Reformed Church. We are grateful to all the members who joined, without exception the merged church.
John Calvin Hungarian Reformed
Church Of Perth Amboy
Separate Beginnings – One Fellowship
1903 to the present
A short History of the Hungarian Reformed
Church of Woodbridge, New Jersey
The Hungarian Reformed Church of Woodbridge, NJ was organized on September 9, 1903 by the Rev. Gabor Dokus. The church was organized under the auspices of the Reformed Church in the United States, but shortly afterwards, in March 1904, it was transferred to the Hungarian Synod organized by the Reformed Church in Hungary, and remained with it until October 19, 1919. In 1919 they returned to the Reformed Church in the United States and received support from the denomination for a long time.
The first pastor was Rev. Sandor Vajo (1904 –1905, September 9) On the 14th of February the first Consistory was elected, professed their vows, and from this date they had their monthly meetings. In March 1904 the congregation bought 5 lots for $1400.00 and they immediately started a drive to raise funds for church building.
From September 9, 1905, to October 1906, the Rev. Jozsef Kozma supplied the pulpit. On August 22, 1906, the Consistory contracted with Albert Chersak, who built the Perth Amboy church, to build a church for the congregation for $5,983.00. At this same meeting the congregation elected Rev. Sandor Fazekas, as their new pastor, who arrived here in October 1906. In March 1909, Rev. Sandor Fazekas left and Rev. Istvan Csepke became the congregation’s pastor, as the two ministers exchanged their locations. Rev. Istvan Csepke left the congregation in March 1921. In March 1921 the Rev. Ferenc Kovacs accepted the challenge to serve the congregation as a supply pastor while teaching at the Bloomfield College and Seminary. Rev. Ferenc Kovacs resigned in April 1937, and in his place the congregation elected the Trenton pastor Rev. Laszlo Hunyady. In December 1938, the Rev. Laszlo Egry was called to the pastorate. Under his leadership they built a parsonage and dedicated it on January 14, 1940. In 1990 Rev. Albert W. Kovacs was called by the congregation and served as pastor for 17 years until his retirement on June 14, 2008. The very next day, the Members heard the trial sermon of the Rev. Stefan M. Torok. Bishop Ludwig presided at a special Congregational Meeting, at which Rev. Torok was unanimously elected to be the new Minister. Rev. Torok was happy to accept the new Call following such great pastors as Rev. Albert W. Kovacs, and the late Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Vitez in Perth Amboy. He remarked: “We the people of God in Woodbridge look forward to the challenges God places before us, praying that He will give us strength to continue to build His Kingdom.” All this happened in 2008, Twelve years have passed and his service still continues to this day.
Old Hungarian Reformed Church
of Woodbridge NJ