The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbia is partnered with a Unitarian Church in Beszterce, Romania.

Our friendship with the congregation in Transylvania is very precious to the UU Fellowship. We share a Unitarian heritage with our friends in Beszterce and a common goal for social justice, international understanding and world peace.

We believe that partnering gives us a wonderful opportunity for international exchange of ideas and an appreciation for our common goals and a true understanding of the rich culture of our sister church.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbia

The UUA Partner Church Council in Boston declares a yearly partner church Sunday in March or April when a group of Unitarian ministers from Transylvania visit the US.

The first Partner Church Sunday program was organized my Mark Pumphrey (now residing in Ashville, NC).

On October 11, 1990, the UU Fellowship of Columbia, South Carolina, elected to become a "sister church" (later changed to "partner church") to a Unitarian Church in Transylvania, Romania. Mark Allstrom, who then was our minister, signed the charter.

The Transylvanian minister was Reverend Sebe Ferencz of Beszterce (larger fellowhip) and Kide (annex). We began receiving the quarterly UUA Partner Church Newsletter and to correspond with Sebe Ferencz, also called "Ferri." We formed a partner church committee, chaired by Lee Minghi, and began exchanging letters with our Transylvanian friends.

In 1991 the children of our religious education classes wrote letters to the children in Beszterce and in May of the same year we attempted to develop a pen-pal program. However, the mail between our two countries was very slow and the program never took off.

In 1992 we received a plaque with their Unitarian emblem, a dove encircled by a snake. It was dedicated during the service on September 27. Over the years we have received home embroidered items, pottery, and the tapestry you see on the wall in the Sanctuary saying: God is One (EGY AZ ISTEN).

The Rev. Ferre died in 1997 and was replaced by a young minister, Janos Kriza. Janos has visited and has conducted services several times. After Janos moved from the area, Rev. Zsolt Solymosi became the minister of our Partner Chruch at Beszterce.

LINKS:

Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council
A Short History of the Unitarian Church
Hungarian Unitarian Catechism
Wikipedia.org - Romania
Municipalities of Romania (including Transylvania)
Northern Transylvania During The Hungarian Occupation
1940 - 1944
Interesting facts about Romania
Unitarianism in Europe: Origins and the Present
A Romanian Cookbook
Hundreds of delicious recipes from Romania

Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Or if you would simply like to contact the Partner Church Committee,
you may E-mail us by clicking the E-mail button below.