First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg

The Unitarian Church in Transylvania have suffered repression over the centuries; the latest being the Ceausescu era. The simple strength visible in these faces is remarkable.

We leave it to the viewer to spot the Americans.

The former minister(right) from the Csegez Church speaking at a service in our church. During her visit, as part of that service, she outlined their efforts to revitalize the Csegez community and to support its local Unitarian Church.

• August 1990 -- Tom and Jean Gilpatrick, Lynchburg members, visit Transylvania with one of the first UUA tours. Upon their return, UU Lynchburg applied for a partner and was assigned the village of Csegez, which is ministered to by the minister of Mészkö.

• October 1990 -- Rev. David Leonard wrote to Rev. Dezso Fulop, who replied in December.

• 1991-94 -- Exchange of congregation photos, several get-acquainted letters, sold Transylvanian folk art note cards and ornaments/boxes, established bi-monthly newsletter sent to all Lynchburg members, did program for RE children, raised money for the Tractor Project in early 1994 (money never used for a tractor, used for a church roof many years later).

• October 1994 -- John and Molly McClenon visited Csegez for 10 days, presenting the congregation with about $3,000 to help purchase a tractor, plus several suitcases of clothing and gifts. They returned with beautiful handwork gifts from Csegez members.

• November 1994 -- McClenons presented a Sunday service about their trip.

• 1995-1996 -- McClenons exchange letters with their Hungarian translator and the Fulop's son, Alpar, but there is little communication with the Csegez minister.

• May 1997 -- Kim and Barbara Beach, UUs long involved with the Partner Church Council, give a Sunday Service in Lynchburg, preceded by a Hungarian dinner on Saturday night.

• July 1997 -- McClenons visit Csegez again and interview several families there about their lives. Return with a number of sweaters and other items which were sold to our members at a silent auction, with proceeds returned to their makers in Csegez.

• October 1997 -- Sunday service Meeting Our Partners in Csegez features pictures from the McClenons' visit and portrayals of Csegez villagers by Partner Church Committee members.

• Early 1998 -- Boise and Lynchburg begin to make plans to bring the Fulops to the U.S. in the fall.

• February 28, 1998 -- Suicide of Rev. Dezso Fulop

• Early 2001 -- We begin to hold Csegez Cafés to raise money for parsonage renovations planned by the new minister, Rev. Zsuzsa Bartha. Send $1,000 for this purpose.

• January 2001 -- Rev. Zsuzsa Bartha, the Balázs scholar that year at Starr King in CA, spends a week in Lynchburg.

• October 2002 -- McClenons and Bowers visit Transylvania and help with planning for the Aranyos Valley Development Co. that the Barthas were working on at that time, spend an overnight in Csegez and hike up Székely-kö. Pat Bower wrote an article on the trip for the winter Partner Church News.

• Early 2004 -- Long letter received from Lorincz Magyarosi, lay leader in Csegez, the only letter ever received from a member of the congregation (shortly after Zsuzsa left on maternity leave).

• December 2004 -- Kim Beach gives a Sunday service and Barbara Beach, then UUPCC president, speaks at a Saturday evening supper.

• January 2006 -- First email received from Róbert Bálint, new minister.

• February 2007 -- John Dale speaks in Lynchburg and meets with those interested in traveling to Transylvania with a choir and bell chimes group.

• October 2007 -- Congregational potluck showing Women of Transylvania, A Video of Hope.

• June 2009 -- Delegation of our minister, Rev. Paul Boothby, Krista Boothby, and our Transylvanian-born member Ernõ Csatlós, visited our partner church village. Paul preached at the Sunday service in Csegez, held jointly with members from Mészkö, Ernõ presented the video about our church life he had made, and all enjoyed a picnic and fellowship.

• December 2009 -- The Bálint family visited Lynchburg while Róbert was on winter break from his studies as a Balázs scholar at Starr King. Four days of social events, discussions about the future of our partnership, and plans for future visits. Overall goal is to increase communication with the Csegez congregation. One idea is to send pictures of Lynchburg church events to Róbert that he can show on his laptop to the Csegez members. Also, a scrapbook of the Bálint visit has been prepared that Róbert will take to Csegez when he returns home. Future projects may include repairs and renovations to the parsonage in Csegez, which is used for services in the wintertime and youth group stays in the summer, but could be made more widely useful.

• March 2010 -- MUUsic Ambassadors group formed to plan for the long-delayed trip to Transylvania by members of our choir and chalice chimes group, now planned for 2011. First fundraiser held in May, An Evening in King Sigismund's Court, a Transylvanian dinner with a concert by an early music group.

• Recently -- Most Christmases and Easters Greeting cards sent to the Csegez congregation and the minister's family, signed during coffee hour in Lynchburg.

  Csegez Cafés have continued monthly, raising funds for the Boothby/Csatlós visit, the future choir tour, and possible support for projects in our partner church village.