THE BASIS OF THE UUA PROGRAM
To many of us coming to Unitarian Universalism from other backgrounds, it comes as a surprise to learn that 400 years ago, as an outgrowth of the Protestant Reformation, the Unitarian movement began in Transylvania and flourished briefly under King John Sigismund’s Edict of Religious Tolerance of 1568. Transylvania is now an ethnic minority region in western Romania. There are about 170 Unitarian congregations in Transylvania today, mainly in small Hungarian-speaking villages. So this is our church's region of heritage.

THE UUA'S PROGRAM'S ORIGIN
Way back in the 1920's, an original program attempted to match Unitarian Churches in Transylvania with churches in the USA for the purpose of restoring bells in the towers that had been removed to make bullets and cannon balls. Later, in January 1990, Bill Schulz, then president of the UUA, and Natalie Gulbrandsen traveled to Romania to officially protest the planned destruction of villages in Transylvania including Unitarian ones. They arrived about 2 weeks after the revolution. When they returned home, Natalie and Bill sent out a call to UU churches to be partnered with churches in Transylvania. to aid them on recovering from decades of persecution. Currently, ethnic relations in Romania are still strained. Unitarian ministers have meager salaries, their churches are in disrepair, and villages are very poor. The Unitarian seminary also needs resources. Support from abroad was deemed vital to keep alive the Unitarian faith in the land where it began. This program has now grown within the UUA and there are now over 170 UU churches with partner churches in Romania.

OUR START
In 1990, the year of this program's inception, our then minister, Rev. Rudy Nemser proposed that UUCCH join in a Partner Church relationship with the Unitarian Church in Székelyderzs. Our church was actively involved in its partner’s life from that that time until 2002. Rev. Nemser first visited Székelyderzs in 1991 and visited every summer, save one, until his retirement in 2000 - frequently on one-month sabbaticals. We have sent groups to Székelyderzs since 1991 with group sizes as large as eleven and as small as one. Our groups have included not only adults but also teen agers. Several of our repeat visitors have started to learn Hungarian and have become quite adept in it. Indeed, Rev. Nemser and one of our parishioners have each preached or spoken on Sundays in the Székelyderzs church in Hungarian.

THE SUPPORT WE HAVE GIVEN
UUCCH has sent money to repair the Székelyderzs church roof and install a furnace to heat the parsonage. A sunflower seed press was purchased to enable the people to produce their own cooking oil, saving about $30 a year per household - about a month’s income.
We initiated a Fruit-a-Day program to provide a daily piece of fruit for every kindergartner who goes to school. Since fruit is scarce, more children started attending. We have learned from parents that this fresh fruit has improved the health of the children. UUCCH also sponsored English lessons for adults - the first class graduated 21. An advanced class tutored beginners.
We sent several computers loaded with software.
The Székelyderzs women have the skill of creating beautiful Kézimunkas (handicraft fabric) - table cloths, hangings, shawls and the like. We purchased and resold these in Cherry Hill to provide them needed income.
Individuals in our church have contributed scholarships to enable village children to attend in a distant town (since the village school stops at the eighth grade).

AND IN RETURN
This TRANSYLVANIA CONNECTION program was far from a one-way street. The Székelyderzs church and community have given us many gifts. One of their primary skills is beautiful wood carving. They have given us hand-carved collection plates, several plaques for our walls, a clock for our new Commons area and scenic panels to be a permanent part of our new church's decor.
The Székelyderzs women have given us several woven table cloths, hangings and shawls. We use several of these in our ceremonies.
Their minister gave us a large vase depicting a traditional Romanian wedding. This resides in the entrance lobby of Unitarian House.
The Minister of the Székelyderzs church, his wife and another couple have visited us - their first visit to the USA.

AND NOW
In early 2002, this original relationship was terminated at the request of the then minister of the Székelyderzs church. After he retired, the new minister, Sandor Demeter, their church board and the newly-formed American Committee asked to be reconnected with our congregation in July 2005. Our minister, Rev. Melanie Morel-Ensminger and our board agreed. With the help of the UU partner Church Council and our own new Transylvania Partner Church Committee, our congregation voted to reconnect this partnership in June 2006. We are presently working with the church in Székelyderzs to develop an equal relationship and partnership based upon the UU Partnership Church Council guidelines, and sent two of our congregants to Székelyderzs in August 2006.