Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Our Partner Church

Partner Church News!

There has been a lot going on in Recsenyed lately that I think you all should know about! First, the online petition that Rev. Adel sent out last winter to ask the Romanian Government for some help was so successful that it drew the attention of the Hungarian television channel in Budapest.

They filmed the Church Service there on March 6th to celebrate the National Day of Hungary, which com- memorates the failed civil war in 1849. People came from all over to attend, and the Church was packed! They dedicated a plaque to those from Recsenyed who fought in the war. You can see it online.

The program is an hour long, and all in Hungarian, but the first few minutes should interest everyone, and about three quarters through there is a lot of choir singing. Please check it out!

This summer there will be a summer English camp for the children. The kids work at learning English in school, but it’s so important to them that they want

more! Four villages will be involved, and their partner churches are being asked to help with funding, so be on the lookout for a fundraiser this summer. To the best of my knowledge; this is the first time that they have actually asked us for anything specific and the kids need this.

I’ve also learned that Rev. Adel applied for a scholarship for the Starr King School of Ministry at Berkeley. She didn’t get it though. It went to the other guy.

This summer also, I hope to put on a Service to speak about why we are partnered and the history of the partnership movement.

Thanks! köszönöm! John Younie

In the village of Recsenyéd, Romania live approximately 135 Unitarians who are Hungarian. Through the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council, the Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship has been partnered with the Unitarian Church of Recsenyéd since 1995.  In 2007-2008, KUUF children and youth learned about and supporting our friends in Recsenyed in the Childrens Religious Education program's Family Worship Service and Faith in Action workshops. In October of 2008 seven KUUF members including our Minister Rev. Liz Stevens traveled to Recsenyed on a tour of Unitarian Transylvania, and to celebrate their Thanksgiving. In March 2010 seven different KUUF members are traveling there to help work on a building project they are undertaking to remodel their cantors house into a community center with spare bedrooms, and most importantly, a computer room for the use of Villagers without computer access.

Adel, the minister in Recsenyed, sent these photos, and this letter. 

Recsenyéd is  a tiny little village in the Homorod valley, Transylvania. The first information about the village is mentioned in a latin document in the 15th century. Its people became unitarian after the edict of Torda was proclaimed in 1568. But it only became an independent congregation in the 18th century.

Now there are not more than 140 inhabitants in the village, mostly elderly. There are 14 families with children, and many who live alone, because they lost their spouse.

Recsenyéd has a normal rural life. People have lands and they work on their lands. The have animals, especially cows, sheep and they are raising animals. Everyone has a nice house and they are very hard workers. They don t have the opportunity to travel much or get away from everyday work. They work hard for what they believe it is their or their childrens future. They have tractors and other machinery, but they also work by hand. Every family has a big vegetable garden, but they are growing the vegetables only for the family s need. Of course they also share, but not for money.

Most of the families have television, some of them, just a few have internet connection. So they are quite up to date with what is happening in the world.

There is only primary school in the village, the middle graders go to Szentpal, the next village. The bus is taking them to school, but they often choose to ride their bike. The high-school students go to Szekelyudvarhely or Szekelykeresztur and they live in dormitories during the week, they come home for the weekend. There is a good team of young boys and girls. They get together every Saturday. Of course they are having a lot of fun, too. Our youngest member of the village is Anita. She was born in December, 2009. She has three more brothers.

Elderly is most attached to the church. But some of them are unable to come because of their illnesses or because of the distance. Many live alone, men and women either. The oldest in the village was Julianna, she died last year after turning 100.

If some would ask me why do I like Recsenyed... I would say I like it because the people in Recsenyed are so very nice. I like it because it is such a beautiful place.  Because it has a beautiful church. I like it because it has some of the benefits that other villages don t have, ex. paved road, public transportation to town, internet connection etc. And many many other things that link and connect me to this tiny little village and its people.