January 2023

Rev. Claire received some personal news from Rev. Jozsef of our Partner Church in Transylvania, followed by information about humanitarian efforts in Ukraine:

from Rev. Jozsef:

The leadership of our congregation and I were delighted to remember the occasion a year ago when you blessed the Transylvanian table at Follen.  After the pandemic situation, the shadow of the war in Ukraine was cast on our lives. The reception and relief of refugees, the huge inflation of food and fuel, have confronted us with many tasks and difficulties.

Nevertheless, we try to live our individual and community lives as fully as possible. Our children are now grown up: my son Arthur is finishing university in cultural tourism, my son Zalán is a second year student in mechatronics at a technical university, and my daughter Izabella is a cook’s assistant in a Japanese restaurant. My wife Csilla is still the president of the National Association of Unitarian Women, where she has a wide range of responsibilities.

In the past year, the congregation has had the major task of repairing the exterior of the church, for which we received a government grant, because this year our church will be 300 years old and we would like to hold a thanksgiving service in September.

I enclose the New Year’s greetings from the Providence Charity Organization and the Hungarian Unitarian Church and a report on the recent relief shipment.

I gratefully acknowledge the help of the Follen congregation and church members, which has made it possible to better and more effectively help people in need!