Read about Follen’s 2017 Visit to our Partner Church

What Is a “Partner Church?”

A Partner Church is a congregation that our church is affiliated with because of a shared religious history. Some affiliations were established as early as 1920. Around 1990, Follen began its affiliation with a church in Transylvania, Romania, after our former minister, the Reverend Polly Guild, visited Eastern Europe just as Communism was collapsing.

What is the “shared religious history” that our Unitarian Universalist church in Lexington, Massachusetts, has in common with our Unitarian Partner Church in Transylvania? Both churches are rooted in the historical belief in the “Oneness of God.” We share the belief that people should be free to practice the religion of their choice.

These beliefs were preached by Francis David, minister to the court of King John Sigismund of Transylvania. In 1568, the king proclaimed these Unitarian beliefs in the Edict of Torda (a city just a few miles from our partner village)—thus becoming the first and only Unitarian king in history.

Our partner congregation is ethnically Hungarian, as are all Unitarian Churches in Transylvania, which was part of Hungary until a World War I treaty gave Transylvania to Romania. So Unitarians are both an ethnic minority and a religious minority in Romania.

Our Mission

To sustain and deepen the relationship between Follen and our Partner Church in Transylvania, sharing the roots of the Unitarian faith.

To widen and encourage personal relationships with Transylvanian parishioners through scholarships, visits, and communication; giving and receiving in ways that reflect our spiritual values and commitment to social justice.

To explore opportunities for connections to communities or groups elsewhere in the world where we can also support and endorse our Unitarian Universalist values.

How Do We support Our Partner Church?

Since 1998, our Partner Church Committee has raised funds for:

• Scholarships to fund high school and college education for their students
• Building projects such as renovations to the church, organ, parsonage and community center
• Music and religious education programs
• Support for the elderly
• Support for the minister and his family
• Visits to Follen for the minister, his family, and congregation members

How Does Our Partner Church Support Us?

Our Partner Church has hosted many groups from Follen during the summer. The generosity and gratitude that has welcomed our travelers has been a humbling and awe-inspiring experience.

How Can You Get Involved?

Everyone is welcome to join our action team, sponsor a student, join a traveler group, or get involved in one of our fund-raising activities. Email the Partner Church Committee chairperson at partnerchurch@follen.org for more information.

2024–2025 Activities

In 2024–2025, Follen’s Partner Church Committee has:

• sent $3,000 to help maintain the Szentmihály church’s buildings
• accepted donations on Sundays for soup made and served by PCC members and friends to help fund this annual gift to our partner church and to help Ukrainians survive the war
• delivered private donations from approximately 25 Follen members to help pay some education costs of 21 Unitarian students from the Szentmihály church
• raised some $3,973 through Follen’s Share the Plate donations in October
  • Half of this total went to further help Ukrainians as the war grinds on. The other half went to our partner church.

The money to Ukraine was funneled through the Providence Relief Organization of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania. We estimate that approximately 95 cents of every donated Follen dollar directly aids Ukrainians. How?

The Providence organization has helped many families and elderly that fled their country to receive food, shelter, and schooling in Transylvania. Providence Relief people also repeatedly risk their lives to drive vanloads of food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies into war-torn parts of Ukraine. Overall, Follen has contributed approximately $25,000 for this life-saving effort.