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A Pilgrimage to
Our Partner Church in Janosfalva
September 9 - 21, 2010
In September, five UUSIC
members will be traveling to Hungary and Romania
including a three day home stay with our Partner
Church in the village of Janosfalva. Those
participating are Joe Brisben, Barbara Haring,
Arnold Lindaman, Doug and Mary Kathryn Wallace.
Others joining us are two UUs from Gainesville,
Florida; two from Berkley, California; one from
New York; and Arnold's son, David, from Atlanta.
We feel our trip will be a richer experience
because of the opportunity to share with other
UUs.
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Our partner church in Janosfalva
We at UUSIC have one of the earliest and longest lasting
UU partnerships
with churches in Transylvania, having been partnered with Janosfalva
since
1993.
During that time
there has been ongoing but somewhat limited
connection.
We hope this trip will
strengthen our ties.
Representing you
We're approaching this trip as a pilgrimage and feel we're representing our
entire UUSIC congregation.
In Romania we'll be exploring the foundation of
Unitarianism by visiting historical sites including the famous Francis David
rock in Kolozsvar/Cluj, known as the "Unitarian Rome."
During our three days with our partner church in the village of Janosfalva,
we'll
get to know Unitarians who are more aware of the significance of our
partnership than are most of us.
We at UUSIC have
been a sustaining friend
to them since 1993, and have made a positive difference in village life.
At
the conclusion of this trip, we pilgrims want
to return to Iowa and make our
valuable and long standing partnership come alive through stories,
photos, and
sharing of
daily family life.
Aprons as a gift from our
congregation
It's a challenge for a village of 300 tucked in a valley near the Carpathian
Mountains to host guests from around the world.
We travelers want to be
gracious and practical, and will be giving as gifts aprons in an Americana
fabric made by Rhonda Rowden.
Cards, drawings, greetings
We're also hoping to take cards and drawings made by our RE classes to the
families of Janosfalva.
If
you've visited Janosfalva in the past or were a pen pal and want to
reconnect, we'll take your messages and photos.
Financial gift from UUSIC to Janosfalva
We'd also like to take a financial gift from UUSIC
to our Partner
Church.
To add your support you
can donate by check to Tyler and putting
Partner Church on the memo line, or by cash to Tyler or to Mary Catherine
Wallace.
Photographer needed to take group photo in front
of UUSIC
I'm seeking a photographer to take a picture of us
in front of the church. Please contact me,
Mary Kathryn Wallace, if you'll be our photographer. 
Preparation
We're reading about the history of the area and of the great difficulties
our brethren in Janosfalva have endured because of wars,
politics and
religious discrimination.
We're also learning phrases in Hungarian (the
language spoken in Janosfalva), as well as in Romanian.
We hope that those who take this journey will return to UUSIC with new
ideas, enthusiasm, and open-heartedness.
Hoping you will join us in
spirit.
Mary Kathryn Wallace |
Unitarian
Universalist
Society of
Iowa City