Unitarian Church of Sharon
4 N. Main St.
Sharon, MA 02067
781-784-3652
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Our Partner Church in Gyulakuta, Romania
What
is our partner congregation in Gyulakuta, Romania like? Their minister,
Erika Demeter, expressed it well in a letter to Rev. Cayer. “We have
nothing. We haven’t a church. We haven’t capital. We are just
48 people come from different Unitarian places, but we exist and we want
to have a spiritual religious life together.”
There are over 200 Unitarian congregations in Romania, in cities, small
towns, and villages. Our partner congregation, Gyulakuta, is in some ways
typical and in others not. Unlike many of the Unitarian churches which
date back centuries and occupy simple but beautiful old buildings, the
Gyulakuta congregation is very small and fairly new, in a town with no
Unitarian tradition, and has no building. Now a town of 6000, the village
of Fintinele/Gyulakuta was chosen by the government in the '60s as the
site of an enormous power plant and other industry, built right in the
center, with large concrete apartment blocks to accommodate the workers.
Thus although it is in a beautiful, picturesque rural area, it is not
a particularly scenic town. Like a number of state-owned industries started
under Communism, the plant is now partially abandoned, poorly maintained,
and operating at only 10% of its capacity.
Most of the 48 members of our partner congregation moved to Gyulakuta
from other small towns for work. They include teachers, office and factory
workers, a few small farmers, and retirees (who live on small pensions
badly eroded by Romania’s chronic inflation). Like many people in
Transylvania, their first language is Hungarian. Transportation to other
towns with Unitarian churches is not easy, so they formed this small and
struggling fellowship, which meets on Sunday afternoons in the hall of
the local Calvinist church. Their minister, Erika Demeter, conducts their
services once a month and on holidays. They have little in material goods,
but are rich in strength, good will, good humor, and friendship for each
other.
About the Unitarians of Transylvania
A Day in the Life of Our Partner Minister
Latest News from Transylavania
Photos from Gyulakuta, Romania
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