The
mission and objectives of the Partner Church Committee are to develop long
term, mutually supportive relationships with our fellow UUs in Transylvania,
Romania, and in the Khasi Hills of India. To this end, we promote an exchange
of people and ideas, as well as provide funds and other forms of assistance to
help our partner churches in Szekelykal (Transylvania) and Nongtalang (Khasi
Hills, India) and their respective communities to improve the quality of life
for all the inhabitants and to foster economic development through enhanced
educational opportunities.
Our two Partner Churches are quite different,
although they share an economy based on farming. In Szekelykal, Transylvania, the economy is mixed agriculture, while
in Nongtalang, Khasi Hills, the
primary crop is beetle nut. In Szekelykal, the church building is dated
from before the Reformation, during which the Church became Unitarian. The
Church in the Khasi Hills is 125 years old and needs renovations.
The Transylvania church has heated homes and
electricity. In the Khasi Hills, the level of income is frequently below the
global poverty level of a dollar a day, although they do have electricity off
and on.
If you wish to help support this ongoing effort to
benefit those churches, please note that collections throughout the month of
December are designated to that end. You may write a check addressed to the UU
Church, with a note in the memo that your donation is for Partner Churches.
If you would like to join our congregation’s
Partner Church Committee, please contact the chair, Brigitte Pieke, at brigittepieke@hotmail.com.
