Partner Church Annual Report 2023
Committee Chair: _Lee Minghi
Committee Members:
Lee Minghi, Jean Capalbo, Carita Barr, Yolanda Ganong, Donald Cooper,
Anne Espinoza, Susan Robinson, Carolyn West
Major accomplishments this year:
❖ In lighted glass cabinet in the church foyer, arranged colorful display of Hungarian/ Romanian artifacts and photos of Beszterce congregation members and minister.
❖ Fall 2022 – Prepared Christmas cards for UU members to sign & mail to Beszterce.
❖ Dec. 2022 – Sent $700 to Beszterce congregation (for facility rent & ministergasoline) with transmission assistance from Partner Church staff at UUA. Currently there are no administrative costs for this transmission service.
❖ Jan. 29, had table at annual UUCC committee fair and potluck.
❖ February 19, 2023 PC committee members led the Sunday service on the lst anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. It included a videotaped report from Rev. Zsolt Solymosi re. work with refugees sheltering at the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy where he is Assistant Principal. He reported on Romanian Unitarians sending relief supplies to victims of the Feb. 6 Turkey/Syria earthquake.
❖ February – Prepared and mailed Easter cards to the Beszterce congregation.
❖ April 2023 sent another gift of $700 for rent and minister’s gasoline.
❖ Feb. 26, 2023 – Held “An Enchanting Musical Evening” piano concert and dance exhibition, raising $3,847.00. Between 50 & 60 attended in person, including at least 10 guests from the wider community. Eleven people “attended” by zoom. Served dessert and refreshments provided by PC and congregation members.
❖ Planned for June 27 – July 5, 2023 visit by Rev. Zsolt Solymosi & Alex, grandson of Bezsterce Church founder. Sent funds for their visas & airline tickets & Initiated plans for 7/4 church wide picnic. Jean Capalbo & Craig Chattin will host them.
❖ Planned events during visit are:
1) Thursday, 6/29, 3:00 p.m. Rev. Zsolt to speak at Still Hopes Episcopal Home (open
to public) on Romania’s position as a neighbor of Ukraine during the war.
2) Friday, 6/30 evening – Goulash dinner prepared by Zsolt & PC committee followed
by talk about Ukraine or, possibly, Zsolt’s 2015 drive across Russia & Mongolia. “Love
offering” will be requested to cover food costs.
3) Sunday, 7/2 PC committee will conduct morning service and Rev. Zsolt preach
4) ? Alex (Romanian fire fighter) visit with American fire fighters at local fire station.
5) Tues. 7/4, late afternoon picnic at Suzie Garland & Shelley Bon’s home, Springdale.
6) ? Sun. 7/2, after church meeting about possible future “pilgrimage” to Romania.
7) Wed. 7/5 Zsolt & Alex depart, sight-seeing en route to NY.
❖ Reserved space @ UUCC for next annual fundraising event – February 4, 2024
Please briefly describe any factors that facilitated or impeded your work this year.
1) Concerns related to covid were slight issues in planning for Feb. concert.
2) Showing Rev. Zsolt’s all important video during the service on Feb. 29 failed, despite careful preparation by the tech volunteers. On the other hand, the tech crew enabled people at home to attend the PC service and the concert. They also made it possible for the concert program to be stored on U-tube!
Any special initiatives continuing into the next program year.
Planning for upcoming visit, continuing financial support for the Bezsterce congregation, planning for possible future “pilgrimage” and planning for Feb. 4, 2024 fundraising event.
Future dreams or long-range plans for the committee.
1) Continued communication & bringing informative, inspiring videos from Zsolt.
2) Another small group visit – “pilgrimage” to Romania.
3) Involving young adults and teens in the P.C. work, even offering scholarship
funds for travel there.
Constraints on accomplishing these plans.
Time, limited funds, and too few young adults and youth in UUCC to recruit.
Respectfully submitted: ___Susan Robinson_