July 22, 2008

REPORT ON THE JULY, 2008 VISIT TO WINCHESTER BY MEMBERS OF

THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF MAROSVASARHELY

On the evening of July 2^nd, 2008, sixteen weary travelers from the First Unitarian Church of Marosvasarhely arrived at Logan Airport, Boston.  Their flight was late and their luggage mislaid between flights at JFK.  Still, it was cause for rejoicing.  After fifteen years of partnership with Winchester, Massachusetts and half a dozen visits by Winchester congregants to Marosvasarhely, the eight youth and eight adults from Transylvania were the first to reciprocate by traveling to Winchester.  The group included Senior Minister Nagy Laci and his wife, Gizi.  Most had participated in a 2007 weeklong Marosvasarhely summer camp attended by Winchester adults and youth.  Thus, the 2008 trip would be an opportunity, not only to make new friendships, but also to renew old ones.  After a night in the homes of host families, the group began a busy ten-day program that would acquaint them with historic Boston and the roots of American Unitarian Universalism, show them points of contemporary interest in Boston, and develop and cement friendships through group social and recreational activities.

Thursday, July 3^rd through Saturday, July 5^th

Thursday’s program began with a cookout lunch at the home of Winchester congregants Sally Patton and Rick Grenzeback. The lunch was followed by an itinerary overview session by trip coordinator Karen Erikson and then by a walking tour of Winchester.  Included were the library, Town Hall, middle school and senior high school, and fire and police stations.  Our new ministers, John and Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, joined the group for introductions and some of the walking tour.  Late in the afternoon, Winchester’s Assistant Minister, Jeremy Melvin, briefly described the history and theology of American Unitarian Universalism.  After a Chinese dinner at the church, the group and their escorts drove to Boston to visit The Institute for Contemporary Art where they witnessed a spectacular New England lightning and thunder storm from safely inside the ICA.

Friday was a day of Americana.  The group left for Boston by subway.  During the day, it visited Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the Hungarian 1956 Revolution Memorial, the North End, Old North Church, and the Holocaust Memorial.  After a short break back in Winchester, they were bussed to Long Wharf.  Here, they boarded a Boston Harbor Cruise boat for a Texas BBQ buffet, a (very) close look at the Queen Mary II, and fireworks displays from Winthrop and Boston’s esplanade.  Cruise arrangements were by Winchester congregants Betsy Bowles and Pat Meny.

Saturday morning, it was back into Boston via public transportation.  The group strolled through Boston Common and Boston Garden and ate lunch overlooking the Swan Boats.  Lunch was followed by sightseeing in Copley Square and tours of Trinity and Old South Churches.  After returning to Winchester, the group swam and played an energetic game of Keep Away in the pool at Judy and Charlie Potzka’s home.  An open-to-all-church-members dinner followed at the Erikson home where James Pidacks and Judy Murray applied their culinary skills.  Approximately sixty church members attended.

Sunday, July 6^th

Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. service was an inspiration for all.  There were far more in attendance than usual for a summer service.  Joining the congregation were representatives of the North Andover and Concord churches.  Winchester’s Jeremy Melvin spoke on the meaning of partnership; Rev’d Lee Bluemel of North Andover gave the prayer and meditation; and Rev’d Nagy, in his sermon, reminded us that, wherever we go, we leave “traces” of our having been there.  The ad hoc choir of Marosvasarhely and Winchester singers produced a sound very much to the liking of Winchester’s Music Director, John Kramer.  The Marosvasarhely group presented the Winchester Church with a hand-painted ceramic chalice and two matching ceramic bells.  Winchester reciprocated with a table scarf of antique Hungarian lace donated by congregant Marcia Wood.

Following the service, there was a well-attended, all-church potluck luncheon in Metcalf Hall.  Several from Marosvasarhely then gave presentations describing their city, the Hungarian school system in Marosvasarhely, their perspective on the accomplishments and value of the Marosvasarhely/Winchester partnership, and the theology of Transylvanian Unitarianism.  The last of these topics was presented by the Marosvasarhely youth.

Sunday afternoon, July 6^th through Tuesday, July 8^th

North Andover:  Since 2003, The North Parish of North Andover has been partnered with Marosvasarhely along with Winchester.  As expected, North Andover’s Partner Church Committee responded enthusiastically to Winchester’s invitation to participate in the service on July 6^th and to host the Transylvanian visitors on Monday and Tuesday of the following week.  Host families from North Andover attended the service and, after the potluck lunch and presentations, transported their guests back to their homes.

Monday and Tuesday in North Andover:  Monday was spent at Crane’s Beach with North Andover host families and included a lobster lunch.  That evening, there was a welcome service at the church.  On Tuesday, the group was once more in Boston for shopping and visits to the Prudential Skywalk and the New England Aquarium.  Tuesday evening, the visitors returned to Winchester.

Wednesday, July 9^th through Friday, July 11^th

Wednesday in Historic Concord:  Roger Mattlage, Rich Stevenson, and Bill and Sherry Seaver of the Concord Unitarian/Universalist Church acted as planners and guides for a group visit to historic Concord.  The itinerary included a walk focusing on the Transcendentalists, the Alcott House, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and Walden Pond.  Ample time was provided at the last stop to hike and swim and most took full advantage on a hot day.  In the evening, an all-church Southwestern progressive dinner was hosted in the homes of Winchester congregants Janet Parsons and Walter Chick and Maria and Mark Shepherd.  An estimated fifty church members attended.

Thursday:  This was another day in Boston:  The Museum of Science in the morning, including the Omni Theatre show, the “Lightning” display, and time to view other exhibits.  Following lunch at one of Boston’s large food courts, the group toured UU Headquarters at 25 Beacon Street.  While the others were in Boston, Marosvasarhely visitor Doctor Fekete Laci visited Winchester Hospital with Winchester doctors, Frank Virnelli and Joop Grevelink.  Visitor Bako Laci, an electrical engineering professor in Marosvasarhely, toured MIT.  Dinner was with each visitor’s host family.  After dinner, youth from Transylvania met with members of the Winchester Youth Group for a swim party at the home of Christine Whitney and Bob Allen.  Then, it was off to “Glow Bowling” for candlepins and plenty of pizza.  While the youth played, the adults socialized and enjoyed dessert at the home of Marie and John Dacey.

Friday:  Friday morning was set aside for leisurely breakfasts and conversation with host families followed by two hours of enthusiastic shopping at a nearby Target.  In the afternoon, the group drove to Cambridge and toured Harvard Divinity School where the Rev’d Jeremy Melvin gave an informative presentation on the influence Unitarians had on the school’s development.  The group then explored Harvard Square.  In the evening, the Grevelink family hosted a farewell dinner to which all from the Winchester church were invited, as were the leaders of North Andover’s Partner Church Committee.  As with earlier group dinners, about fifty attended this one.

Saturday, July 12^th

Following a brief breakfast at the church, the visitors were driven to Logan Airport for a 2:15 p.m. flight home.  On Sunday, we received e-mails reporting that all had arrived safely in Marosvasarhely but that, once again, their luggage had been delayed at JFK.

Observations

In our view, this was an enormously successful undertaking.  Here are some reasons for that conclusion:

• During the fifteen years of Winchester’s partnership with Marosvasarhely, approximately thirty of us have visited Transylvania.  Now, over one hundred thirty-five of our congregation (acting as host families, chauffeurs, event sponsors, or simply attendees) have met this delegation of youth and adults and seen, first hand, what our partners are like.  The increase in enthusiasm for the partnership is palpable.
• Approximately twenty Marosvasarhely and Winchester youth have spent two ten-day summer periods together (2007 and 2008).  The friendships formed appear very strong.
• The visit provided Minister Nagy Laci and wife Gizi and Winchester Partner Church coordinators Karen and Chris Erikson and Maggie and John Russell with a valuable opportunity to assess the current state of the partnership and outline plans for the future.
• It seems likely that North Andover will be a more active partner following its participation in the visit.

It was, however, a major endeavor for the church to shoulder:

·         The logistics (planning events, obtaining volunteers, negotiating entrance fees, coordinating with North Andover and Concord, and so forth) were daunting.

·         It was costly.  Three of the visitors paid their own airfare, visa, and transit-to-Bucharest costs in full, but Winchester subsidized the others.  Despite the welcome fact that many historic and entertainment spots will waive or reduce their entry fees for a group such as this one, Winchester’s  total out-pocket-costs (exclusive of the $1,000 travel grant from UUPCC) including travel and non-donated meals were about $14,000.