King’s Chapel will celebrate its partnership with the First Unitarian Congregation of Kolozsvár in a virtual worship service honoring two founders of the Unitarian faith. David Waters will deliver a sermon in comparative commemoration of Francis Dávid of Kolozsvár (16th century) and James Freeman of Boston (18th century), both of whom inspired their churches and their people to embrace a faith that exalts the oneness of God, freedom and tolerance of religious expression, passionate reason, and compassionate justice. The worship service will also include communion in the Transylvanian tradition, with Joy Fallon as celebrant. On Partner Church Sunday, February 7, we launch the centennial of a unique and historic partnership created in 1921 and 1922. In the wake of World War I, Sydney Bruce Snow, Associate Minister of King’s Chapel, visited the distressed churches of Transylvania in 1921 delivering monetary contributions from American Unitarians, including King’s Chapel. And in the summer of 1922, Harold E.B. Speight, Minister of King’s Chapel, visited Transylvania on behalf of the American Committee on the Rights of Religious Minorities in Europe, a member of the commission that also included Palfrey Perkins, a future Minister of King’s Chapel. In response to the destruction and poverty observed by these visitors, a number of “sister church” pairings were established in the 1920’s between Transylvanian and U.S. churches, including King’s Chapel and the church at Kolozsvár. It was a robust relationship but suffered the disruption of world-wide depression, the devastation of WWII, and the oppression of Soviet occupation, yet survived to flower again during the King’s Chapel ministry of Carl Scovel.
There will be other opportunities to celebrate the partner church relationship in the course of this year, but we hope parishioners will join us on Sunday, February 7, for worship and communion inspired by forebears and friends in Transylvania, a legacy that lives on and enriches us all. - Denton Crews, Chair, Partner Church Committee Comments are closed.
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