Alabaster Village

The Religious Education Committee (REC) had its meeting in October the 7th. The topic was: the discussion of the RE plann.

The members agreed, that there is need for RE activity beside the ones in the school. They proposed to have RE every weekend at the Church Office. In this situation - since there are more groups learning togheter – a cooperation of the board members is needed, to have simultaneus programs for different aged children. The board also invited Csilla Halmágyi and Ágnes Kereki to help in this process as assistant members.

The RE for the children preparing for the confirmation service is held every Sunday, after the sermon. The preparation is leaded by rev. Róbert Bálint.The board also planned to present a play with the children in november.

The history of the church before 1931

We don’t exactly know when the church was built. In the archives of the congregation the first entry is from 1774, in which it is mentioned that the congregation has a church building and a grave yard. No existence of a steeple is mentioned. In the document it is mentioned that church is almost collapsing, and it needs reparation.

Another entry from 1788 says that the congregation has a stone church building, built in 1783, and next to it there is a bellfry made of wood. A plaque placed above the entrydoor of the church still confirms it. The stone steeple was built in 1797. The above mentioned church bulding was in use untill 1931.

During the reconstruction works in 1931 a window keystone was found, wich according to the architect of the reconstruction, László Debreczeni, dated back to the rign of the Árpád’s, first kings of Hungary. Stones from the Roman and Renaissance age were also found. These alltogether proved that the first church was built at the end of the 13th century. And it was rebuilt after the reformation, maybe not before 1783.

The reconstruction in 1931

It seems that the church is an ancient Hungarian church. During the reconstruction these were taken in consideration. The first plans, under the supervison of László Debreczeni, were made by a local qualified master carpenter, Kereki András. Later Debereczeni had time to make all the detail plans and to design the inside furniture. It is invaluable what he have done not only for the Mészkő Congregation, but also for the Hungarian kulture.

The churh, though it is small, has quite an imposant look. The wooden arcade of the steeple, the carved and painted props of the wide eaves, the inlay rubble work, and the windows in their details are all of an artistic value and Hungarian. The most valuable is the inside part. The vaulted, wooden ceiling is held by carved props. The coffers are ornated by the colorful motives. Three of the orignal coffers of the former church were kept and placed above the pulpit crown. Right now you can see four. One is a copy. A third choir was built on the Western side, above the young man’s chior, for the children. The new pulpit, the renewed seats, the new communion table, the lamp supports, the organ (made by the Wittgenstain Company in Temesvar) were all designed and made in the same traditional Hungaryan style as the church itself.

The dedication of the church took place in 25th October 1931.

Since the reconstruction of the church in 1931 mostly maintanance works were done, but not major works. The members of the congregation took care of the building. The members of the Woman’s Association are ornatig and cleaning it. They also have a embroidery exhibition during the summer time in the church.

The church has became a touristic attraction. It welcomes visitors from all over Europe and North Amercia.

Bálint Róbert Zoltán – minister

Novák György – lay president

Széll Gyula – treasurer

Halmágyi Piroska – notary

Board Members

Halmágyi Csaba

Szöllősi József

Nagy Sándor

Nagy Nándor Szilárd

Economic Committee

Koncz József

Szolga Mózes Imre

Partnerchurch Committee

Széll Éva

Gadó Klára

Religious Education Committee

Király Ibolya

Pethő Ildikó

Assistant Members

Király Csaba

Veres Csaba

The Board members, except the minister were elected in 2006 for three years. The minister is serving the congregation for two years.

The congregation owns 200 square meters of grapevine, where the work is done by the members. This year three families took care of the vineyard.
Because this year the weather was warmest and with more rains than usual, the time to harvest the grapes came earlier. We had a nice-warm afternoon with lots of sunshine; just the perfect time for a harvest. Enjoy the pictures.

The need of repair the roof appeared for years on the agenda of the Board Meetings of the Church. But without the necessary financial background we were able to make small repairs only (changing some of the tiles after the storms). This year the Representative Consistory of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church offered the sum needed for the works. The Board of the Congregation decided to start the works.

The Board hired a carpenter, György Balogh, and his assistant to do the works.
The purpose of the work process:

- to remove and substitute the decayed beams,
to board up the roof,
to insulate the boards by a special nylon,
to put new slats on it,
and to cover it again,
to change the metal sheets
to change the boards of the balconies
to supervise the chimneys and strengthen them
to make new windows, and close the roof from the wind,
to make the roof area ready for building rooms.

In August we succeeded in changing the decayed beams of the south (one beam was removed and changed) and north balcony (we changed 7 beams) and to recover the roof, following the above mentioned steps. The weather was not on our side for two weeks, so we had a break for a week.

By the middle of September we succeeded to board up the balconies, - and make them ready for painting. The Northern part was uncovered, and re-covered following the same process. With this we finished the hardest part of the work process.

The uncovering and recovering of the Western and Eastern part went very fast. The only thing that required time was the strengthening of the chimneys.

The major part of the work is done. We still need to put new windows, and paint the boards.

The Balázs Ferenc Youth Association had a plan: It would be nice to go around the Aranyos Valley, and learn about its history, about the people, and of course to have fun. First they choose a short route: go by bike to Kövend, the village 15 kilometres away. Let’s see how it works. The article bellow will tell about this.

At 22nd august 2007 we finally set for the long waited bycikle tour. Seven youth gathered by ten o’clock in front of the parsonage ( the minister and his family followed us by car) People were watching how “seven professional” bike- riders swept along the area, followed by a red car. It took us one hour (8 kilometres) to reach Várfalva Unitarian church, our first destination (not befor stopping at the well to drink “some” water).

Fodor Emőke, a member of the local youth group told us about the history of the eight hundred old church. Our minister showed us the difference between the Roman and Gothic architectural style. As we entered the church we saw the wonderful carved ornaments. We also saw the script whitenessing where the Unitarian word is first mentioned, in the 17th century, when the church was renovated in 29th may, 1613 during the minister ship of Nemai János, Unitarian (unnitaria) minister.

After a short rest in the shady church we started for Aranyosrákos. Since the village is very close it took us fifteen minutes to get there. Here we were hosted by the new minister, who showed us around the Unitarian church. We learned that the congregation has 360 members, but it is decreasing in number. They have a youth association, but they do not meet frequently. After admiring the carved stone pulpit from the 17th we set for Kövend.
Jobbágy Júlia, the president of the local youth association was waiting for us.

She told us about the history of the church and a legend from the thirteen century, when the Mongolians attacked the village, and a wise women saved the people. We all loved the old panel ceiling. We also learned that all the woodcarving we saw in the church were made by the local craftsmen.

After all these it was about time to rest a little and to have lunch. The wife of the local minister served us with home made juice, than we walked to the graved yard to make some pictures of the crypts there. (We have only one in Mészkő)

The trip ended this way. We set out for home.
Conclusions:
1.it is worthwhile to a travel even a long way, if you see and learn something good and nice
2.Each church has its beauty.
3.Every church is nice, but the one at home is the nicest:).

The Balázs Ferenc Youth Association