Szentpeter

After a night at the dorm in Kolozsvar (Cluj-Napoca in Romanian), I took yet another train to Segezsvar (Sighisoara)and a car ride to this tiny village of Szentpeter, bringing me to a total of 30 hours in transit since I left home Sunday. I received quite a warm welcome in Kolozsvar, including a crash course in Hungarian/Romanian politics (there's a significant Hungarian minority in Transylvania, but they exist as 2 separate worlds and there's all sorts of complicated history, politics, & religion for another post later).

For the past couple days I've been enjoying relaxation in the large parsonage here in Szentpeter with Rev. Kinga-reka and her family (including 4 kids under 9). It's a wonderful way to arrive here. She speaks great English, and the kids are helping me learn at least my numbers and colors and words like "jump." The town has 200 people in it, almost all Unitarian but there were less than 20 at Maundy Thursday services (with a Calvinist guest preacher).

So far, I like Unitarian Easter better than UU Easter because it's more explicit about it being a Christian holiday (UUs often celebrate Easter but without any Jesus, which doesn't make any sense to me). Here, as Kinga-reka explains, Easter is about rebirth and Jesus' life. Unitarians here aren't big on the resurrection and there is no cross in the church. Communion is served 4 times a year: Easter, Christmas, Pentecost, and Thanksgiving in September. It is an honoring of Jesus' life and teachings and a symbol of community (ie, all who share this cup are linked together in community with all those who drink now and did before now). The wine is not Jesus' blood and the bread is not his body.

Obviously there is more to say, but this keyboard is beginning to hurt my wrists, so I'll come back for more later.