Nearly every year since 1994, the Francis Balázs Scholars Program has brought a Unitarian Transylvanian minister to study at Starr King.

The program was named for a young Unitarian Transylvanian minister who graduated from the school in the 1920s. He became minister in Meszko, the "Alabaster Village," where he wrote, mentored seminary students, ministered to the residents, brought health programs and economic development to the impoverished local valley, and, with his American wife Christine, restored the historic Unitarian church.

Today, Balázs Scholars’ participation in Starr King classes, chapel services and informal conversations enriches the life of the school. Through preaching and lectures, these scholars share their wisdom, deep faith and commitment throughout the Unitarian Universalist movement in the United States.

At Starr King they study theology, ethics, counseling, preaching, practical ministry and non-profit organizational skills to enhance their parish ministry in Transylvania, as well as in their work in the community and the larger church. Donations from individuals, congregations and the Partner Church Council, honoraria and special collections from churches where the scholars speak, and fund-raising activities provide the support that sustains the program.

Béla Botond (Bélu) Jakabházi, this year’s Balázs Scholar, is the thirteenth Transylvanian Unitarian minister in recent years to study at Starr King. Belu graduated in 2002 from the seminary in Kolozsvár. He is the minister in the small village of Nyomat, 80 miles from Kolozsvar. For two years he was deputy minister in Marosvasarhely, then for one year a teacher of religious education. He is especially interested in the psychology of religion and in counseling. He is also interested in religious leadership, Buddhism and meditation practice. His grandfather has been in the ministry for 70 years. At 92, he is the oldest practicing Unitarian minister in Transylvania.

The ongoing work of former scholars demonstrates the importance of the Balázs program —
 

Erika Orbán (2006-2007) is a chaplain at the hospital in Szentgyorgy. She has been a minister of religious education and a hospital chaplain, as well as serving several small parishes outside of Kolozsvár as parish minister. She served full time as youth minister at the Unitarian high school in Kolozsvár in 2005-2006. Her fields of interest include pastoral care and building social networks in religious communities.

Zsolt Solymosi (2005-2006) is a religious educator, youth minister and dormitory counselor at the János Zsigmond Unitarian College, the 450-year old Unitarian high school in Kolozsvár. He also serves a small parish 70 miles from Kolozsvár, and does media work for Unitarian headquarters. He used the skills he learned at the GTU to set up Transylvania Unitarian Radio, which his web page calls “the freedom of thought on the web.” He broadcasts in Hungarian, Romanian and, at times, in English.

Csaba Todor (2004-2005) is the minister of the Unitarian congregation in Homorodszentpal, Romania. He is married to Eva, a school teacher and musician, and has a young daughter. Csaba is currently studying at Manchester College, England. He hopes to obtain a PhD. He is especially interested in systematic theology and psychology. Csaba last year served as mentor to a Starr King student who spent a six months field placement in his village.

Maria Pap (2003-2004), along with Kinga-Reka (Zsigmond) Szekeley (1999-2000), was one of the first two women in 40 years to graduate from the Kolozsvar seminary, where all Romanian Unitarian ministers receive their theological education. After her return to Translyvania, Maria became the first female district dean. "It is a great moment not just for me, but for the women in the church," she said. Maria serves two congregations, one in the village of Szentivanlaborfalva, and the other in the city of Kezdivasarhely. She and husband Laszlo have a daughter, Abigel.

Lajos Lorinczi (2002-2003) serves as minister to the villages of Csehetfalva, Tarcsafalya and Tordatfalva, where many elderly people live. "If I don't minister to them, who will?" he asks. Csehetfalva was the home of Francis Balázs' parents. Lajos is the district networker for the Partner Church Council. His wife, Tunda, with assistance from Lajos, translates theological texts into English. They offer a tour of Unitarian villages during the summer that consists of a week to ten day traveling by horse cart and staying at villagers houses.

Zsuzsa Bartha (2001-2002) has been minister in several churches, including Meszko, where Francis Balázs served. While on maternity leave with her second child, she does administrative work for the church. The Aryanos Valley foundation she helped establish held a successful grant writing workshop for 60 Romanians who are native Hungarian speakers. Her husband, Kari, is a veterinarian.

Botond (Boti) Koppandi (2000-2001) is minister at the 350-year-old church in Torockoszentgyorgy. He teaches part time at the seminary in Kolozsvar, and is expected to teach full time by the end of next year. He is married to Eva. They have one son.

Kinga-Reka (Zsigmond) Szekely (1999-2000) serves as minister in the village of Homorodszentpeter. Now the mother of four young children, she's also the youngest member and only woman on the Consistory (board of trustees) of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church. Her husband Csaba works with computers.

Laszlo Kiss (1998-1999) died of a heart attack after being seriously verbally abused by a Romanian official at a city meeting because he was Hungarian and Unitarian. He served as minister of the large Transylvanian Unitarian Church in Torda, and taught religious education classes to Unitarian public school students. His wife does administrative work for the church in the village where she now lives with their two children.

Csaba Mezei (1997-1998) serves as minister in the Second Unitarian Church of Kolozsvar. He has translated American religious education materials into Hungarian. He has built up his church to over 600 people. One innovation that he has put into practice is based on his learning from Starr King. He now has lay people serving as "pastoral associates" who visit the people in the Church and report back to Csaba on those needing his personal attention. He's married to Melinda and they have a daughter.

Sandor Kovacs (1995-96) teaches church history at the Kolozsvar seminary. He received his PhD in early Unitarian history from the prestigious Szeged University in Hungary. He is translating, editing and publishing books. His wife Magdolna manages a Hungarian-language radio station. They have a son.

Sandor Leta (1994-95) serves as assistant minister to the Unitarian Bishop of Hungary at the Bela Bartok Unitarian Church in Budapest, a 450-member congregation of mostly former Transylvanian Unitarians. He also co-edits a newsletter for Unitarians in Hungary and has translated two theological books into English. He and his wife Erika have three daughters.
 

These scholars are the new religious leaders of Romania and Hungary. Using skills they enhanced at Starr King, in addition to serving as ministers of local churches, they also serve as translators for guest lecturers and meetings, participate in international conferences, work with youth, promote sustainable economic development in villages and help vitalize the Transylvanian Unitarian Church and Partner Church relationships. These Balázs Scholars bring insight and hope to their ministries and to their homeland. They're also raising and guiding a wonderful new generation of Unitarians.

For information about how you can help support the Balázs Scholars Program at Starr King School, contact Starr King School at 510/845-6232 or Arliss Ungar at arliss@ungar.us.

Will our future ministers have wisdom enough to help their congregations grow and understand better the world they live in? The Balázs Scholarship brings every year to Starr King a Transylvanian Unitarian minister to help him or her acquire tools and knowledge that can make a difference in the life of his or her congregation. These are visions for the future. A future that talks about Unitarian villages surviving the capitalist and technocratic mentality, which has started to invade our country. A future that talks about leaders who would be able to help their communities not just on theological issues, but in addressing the different concerns of individuals and groups in their struggle for faith and ethnicity. A future where both Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist congregations will gain in understanding and acceptance, helping and sharing with each other in a process of growth. This is a vision of the future built today by the work and commitment of those who keep the Balázs program alive.
-- Maria Pap

I see Starr King as the perfect workshop for people who consider faith, education, compassion and serving the community primary in their lives. We shared knowledge there, our experiences and our dreams at the school. I see a satisfied smile on Francis Balázs’ face. He walked around continents to find his brothers and sisters in faith. He found this school, an oasis where the past is honored, the present is nurturing and joyful, and the future of liberal faith is secured.
-- Kinga-Reka Szekely

Everything I achieved here in Kolozsvar is due to Starr King School and its professors, students and board members. Thank you very much for giving us Transylvanians such a great chance.
-- Sandor Kovacs

The Balázs scholars are ministers in leading churches, and are in key positions in Transylvania and Hungary. They have insights on how to apply the theory they have learned, and to share their Starr King experiences with the larger world. Continued contact with people in the United States and experience in economic development will bring people together. These Balázs scholars will foster more open-minded people, less mistrust. We will not only survive, we will grow.
--Zsuzsa Bartha