Connexio Mission Talk: Being church in connection with others

The first "Connexio Mission Talk" on the evening of December 2 focused on the work of the UMC in Romania. The surprising outcome of the first round of the presidential elections was also an important topic of discussion.
 
Urs Schweizer, assistant to Bishop Stefan Zürcher, who is responsible for the countries in Central and Southern Europe, hosted the first "Connexio Mission Talk" on December 2, 2024. He is also the liaison person for Connexio develop and Connexio hope, the aid organizations of the UMC in Switzerland, for the work in East Central Europe and the Balkans.
 
Sarah Putman and Rares Calugar from Romania were guests at the Zoom meeting. US-American Sarah Putman works as a missionary in the UMC in Romania and coordinates the work for Ukrainian refugees, among other things. Rares Calugar is a pastor and superintendent of the UMC in Romania.
 
In terms of numbers, the UMC in Romania is small. The Church's work is carried out by local churches in Cluj-Napoca, Micești, Comșești and Sibiu and, more recently, by several local churches with Hungarian-speaking Roma on the border with the neighboring country to the west.
 
"We are not a recognized Church in Romania," said Rares Calugar in the interview. Legally, the UMC in Romania is a non-governmental organization. "Only the Churches that existed before 1989 are recognized." However, the UMC in Romania was established in 2011 only.
 
His goal is therefore to reach the number of 300 church members. Then the Church could be recognized as a religious community. "I hope that we will be ready by the end of next year. Then we can legally separate the spiritual from the social and develop an appropriate structure for the Church."
 
Measured by the number of people who belong to it, the commitment of the UMC is enormous. The Methodists in Romania are particularly effective because they network with other organizations and churches without fear of contact. "We also work with those who don't think like us. Some don't identify as Christians. But they do good things," said Rares Calugar.
 
The participants at the "Connexio Mission Talk" were given a small insight into the extensive network. "We have many relationships with other Churches, but also with other NGOs," said Sarah Putman. "We connect with people who specialize in different ministries."
 
For example, the Methodists work together with an organization that accompanies women who come to Cluj-Napoca for cancer treatment. They are committed to helping orphans, offer help in coping with trauma, and are active among the Roma. And they support Ukrainian refugees in a variety of ways.
 
Their network includes medical, psychological, and educational specialists. They apply for funding for their work from the EU and the UN. However, the Methodist network is of crucial importance not least for their work with the people who have come to them from Ukraine.
 
"In Romania, there is no longer any support for work with people from Ukraine," said Rares Calugar in the interview. The money for this comes from outside. Around 70% of the necessary funding comes from the UMC. "That's another reason why I'm so proud to be part of this Methodist network."
 
The war in Ukraine and the work with people who have fled from Ukraine to Romania was discussed in more detail in the "Connexio Mission Talk". "The needs of Ukrainians have changed dramatically," reported Sarah Putman. Originally, the focus was on basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. "We helped them to get what they needed or to go wherever they wanted."
 
But the war has now been going on for over 1,000 days. "Now people are asking themselves more and more: 'What if I have to stay here forever?" So now it's all about learning the language, finding a job or an apartment. "They now have to build a new life in Romania," added Rares Calugar. "We support them in becoming independent of us."
 
"How will the result of the presidential election affect the work of the UMC in Romania?" asked Urs Schweizer. "At the moment, everything is very confusing and frightening," replied Rares Calugar. It is impossible to predict who will win the run-off election. It is also still completely unclear which coalition will be formed to govern the country in the future.
 
Rares Calugar described the possibility of a law similar to the one in Georgia being introduced, which would make it illegal to accept funds from abroad, as a "nightmare". "We would no longer be able to be in contact with organizations from the EU and use the opportunities we have now."
 
At the same time, he admitted: "These are the extreme variants. However, I think and hope that this will not happen." But at the moment, everything is open. "This week is really crucial for us. Pray for us that God will work here on all these issues!"
 
The first "Connexio Mission Talk" provided participants with insights into credible and encouraging church work. Challenges and, above all, the uncertainty caused by the political situation were also tangible. It was inspiring to hear how the UMC in Romania is a Church together with others and lives so close to the burning challenges of its society.
 
Author: Sigmar Friedrich, Zürich
Photo (screenshots): Urs Schweizer (r.) in conversation with Sarah Putman and Rares Calugar