The purpose of the Balázs Scholars Program is to invite and support a Transylvanian or other
international Unitarian minister for an academic year of study at Starr King School for the
Ministry to enhance ministerial skills and religious leadership and to both broaden and deepen
the minister’s calling to serve in a changing and global world.
The Balázs Scholars Program has brought a Transylvanian Unitarian Minister to study at
Starr King School for the Ministry and the GTU almost every year since 1994. This year we
welcome Rev. Lehel Molnár from Transylvania, Romania. Lehel is archivist for the
Hungarian Unitarian Church and the seminary in Kolozsvar where Transylvanian Unitarian
ministers receive their training. He also specializes in early Unitarian history.
The Program is named for Francis Balázs, a young Transylvanian Unitarian minister who
graduated from seminary in Kolozsvár, then studied in the late 1920’s at Oxford and at what
is now called Starr King School for the Ministry, before returning to Transylvania.
Take the opportunity to welcome and get to know Lehel, his wife Evá and 12 year old
daughter Bogi. Invite them for coffee or for dinner. A conversation with Lehel about
Unitarian Universalism in Transylvania will enhance your understanding of international
Unitarianism and your Starr King experience. If you would like to provide support for our
Balázs Scholar as he gets used to Berkeley, help him with questions about Starr King, help
with him chapel service, or volunteer to drive him to a nearby church some Sunday when he
preaches, please contact Arliss Ungar at Balázs@ungar.us
Starr King School provides fund-raising and administrative assistance as well as waiving
tuition for the Balázs scholar. The volunteer Balázs Scholars Program Coordinating
Committee provides hospitality and support for the scholar and family, and schedules
preaching engagements and transportation. The Committee is made up of representatives
from the school, the Starr King community, the host churches and a liaison to the Partner
Church Council. The host church for the scholar rotates between the Unitarian Universalist
churches in San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek and Berkeley (Kensington). This year
Mt. Diablo UU Church in Walnut Creek is the host church. Arliss Ungar [Balázs@ungar.us]
is chair of the committee, Jay Roller [jaybroller2002@yahoo.com] schedules the scholar’s
preaching and other engagements.
The Balázs Scholars Program is funded by donations from individuals, money from the
Partner Church Council, and from honoraria, donations and Sunday service collections from
the churches where the Balázs scholar preaches. We appreciate your help to sustain this
important program. Donations can be made on line see http://goo.gl/0n0OCD (be sure to
designate Balázs). Checks for donations should be made out to Starr King School for the
Ministry, with Balázs on the notation line, and put in Owais Qureshi’s box at Starr King.
