While its headquarters is being renovated, the Episcopal Office of the Donamellik Reformed Diocese will continue its work on a new location.
Last year, construction work began on the building complex at 28 Raday Street. In doing so, the entire complex will be redesigned and renovated, and a new dormitory will be built on the site of the wing that burned in the fire of January 23, 2019. As the theology faculty of the previously relocated Karoly Jasper University and the Ráday group were not only here, but also the office The Episcopal Office of Dunamilik Reformed Diocese and related parts, at the end of the fall, the Episcopal Office had to move and resume operations. . During the transition period 1093 Budapest, Török Pál utca 4. He can be contacted personally at Online contacts Its postal address (1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 28.) remained unchanged. We spoke to Sándor Veres, Dunamellék’s chief caretaker, about the relocation, the new location, and its challenges.
Difficult step
This move was preceded by a rather difficult fall period, which at the same time posed many challenges for the staff of the Donamellik Parish Correctional Office. “There was a lot of noise and dust due to the demolition, and yet we kept doing our work. As there was no longer heating, we heated the offices with electric radiators. Meanwhile, there was a revamp of the position in our church, in order to do that we had to maintain a technology system.” The information is in good and safe quality. In addition, there was an emergency situation due to the coronavirus epidemic: staff separation, spacing, constant use of masks, disinfection. “We had to solve the conferences, discussions and the district council online,” said Sandor Ferris.
Although the relocation was timed in coordination with the start of work at the Rady Street headquarters, due to slight delays, it was ultimately inevitable that the office staff would work at the headquarters for a short period in parallel with the construction operations. “An area of approximately sixteen to fourteen square meters of the main building portion on Kuztelik Street had to be demolished. When this building was demolished, the entire building sometimes shook because parts of it were connected to a rather strict regime. The start of this was also delayed. The demolition is a little bit because the remaining part of the building had to be reinforced in advance. ” Anyone could have moved to work from home during this time, but this was not always and not an option for everyone.
The transition from the last week of November 2020 to the second week of December took place in several stages, as the office units moved separately. “Since we are now at half the area of the area as before, we weren’t able to move everything: We had to put quite a few pieces of furniture and packing documents to archive in an outdoor repository. Many of the items were pre-gifted or given to a charity. , Two vehicles were required and either 8-10 loaders to move. It was difficult to leave the headquarters. I found it was worn by everyone. But the construction period on Ráday Street is only 18 months and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022, so starting in September next year We hope that the office and associated parts can operate in the old and new locations. “
Between Calvin Terre and Turok Pal Utca
The building complex to which the office has moved is located between Kálvin tér, Lónyay utca and Ráday utca. Kálvin tér 7., which leads to Lónyay utca, is the property of the Kálvin tér Reformed parish, where the parish office, service apartments and the church itself are connected. The back of the Kálvin tér, blocks 8 and 9, faces the Török Pál utca. Kálvin tér 8 has two saucers, and the double courtyard can be accessed from Török Pál utca 4. The Episcopal office moved here: the postman on the ground floor, the finance on the first floor, the bishop, the caretaker head and the chief clerk on the second floor offices. The Parókia Gate editorial office is located on the first floor of the courtyard near Kálvin tér, and the Church area support group was placed in the former building of Café Adna in Török Pál utca 6.
Whereas Kálvin tér 9, with its large courtyard, is the joint property of the Budapest Northern Reformed Archdiocese and the Donamellic Correctional Parish, Kálvin tér8 belongs exclusively to the Budapest North Correctional Parish. “We have now moved to the latter thanks to the diocese. The rooms were empty before the move. The second floor of the second courtyard previously housed 18 radio sets for college students after the fire. They lived here for a year and a half. We had already indicated to the diocese after they left that we would like to.” In using it in the episcopal office. We are grateful that it was possible! ”Said the caretaker. Before moving into the office, cleaning paint and, in some cases, door and window repairs were also required.
Currently, only a few office vehicles have been discontinued in an area close to the new site, but they are also only temporary, as construction will begin there in about half a year. Hence, unfortunately, they cannot help those who arrive at the office by car with parking. Of course, this was not the only difficulty to overcome, for example, the IT system had to be set up in such a way that the central server, except for the weekend change, was available to the office staff. “The system is already working, but we still have other tasks to solve. There is now a major grant accounting period, which we have already started, but now we have to count roughly 110-120 projects in one month. That’s why we’re lucky to have found a place for a support group in Adna.” Café “.
Guest reception is limited
There is also the possibility of personal management in the new location, but it is currently limited in number. On the one hand, they can accommodate fewer people at the same time in smaller rooms, even in a purpose-built conference room on the ground floor. On the other hand, due to the distance and other precautions due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this small space cannot be fully utilized. Ferris explained: “If someone visits us in person, we recommend that you travel by public transport to Calvin Terre, and from there on foot to Török Pál utca, all the way to House No. 4, where you can only reach us via intercom instead of the reception service The usual “. Alexander.
In the long run, there will also be a reception here. Due to the building renovation process begun earlier, construction of this building has yet to begin: the roof overhaul of the eighth courtyard on Kálvin tér will be completed at the end of January. A few weeks ago, the building could still be entered between the racks, but today only the inner yard is the scaffolding. “In the future you can also come to us from Kálvin tér, they each have an intercom on this site too. However, the backyard is difficult to access from the front, so we recommend entering Pál Török Street. But the Parokia gate office, for example, is closer To Calvin Square. ” Of course, during the epidemic period, hand sanitizer will wait for new arrivals at the point of entry into the new place, and the use of the mask will still be mandatory.
“Everyone is advised that if a personal presence is not strictly necessary please contact us via online channels or by phone, and we will be available via landline as of mid-January. Our postal address, phone numbers and email addresses remain unchanged. Feel free to use them for those. Only those who need it! But for those who come to us in person, we provide a meter and a half distance everywhere, which are the conditions for a safe meeting. We protect the health of those who work here as much as we know through thorough cleaning and regular disinfection. We ask our guests to respect that. “.
Photos: Tamás Füle
