As I sit to write this newsletter, I am amazed at all that has happened within the past year. The year began very similar to the previous four – living in Kansas City, working in the Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries office, and teaching English Language Learners. Now, at the end of the year, I am living in Romania, studying the language, and about to begin district-wide training for Nazarene lay leaders. Let me take this opportunity to share with you some of the major events and milestones in my life from the past year.
I invite you to download a printable version of this newsletter. If you choose to read the version below, note that the links will direct you to blog posts from earlier in the year.
English Language Learners
Since 2005, I have taught English Language Learner classes at
Overland Park Church of the Nazarene to students from other countries who strive to improve their English skills. Class sizes have varied, but this year more and more students came—and stayed. ELL is a place not only for the students to learn English, but also to learn American customs, to build relationships with one another and with their tutors, and to grow in their faith. This year I was invited to celebrate Chinese New Year with several of my Chinese students. Later in the year, we had a dumpling-making party. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my students better in these informal gatherings, and it was hard saying good-bye to them at the end of July.Global Ministry Center
August 3 was my last day of work in the Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) department at the Church of the Nazarene’s Global Ministry Center, where I had worked for nearly 5 years. ( to read more about my last day.) The big work-related event this past year was the Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) General Convention, which preceded the Church of the Nazarene’s General Assembly in Orlando, Florida, in June. During During the convention, I could be found registering delegates, hosting workshops, and working in the exhibit hall.
After the convention, I spent an extra week of vacation in Orlando, staying with a friend. This way I got to visit some of the sites in Orlando like the Kennedy Space Center, Wycliffe Bible
Translators, and the Campus Crusade for Christ/Jesus Film headquarters.Joining God’s Mission in Romania
Philippians 1:6 says, “The one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion.” As I am Joining God’s Mission in Romania, I trust that He has been at work long before I arrived, and He will bring all to fulfillment long after I leave. I have the incredible opportunity to join what He is doing.
This past year, as I have prepared to return to Romania, I have had multiple opportunities to share about God’s Mission and how we are each called to participate in it. I am especially grateful to those churches, small groups, and individuals who have partnered with me financially, making it possible for me to serve here.
Time with Family in Pennsylvania
The first week of August, I moved my belongings home to Pennsylvania. This time spent with family before moving to Romania was different than ever before; earlier in the year my parents moved into my grandma’s house after she moved to a nursing home. It’s more convenient for my parents (all on one floor), and it’s the house where my mom grew up.
Two special events stand out from my time with family. First, my brother and I traveled to South Carolina to visit our great aunt, whom we haven’t seen in several years. This trip allowed us to take a day trip to Lumberton, NC, to visit the family cemetery plots of our ancestors going back six generations (the oldest one was born in the 1790s). Second, my dad’s side of the family gathered in celebration of my Grandma Phillips’s 80th birthday just a few days before I left the country. It was good to see the whole family together before I left.
Life in RomaniaSince September 1st, I have been serving as a Mission Corps missionary in the Church of the Nazarene in Romania. This fall I have been settling into life here. The majority of my time has been spent studying the language. For the first two months, I was living with a Romanian family to get readjusted to the culture. At the beginning of November, I moved into an apartment and have been working to get it set up to feel like home.
This fall I’ve had the opportunity to participate in the Church of the Nazarene’s Southeastern Europe field conference in Strumica, Macedonia, and in the Veritas staff retreat in Păltiniş, Romania. I’ve also gotten to spend time shaping future ministry plans with the Nazarene missionaries and church leaders in Bucharest.
It is really good to be back in Romania; it hardly seems possible that it has been over 5 years since I was last here. I am very encouraged about the future of the Church of the Nazarene here and excited for my role of organizing Christian lay leadership training events and helping to develop discipleship ministries in the churches on the Romania district.
Staying Connected in 2010
The technological age in which we live makes it so easy to stay connected. I’d love to hear how you have spent the past year. You can send me an email or simply leave a comment below. If you’d like to receive my monthly email updates, please enter your email address in the Google Groups box at www.jepjon.com and click the link in the confirmation email you receive. You can also read my blog posts and learn more about what I’m doing in Romania.
Peace and Joy –
Jonathan
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