September Update

I’m writing this update on a comfortably cool day in Sighișoara. After a couple weeks at the beginning of August with temperatures in the 90s (with no air conditioning), the cooler weather is a welcome change, but it’s hard to believe the summer is already coming to an end.

The past several months have been very busy, and we've been undergoing many transitions here in Romania. Consequently, I haven't had much time to write blog or Facebook updates. As things settle into place again, I anticipate having time available in the coming months to again write more frequent updates.

Transitions in Romania
The Hudson Family returned to Canada in July 2016. The Hudsons— Michael & Tamara, and daughters Julia, Emily, and Elena—  served as Nazarene global missionaries in Romania 2005-2007 and 2009-2016. Most recently, Tamara served as district superintendent, and Michael served as theological education coordinator. They are now co-pastoring a church near Toronto, Ontario. We miss the Hudsons, but also look forward to what God has planned for them in this next chapter of their lives.

The Herdon Family: Joshua & Shannon
with children Karis (R) & Kaeden (L)

The Herndon Family has been appointed to serve in Romania following the Hudsons’ departure. The Herndons have previously served in Guatemala, Spain, and Greece. After the completion of language study, they will be serving in the areas of district leadership, theological education, and compassionate ministries. The Herndons just arrived in August and are settling into their new home in the city of Brașov (approximately half-way between Bucharest and Sighișoara). We welcome them to Romania and look forward to working with them.

Dorothy Tarrant came to Romania in 1993 as professor for Eastern Nazarene College’s Romanian Studies Program. As a tentmaker missionary (and later as a volunteer), Dorothy supervised American college students studying abroad (including me in 2001), founded Veritas (the social service & educational center and NCM partner organization in Sighișoara), and played a large role in starting the Sighișoara Church of the Nazarene. Dorothy spent the last year in Greece, coordinating the work of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries with refugees. After returning to Sighișoara in May 2017, Dorothy has found a buyer for her house of the past 19 years. Dorothy plans to relocate to Scotland this fall, near her brother’s and sister’s families, although we expect her to continue making trips back to Romania in the years ahead.

Printable Newsletter
Read more about transitions from the past year in the printable version of my newsletter. Click here to view. (Please feel free to print and distribute this version of my newsletter for those without internet access.)

Summer Highlights

Fortified Church in Mălâncrav

The summer months, as they normally do, have brought a different pace to life. Thankfully, I do not find myself nearly as busy as I was in the winter and spring. As the summer comes to a close, let me highlight two of the activities I've enjoyed this summer.

First, near the beginning of the summer, I purchased a "Transylvania Card" which gives me access to visit 50 historical Saxon churches throughout Transylvania. German settlers began coming to Transylvania in the 12th century, and became known as "Saxons." Many of their churches are surrounded by fortified walls and defense towers, which protected the residents in time of attack. For years, I've wanted to visit more of these churches that are off the beaten trail. I've visited over a dozen fortified churches this summer, but since this pass is good through the end of October, I hope to visit even more this fall. Click here to view photos I’ve taken this summer. (For a history of the Saxons of Transylvania, click here to read my blog post from 2013.)

Converting VHS tapes to DVD

Second, as Dorothy has been getting ready for her move to Scotland, she's been discovering several items, including VHS tapes recorded in the 1990s -- the early days of the Romanian Studies Program and the Church of the Nazarene in Romania. I've enjoyed watching these tapes as I've transferred them to digital format for our archives. It's good to be reminded of the many ways God has used the Church of the Nazarene in Romania over the past 25 years.

Ministry Update
Theological Education: Early in the summer, I purchased this year's books for our learning center's libraries. In addition, we had several books donated this year, meaning that nearly 250 new books needed to be cataloged.

The piles of new library books
I cataloged in June

Next week we will be starting the new academic year with European Nazarene College. Students will be taking the course "Church Leadership" with Jon Scott (who, with his wife Margaret, began the work of the Church of the Nazarene in Romania 25 years ago). I will be following up with students’ assignments as they turn them in over the next 2 months. In addition, throughout the fall, the students will be involved in a ministry practicum course.

In addition to these developments in Romania, we are in the process of developing a Board of Ministerial Studies for the entire Central Europe Field. Since the districts on this field are small and do not yet have enough ordained ministers for a district board, we're creating this board at the field level to oversee the development of ministers (especially those preparing for ordination) until these districts are able to form their own boards.

Literature Development: Several literature projects are in various levels of the translation/editing process, as we prepare resources to equip our pastors for ministry and to disciple our church members.

Current translation projects

Two projects are sponsored by the Board of General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene to help identify who we are as Nazarenes. This summer, we completed the Leader’s Guide for Nazarene Essentials, and we are currently working on the translation of One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: Essential Teachings for Faith Formation in the Church of the Nazarene (which was just released in English at General Assembly in June). These resources will not only help our current members to gain a better understanding of who we are as Nazarenes, but will also be used for years to come in church membership classes.

We’re also working on two books. We’re in the editing stages of The Upward Call and have begun translation of The Story of God. Of course, in just a few months, there will be a new edition of the Church of the Nazarene’s Manual, but since we have a translation of the current edition, the updates will be relatively simple.

Please pray for…

• the Hudson & Herdon families and for Dorothy Tarrant during their times of transition
• theological education in Romania (especially the "Church Leadership" course)
• the development of the Central Europe Field Board of Ministerial Studies
• the translation of literature to be a resource for equipping and discipling

Thank you for your prayers and continued support.

Jonathan Phillips