It's been almost 14 months since my last update. Rather than trying to give a detailed look at all I've been doing, here are a few highlights from the past year.
January
For the first time since 2020, the faculty and administration of European Nazarene College gathered in person for the annual Faculty Assembly.
 |
| 2023 EuNC Faculty Assembly in Florence, Italy |
 |
| Cathedral in Florence |
February
Following the faculty assembly, I stayed a few extra days in Italy, visiting the Herndon family (who had served in Romania 2017-2022) and doing some sightseeing with them.
 |
| Josh Herndon & I by the Leaning Tower of Pisa |
March
I joined district superintendents from across the Central Europe Field in Krakow, Poland, for a few days of meetings, led by Jay & Teanna Sunberg. We enjoyed time together, as well as teaching from Eddie Estep.
April
Representatives from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries spent a week in Romania, meeting with leaders of Nazarene Child Development Centers in Sighisoara and Tigmandru, offering training, and providing input for healthy ways to move forward.
 |
| NCM Training |
June
I took a weekend to visit a few places in western Romania.
 |
| Corvin Castle in Hunedoara |
 |
| Sarmizegetusa Regia was the capital of the Dacians before the wars with the Roman Empire in 105-6 AD. |
I didn't attend the international gathering of Nazarenes in Indianapolis, but the Romania District sent delegates to the general assembly and global conventions:
In June and July, I taught a course for European Nazarene College:
 |
| Teaching "God's Mission and the Church" via Zoom |
July
The first Work & Witness team that's been able to come to Romania since before the pandemic helped with building projects and children's ministry in Țigmandru.
 |
| Philadelphia District Work & Witness Team |
I spent a few days at the Eurasia Regional Office, in meetings with the regional director and various ministry leaders. On the way back to Romania, I stopped in Florence & Venice, Italy; Zagreb, Croatia; and Budapest, Hungary.
 |
| A gondola on a canal in Venice |
 |
| Matthias Church in Budapest |
I spent a few weeks in September and October visiting family and friends in the US. While there, I was able to attend my 20th class reunion at Eastern Nazarene College.
 |
| ENC Class of 2003 |
November:
The highlight of our district assembly was the graduation of a student from European Nazarene College with the Certificate in Spiritual Formation.
 |
| EuNC Alumni received a mug from the college |
A new Field Strategy Coordinator was appointed for the Central Europe Field (which includes Romania): Cezarina ("Cezi") Glendenning. I've worked with Cezi and her husband Martin a lot over the years, and am glad to have them as our new field leaders.
 |
| Glendenning Family |
For fun, I took a 1-second video every day of my cat during the month of November. Here's the compilation video:
The challenge of using photos to represent the entirety of the year is that I tend to take pictures only of the exciting moments, meaning the vast majority of my time remains undocumented. Photos can’t quantify the countless hours spent on the computer, or serving in administrative behind-the-scenes roles, or navigating the challenges of leading the district towards long-term sustainability. Photos can’t encapsulate the dizzying number of changes that have taken place in the past 2 years and trying to adapt to those changes. Nor can photos capture the multitude of added responsibilities I’ve “inherited” over the past 3 ½ years, as the number of Nazarene missionaries serving in Romania has decreased from 7 to just 1 (me). Likewise, photos can’t express the peace I felt after spending the first few days of the new year in a solitude retreat, praying and seeking God’s direction for 2024.
Coming in 2024…
By the end of December, it became clear to me that I need to change my approach. 2023 was an exhausting year, as I attempted to accomplish too much while wearing too many hats. I need to step away from some responsibilities so that I can be more focused and more effective in the areas that I should be prioritizing. Over the next few months, I will be rearranging my responsibilities. Then, this spring, I will be taking a 3-month Sabbatical. Unlike Home Assignment, when I retain responsibilities from Romania in addition to traveling in the US to raise support, a Sabbatical is a time of disconnecting from responsibilities, resting, and focusing on connecting with God, so that I can return to my roles feeling refreshed and with a clearer vision. This is a relatively new opportunity for Nazarene missionaries. I'll share additional details about Sabbatical in a later update.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership!
In closing, I want to thank you for lifting me in prayer throughout this year and for financially supporting me and ministries in Romania. Since I will be taking a Sabbatical in 2024, I won't be scheduling Home Assignment until 2025. If you would like to contribute to my regular financial needs, you can do so by clicking here. If you'd like to support a ministry in Romania, click here to view the list of giving opportunities.
Blessings,
Jonathan
No comments:
Post a Comment