In Touch – July 2021

dlieskeYear 2021

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Dear Friends of EuNC,
John Newton’s “Amazing Grace” might be one of the most known and sung Christian hymns of the past 250 years. It describes that very same chainbreaking, redeeming and overwhelming grace that Paul experienced as “sufficient” for his life and ministry (2. Corithians 12:9 – NIV). It is a grace that has carried many of us through the past months. As we look back at another school year we cannot help but celebrate the God that leads gently and graciously. We are thankful for the grace of technology that allows us to connect with each other to worship together, to share our ministry experiences with each other and to have inspiring conversations with each other. We also praise God for knowing that his grace is sufficient in both life and death.
This In Touch newsletter is our invitation for you to celebrate the mercy and faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ with us. May His amazing grace and peace be with you!

Dennis Lieske (Editor)


A Celebration of Grace

As part of our worldwide church family we want to encourage our EuNC community to participate in a special time of worship, organized by the global church.
“A Celebration of Grace” is meant to be a Global Service of Thanks. As the Board of General Superintendents announced, “the 24-hour service will be broadcast on 27 June 2021, the same weekend that our global family would have gathered for the 30th General Assembly, which has been postponed until June 2023”.
More information can be found on
https://nazarene.org/article/bgs-invites-global-nazarene-family-celebration-grace.


Digital Campus Hosts Panel Discussion

What will the church look like after the pandemic? This question was addressed by a panel discussion of our Digital Campus. We asked moderator Dr. Howard Culbertson to share his impressions.
I felt honored to be the moderator for EuNC’s 28 May Digital Campus panel discussion regarding what the church might be like in the post-pandemic era. Notes of both optimism and issues that needed to be addressed were sounded. Appearing on the Facebook Live event were Rev. Antoine Holleman from the Netherlands, Rev. Daniel Fink from Italy, Rev. Davide Cantarella from Belarus, and Rev. Imre Gusztin from Hungary.
The discussion was grounded in the experiences of the four pastors during the past year and a half. In addition, they reflected on observations shared by the Nazarene General Superintendents in letters to pastors. Another document on the table was a Lausanne Movement statement regarding what the church has to give to a world suffering from a pandemic. Finally, an initial report of responses in a survey of Nazarene pastors worldwide regarding the effects (both good and bad) of the global pandemic also provided helpful information.
What will churches look like when we move beyond the pandemic? Well, that’s what the four men tried to imagine as they talked about the obstacles, difficulties, and opportunities that their churches have faced and are facing during the pandemic and the ways that such negatives ad positives may well shape post-pandemic Churches of the Nazarene in Europe.
The entire discussion was recorded and is available online at:
https://www.eunc.edu/slider/paneldiscussion/.

Dr. Howard Culbertson


EuNC Specials

In over 55 years, EuNC has seen hundreds of students. We recognize their calling, support them in their education and celebrate their graduation. But what are they actually doing now? Through our alumni association Club 55 we collect stories and memories of our former students. We are excited to hear what God is doing through them.


We also are happy for their input, inspiration and what they have to share about their current locations of ministry.
This way we were able to celebrate Easter with a special video from the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. EuNC Alumni Rev. Shahade Twal and his wife Annabelle provided a guided tour through the tomb, devotional thoughts and worship music.
Rev. Davided Cantarella prepared a Pentecost Special in May from the Holy Spirit Church in Minsk, Belarus. Both videos can be found on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanNazarene.

 


In Remembrance Of 

Dan Copp – 18 June 2021

Together with his wife Vicki and his family EuNC mourns the death of Dr. Dan Copp, former Global Education and Clergy Development Director in our church. As a college we especially remember his significant impact on the decentralization of our school and the close relationship that was formed during this time. Former EuNC-Rector Klaus Arnold writes: “We can celebrate the life of Dan, especially as we have experienced him personally and in his role as Education Commissioner for many years. God had prepared and brought this great leader at the right time to the right place to lead both global education and global clergy development in the Church of the Nazarene. His gifts, his personality, his experiences in different ministry roles and most of all his character have prepared him for this role which he filled out so well. All of us are witnesses of this!”
His family is in our prayers as we trust the promise and hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)


A Word from the Rector

At the close of the academic year of 2020/2021, we invite the whole EuNC community and friends to join us in prayer.

Giving thanks for

  • God’s provision during the academic year 2020/2021
  • God’s loving grace during the pandemic, for comfort in the losses, sickness, financial, medical and mental struggles of many of our students, alumni, faculty and staff
  • Our new students and new faculty members, and for the persistence of our current students
  • The upcoming graduations and graduates
  • The support of and partnership with the districts, the region, numerous organisations, and educational institutions

Praying for

  • The courses offered through the summer, the course preparation and planning for the new academic year
  • For the transition to the new information system
  • The EQAR status of the ECTE accrediting agency and the benefit and recognition it might mean for us in its member countries
  • Wise decisions in the planning of our next annual Faculty Assembly, and that we might be able to come together in person. This is a major event where we build community among the faculty
  • Financial sustainability of the budgets with the economic difficulties in the world and the church in order to fulfil our mission
  • Develop fundraising in order to strengthen the school financially, especially scholarships for students who live in challenging circumstances, especially, now hit by the pandemic
  • Wisdom for travels and vacation planning, and that the summer will bring refreshment, renewal, rest and peace for students, faculty and staff, and that there will not be a next wave of the pandemic.

May we all live in the peace that comes from You. May we journey towards Your city, sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne tranquilly along by the Holy Spirit, Your Wisdom beyond all telling. Night and day until the last day of all, may our praises give You thanks, our thanksgiving praise You: You who alone are both Father and Son, Son and Father, the Son who is our Tutor and our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit. (St Clement of Alexandria, 150–215 AD)

Rector Mária Gusztinné Tulipán