Dear Friends of EuNC,
The 2020-21 academic year has started. For the very first time we were able to celebrate a new school year via an online Opening Convocation. The reactions from people from many different places around the world were overwhelming. We are thankful to see God at work in our midst, whether it is in our various Learning Centres, among our Faculty or in our global church community. It makes us excited to see what God has in store for us for the coming months. However, looking at the future might be scary and frightening for some of us. During those times it is good to be reminded of the source of our strength and hope: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. […] The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:1+8).
By Dennis Lieske (Editor)
EuNC Fall 2020 – Opening Convocation
European Nazarene College kicked off the 2020-21 academic year with an online Opening Convocation. Faculty and students from all Learning Centres, as well as friends and partner colleges from around the globe, joined the livestreamed event via Facebook or directly from the EuNC website. Peter Ullinger, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, introduced the school’s new rector Rev. Mária Gusztinné Tulipán. In her message she encouraged all viewers to hold on to Christ as the firm foundation for our life, studies and ministry. Prayers, music and scripture readings were contributed by EuNC faculty, staff, and students from our various Learning Centres. The event was watched by people from different countries such as Albania, Central Asia, Croatia, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Lativa, the Neth-erlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, the United States and Ukraine. A recording of the livestream can be found on www.eunc.edu and the European Nazarene College Facebook page.
Faculty Changes and Updates
We have had several changes in Learning Centre leadership over the last months:
Rev. Cezanrina Glendenning – Coordinator/Administrator for Croatia, Mr. Alan Schrock – Interim Coordinator for Albania/Ko-sova, Rev. Enikő Vecseyné Fulmer – Administrator in Hungary, Dr. Matteo Ricciardi – Coordinator in Italy. We are also happy to announce new chairpersons in our Cur-riculum Committee: Dr. Olga Druzanina for Cluster B (Theology, Tradition, and Identity) and Dr. Matteo Ricciardi for cluster D (Minsterial Skills). We also welcome three individuals taking on additional roles in the general administration: Dr. Wolfgang Köhler as an IT Assistant, Mr. Dennis Lieske as Coordinator for Constituent Relations and Rev. Fernando Almeida leading our Faculty Development.
Being God‘s Grace To Others
We appreciated and enjoyed working together with Dr. Verne Ward as the Interim Regional Director. We asked him to share some thoughts about the beginning of the new academic year with us.
As we enter the last months of 2020, it is good to reflect on the challenges we have faced in our communities and our families. As we do this, we can be grateful for the ways we see God is present to sustain us and to make us helpful to others as God builds the church.
I’m so grateful for the people that make up EuNC. This college is not primarily a place, but rather it is people in relationship for a purpose. That purpose is learning that brings formation. By God’s grace, we are people in formation, becoming more like Jesus as we learn and are shaped by our understanding, our practices, our expressions and our obedience in service to our Lord Jesus and to others.
We are Kingdom people, and this Kingdom is not one of conquest of other people, but one of grace. Timothy Crutcher, in his recent book Becoming Human Again, states that grace is the “active, redemptive presence of God.” As we consider all of us that are connected with EuNC’s mission in some way; learners, teachers, mentors, administrators, supporters, beneficiaries through the ministry of the students, we all become God’s grace to others. God’s active, redemptive presence in our relationships, our families, our communities.
This is the essence of missions. God is actively seeking relationship with every person and we are agents of God’s mission. All over the world today, people are in need of a trusted friend that is filled with God’s Holy Spirit, providing the active, redemptive presence of God in their lives, right where they are. Look around you today. See the people around you and ask the Lord to show you the opportunity to be the active redemptive presence of God to someone today!
By Verne Ward (Global Missions Director)
Faculty Spotlight
We would like to congratulate several of our Faculty members on their personal achievements.
Dalia Matijević 
Danilo Consiglio 
Matteo Ricciardi
Back in July 2019 at the Zagreb Science Institute „Ruđer Bošković“, Dalia Matijević successfully defended her doctoral thesis titled “Institutional Nature Protection Ethics in Croatia: National Park ‘KRKA’ Case Study” with the University of Osijek in Zagreb, Croatia. The PhD was granted in the area of Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation.
Danilo Consiglio received his Master of Theology degree in Dogmatics at Northwest University in Potchefstroom, South Africa
Matteo Ricciardi, current Italy Learning Centre Coordinator and Administrator, completed his dissertations in music (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil) as well as in pedagogical science (Università di Bologna, Italy).
A Word from the Rector
“Put your hope in the Lord!”
Thank you, EuNC Community and Friends of EuNC, for joining us for the opening convocation of the new academic year on the 2 September 2020. It was an encouraging time to be together and appropriate to start our year with worship. We were so touched by so many of you – our church people, friends, supporters and donors, col-leagues from other colleges – for joining us for this event.
With the confession of faith “You are Christ, the Son of the Living God”, we opened the academic year of 2020-2021 at each of the Learning Centers of EuNC.
We welcome each of our students, faculty and staff members back to the new year, with a special welcome to the new students who have just joined the EuNC community!
We are grateful to God for bringing us some new faculty members, and for colleagues who have accepted new or expanded assignments in the general administration!
“Congratulations from the EuNC commmunity” to the new Regional Director! We are thrilled about the new regional director being elected, and we are looking forward to working together with Rev. Jim Ritchie and his wife Maggie.
Let us remember that we have dedi-cated each classroom, and all teaching and learning times as holy ground so that our learning will not be in vain, not only “flesh and blood” activities, but moments of revelation from the Father about Christ.
May Christ build His church through the education ministry of EuNC!
We wish everyone a great Academic Year!
Rector Mária Gusztinné Tulipán