A Minute from the Rector
"Sanctify them by the truth;
Your Word is truth." (John 17:17)
As we begin a new academic year at European Nazarene College, we give thanks for those who have faithfully served and joyfully welcome new colleagues into roles of leadership and teaching. With new academic appointments, transitions in our Learning Centres, and the upcoming Fall Convocation, we look ahead in gratitude and prayer.
This edition of In Touch reflects our theme of Growing in Truth (2025–2026). We are committed to equipping Christlike leaders who are rooted in Scripture and prepared to serve their communities with courage, compassion, and wisdom.
“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer
At EuNC, we are not only shaping academic programs; we are building learning communities that become spaces of faith, dialogue, and transformation. Every administrator, faculty member, and student contributes to a shared life where truth is not only taught, but lived. As we welcome new members into our college family, we recommit ourselves to cultivating communities marked by trust, openness, and Christlike love.
Let us continue supporting one another in prayer, mentorship, and shared mission as we enter this new season together.
With joy and gratitude,
Mária Gusztinné Tulipán
Rector, European Nazarene College
Rev. Jeremy Height
Rev. Zinaida Hymon
Rev. Milen Stefanov
We joyfully welcome the following new faculty members to EuNC. Thank you for bringing your gifts, experience, and commitment to theological education. We look forward to the impact you will have in the lives of our students and in the broader mission of the college.
- Rev. Jeremy Height (Lecturer, EuNC Digital Campus)
- Rev. Zinaida Hymon (Staff Instructor, EuNC Ukraine-Moldova Learning Centre)
- Tony Kahwaji (Instructor, EuNC Arabic Learning Centre)
- Rev. Milen Stefanov (Instructor, EuNC Digital Campus)
Welcome to the EuNC faculty community!
Farewells always contain a sense of loss, even when, as in these cases, the conviction of God’s leading in the direction to follow and also the fact that other people are getting welcomed to the roles are present.
In recent months, we said goodbye to Melody and Philippe as Coordinator and Administrator, respectively, of the France LC, as well as Enikö, as the Hungary LC Administrator. We are thankful for their years of service leading the LCs, and being committed to serve God as they serve students, faculty and the larger EuNC community, which includes the respective Districts and Wesleyan sister denominations. We are sad to see them go, but we know they will continue to be faithful stewards of God’s grace, in whatever ways He will guide them!
We welcome Fernando and Liliana to the roles of Coordinator and Administrator of the France LC, as well as Gábor (Veres) to the Hungary LC administrator’s role. The Almeidas are adding these responsibilities to their roles in the Spain LC. Gábor studied at EuNC before and has been a EuNC faculty member since 2022. We look forward to working together with the three in their new roles.
Believing that the Lord is all we need and we can depend on Him (Lam. 3:24, CEV), we join our hearts in gratitude for Him and His deeds, as well as these dear people, whether they go or come!
Rev. Raquel Pereira (Registrar)
Welcome to New Learning Centre Administrators and Coordinators
We are pleased to welcome the following individuals into new leadership roles within EuNC Learning Centres. Your service is vital to the college’s mission of equipping Christlike leaders in context, and we look forward to your contributions.
• Rev. Dr. Fernando Almeida (Coordinator, EuNC France Learning Centre)
• Liliana Almeida (Administrator, EuNC France Learning Centre)
• Rev. Gábor Veres (Administrator, EuNC Hungary Learning Centre)
Thank you for stepping into these key roles. We are praying for wisdom, joy, and fruitful ministry in this new season of service.
France LC Coordinator and Administrator Rev. Dr. Fernando & Liliana Almeida
Hungary LC Administrator Rev. Gábor Veres
Thank You for Your Service
We express our heartfelt gratitude to the following individuals for their faithful service and leadership within their respective Learning Centres:
• Rev. Melody Houston (EuNC France Learning Centre)
• Philippe Batreau (EuNC France Learning Centre)
• Enikő Vecseyné Fulmer (EuNC Hungary Learning Centre)
Thank you for your dedication to EuNC's mission and ministry.
Welcome to New Staff Appointment
Debra Schrock (Coordinator, EuNC Cares Ministry)
A continued journey of faithful leadership
Many in our EuNC community will already know Dr. Matteo Ricciardi, whose contributions have shaped our academic life for several years. He first joined EuNC as a faculty member and Learning Centre Coordinator in Italy, later becoming a Cluster Chair for Ministerial Skills, and then for Academic Skills and General Studies.
In May 2024, we welcomed Matteo into the EuNC Leadership Team as Director of Education Initiatives, a role focused on exploring innovative, non-formal, and flexible educational pathways in alignment with our 2030 Strategic Plan. In that issue of In Touch, we featured a full interview with him, highlighting his passion for both theology and music, and his commitment to serving the whole people of God through theological education.
Today, we are pleased to formally welcome Dr. Ricciardi in his new role as Academic Dean, effective April 2025. This role integrates both strategic oversight and academic quality, giving leadership to our programmes, curriculum, and faculty development efforts across our multilingual, multicultural college.
Rather than repeat his interview, we invite you to revisit last year’s feature (or: “In Touch – May 2024”) to see the heart and vision Matteo brings to this work. His appointment as Academic Dean is not a new beginning, but a deepening of the commitment he has already shown in his years of service to EuNC.
Please join us in praying for him and supporting him in this new season of leadership.
"It is a joy to serve in a community where theological education is both local and global, academic and formational, structured and Spirit-led."
— Dr. Matteo Ricciardi
We warmly welcome Caroline Salame to the EuNC General Administration team as Assistant Registrar. She has been teaching for the EuNC Arabic Learning Centre and will support Registrar Rev. Raquel Pereira in her tasks. Her administrative gifts and commitment to serving students across our learning centres are a great asset to the college. We have asked her to introduce herself to the EuNC community.
What drew you to EuNC?
I was drawn to EuNC because of its strong commitment to theological education that is accessible to all. I have a passion for serving in Christian education, and EuNC’s mission aligns with my values. The opportunity to work in a multicultural and Christ-centered environment where lives are being shaped and prepared for ministry truly inspires me.
What excites you most about your role?
What excites me most about my role as Assistant Registrar is the chance to support students behind the scenes as they pursue their calling. I enjoy the structure and organization of academic systems, and I find joy in helping ensure that students and faculty experience smooth processes. It’s fulfilling to be part of something that has eternal impact.
What other roles do you have at the College?
In addition to my role as Assistant Registrar, I teach the Academic Skills 1 and 2 courses, which I enjoy greatly. I also follow up on Practicum placements and mentor students as they navigate their academic and ministry journeys. These roles allow me to build meaningful relationships with students and support their development both intellectually and spiritually.
What is a personal note that you can share with us?
I live in Lebanon with my husband and our two boys, who are 17 and 21 years old. They bring so much life and energy into our home. I'm actively involved in my local church, especially in women’s and children’s ministry. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, preparing creative activities, and learning about mental and spiritual wellness. It’s a joy to serve God both in my family and through ministry.
Mary Schaar has been a beloved part of the EuNC family for over four decades. In a reflection on her time back at EuNC she is sending congratulations to EuNC's birthday, looking back to grow forward.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 60th ANNIVERSARY
When I think of EuNC, my heart overflows with joy and gratitude. That the college is 60 years old means that I have been personally involved with the school for over 40 years. When Alfred and I arrived in Stuttgart, Germany in 1983, one of our first extra connections was with EuNC and in 1984, we began our teaching engagement with the students and faculty at the college.
In the first year of our teaching, we would drive down to the college in the morning, put Christopher into the local kindergarten in the afternoon, while we taught our courses and then drive back home. It was an adventure and an engagement that we loved!
Mary Schaar in the Alpine 1994
Although I taught several additional courses, one in Missions and a joint course in Ministry, my main focus was history. I loved teaching the engaged students in church history as well as sharing the 19th century roots to the development of our denomination. I often began a class with sitting at the piano and singing one of the hymns that was part of our movement – an eyeopener for the students and a moment of laughter and just fun.
More than anything else, it was important to teach history with an eye to connecting the dots between the past and the present. History is dynamic and so very important. We see clearly today that ignorance about real history, truthfully looked at and reflected on, causes the world major grief.
But more than the subject matter, the students mattered to me. I loved the exchange. I loved developing relationships with them and talking about life as well as the subject at hand. I saw them grow, leave the school and become engaged, not only in ministry, but in other areas of life!
And while I was at the college, I saw how the students and faculty made an impact on the surrounding area. There were wonderful musical events and Leadership Conferences, which engaged the entire Büsingen community. An impact was made! And because Stuttgart was not far away, I often engaged the students to come up north, sing in the church, joined by occasional faculty members as well to preach and engage with the community. This too made a lasting impact!
So, to be completely honest, this was one of the highlights of my life, teaching at EuNC, while ministering here in the local church. My love for the school also included a lengthy period of time on the Board of Trustees as secretary for over a decade. I have personally known nearly every Rector of the college. Seen historically, I have been part of the story of the college, a small part, but engaged as much as I could be with every bit of energy that I had. And this is not a trip down memory lane, but a reminder that the college continues to have an impact around the world as the next generation engages their energy into an enterprise that has a lasting impact!
Rev. Mary Schaar
About Mary:
Born and raised in Winona, Minnesota, I studied first at Olivet Nazarene University before doing graduate work at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. After coming to Stuttgart in 1983, I began teaching at EuNC in 1984. I primarily taught both semesters of Church History and the History and Polity of the Church of the Nazarene.
I taught at the college in different phases from 1984 until the campus closed.
At the same time, however, I was pastoring the International Church in Stuttgart. In addition, I served many years on the District Advisory Board, the Board of the Trustees of EuNC acting as Secretary, and was for five years a member of the General Board.
I am currently still pastoring the Stuttgart International Church which has become a project of over 40 years, even as a plan is in place for a transition.
European Nazarene College is blessed to have a team of devoted individuals united by a shared commitment to theological education and spiritual growth. Our faculty and staff bring forth a wealth of passion and dedication, creating a nurturing environment that values scholarly pursuit, spiritual development, and community engagement. Get acquainted with the inspiring individuals who form the heart of our theological community as we strive together to uphold our mission of 'Enabling Christlike Disciples for Ministry', and contribute meaningfully to the world of theological education.
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