Friday, November 4, 2022

Celebrating Women in Ministry in Romania

From Eurasia Region Snapshots, November 4:

Reflecting on the recent ordination service in Romania, Rev. Teanna Sunberg celebrates women in ministry in Romania, across the Central Europe Field and across the Church of the Nazarene as a denomination.

It was a grand privilege to be one of the ordained elders that laid hands on Magda Cini and Roxana Cini as they were ordained this past weekend.

I want to center the powerful message of this photo. It is a photo of 3 women in Romania -- 3 wonderful women who each reflects the character of God. 3 ordained women who have been called and equipped for pastoral ministry. 3 women who lead and live cross culturally.

But, what has it cost for the 2 women on each side to stand at the apex of ordained ministry? Roberta, the woman in the middle followed God’s call to Romania 25 years ago. She served the church as missionary, as pastor, and as District Superintendent. Magda, the one on the right, birthed a ministry and a church in her village of Tigmandru that feeds and nurtures the kids of that community. Roxana, the one on the left ministers to the children and mothers in that community.

This passing on of influence and prayer and teaching from one generation of woman to the next is so key for us as a church that supports, fosters a call, and ordains women.

Without a Roberta in the pulpit -- as pastor or in the board room as DS or in the community as missionary -- the path for women is not clear.

We need to see women represented in every level of our denominational structure. And, like we see here, there must be more than just a representative 1 or 2. There must be many women -- beautiful in their very different personalities and skill sets and callings.

So very thankful for who these 3 women are in my life -- for how they lead, how they live, and how they reflect Jesus.

I am also thankful to serve on a field with an Field Strategy Coordinator (Jay Sunberg) who has frequently and courageously assigned women to roles of pastor and District Superintendent, as well as other roles of leadership and ministry. The Central Europe Field has a distinct history as a field that places people in leadership, not because of gender, by virtue of call, character, and commitment.

- shared by Rev. Teanna Sunberg (FSC Team Central Europe)

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