Video: Veritas Preschool Program

Antonia Bertalan, social worker for the Veritas preschool program, shares about the program and its impact on children.

Veritas is a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) partner organization in Sighișoara, Romania, a recognized NCM Child Development Center, and a participant in the NCM Child Sponsorship program.

Video: Veritas Social Services for Retired Adults

Arnold Stefan Orban, social assistant for Veritas, shares about the social services offered for retired adults.

Veritas is a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) partner organization in Sighișoara, Romania. The Sighișoara Church of the Nazarene and Veritas partner together in ministering to retired persons in the community.

Training Sparks New Youth Group in Romania

During a youth leader training weekend, a young Romanian woman recognizes God’s call to start a youth group in her church.

Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, England, has helped Eurasia Region NYI develop training for youth leaders by allowing Rev Louise Kenyon to design and tailor a training tool called Nexūs. Nexūs is an intensive course over a minimum of two-weekends in which people are invited to prepare themselves better for youth leadership. 

Our most recent Nexūs was held in Manchester. Alexandra Marinescu, from the Bucharest Blessing Church of the Nazarene in Romania took part. She says that this training opened her eyes to God’s calling to youth ministry, while also providing her with the tools to answer His call. The following is her story.

A call to youth ministry
By Alexandra Marinescu

Nexūs was a wonderful and unique experience. It was the main reason why I understood the importance of the youth group, so, after the course; I started a youth group in Romania.

Not only Nexūs helped me make this decision, but it taught me to appreciate and give more importance to young people. I have learned that they also have problems and they face difficult situations, despite being young. I have learned that they need someone to be there for them to encourage them, to tell them: Don’t worry. Jesus is in control of your situation!

We live in a tumultuous and hurried world and I know that today’s youngsters are running for the values of this world and not the values of God. That is why they need guidance. I was not convinced, however, that I, a still growing Christian, may be a youth leader and can lead these children to God.

But God spoke to me first through a youth leader at Nexūs. Then, when I was on my way back to Romania, God spoke to my heart in such an overwhelming way that my only reaction was to cry for two hours continuously and to write down what God was telling me.

After experiencing God’s presence, and in light of the course I attended, suddenly my life made sense. I do not mean to say I suddenly became the best youth leader, but my life made sense in that I discovered myself.

Questions such as: How can God put someone like me at the head of the youth group? Am I worthy to serve this important ministry? How does God speak to us? How can I make a spiritual awakening and stay awake?

The Lord spoke to me, and oooh…how my heart was listening to His answers! There would be a lot to write about my confession, but in short, God told me that by His will He is preparing me to serve.

So, I have returned to Romania, full of the Holy Spirit like I have never been before, and I proposed to my church to have a special room for our young people. I found some donations and bought everything they needed. I wanted young people to feel like they’re coming to their second home, so we decorated the room until it felt like a comfortable living room. The young people liked it! They said they feel comfortable and happy.

We started the youth group for a month. I asked God to send 40 young people to the youth group. I now have seven; 33 more to go! I trust the 33 are on their way. I love those kids who come to youth meetings. I don’t know how, but I also love the other 33 I haven’t met yet! I look forward to see them on Friday evenings, to eat together and discuss social issues and how God sees them.

God was the one who really put my desire in my heart.

republished from Where Worlds Meet, May 2018


Pray for the new youth group in Romania, that God blesses and increases it.

Video: Veritas Kids Club

Alina Drăgan, social worker for Veritas Kids' Club, shares about the program and its impact on children.

Veritas is a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) partner organization in Sighișoara, Romania, a recognized NCM Child Development Center, and a participant in the NCM Child Sponsorship program.

February Missionary Prayer Focus

NMI Prayer Mobilization Line

March 7, 2018

Josh and Shannon Herndon, serving in Romania

(part of the February Missionary Prayer Focus)

• PRAISE: The Herndons are now serving in Romania, and it has quickly become home for all of them, especially the children. Josh and Shannon feel accepted as members of the missionary and pastoral team, and have been embraced by the national church in Romania.
• REQUEST: Pray that the Herndons would continue to build relationships with people in the community.
• REQUEST: Pray that Shannon and Josh would thrive in their new roles (Josh as district superintendent beginning in November, and Shannon as Compassionate Ministries facilitator in Romania).
• REQUEST: Pray for the teams that are scheduled to serve in Romania in the next 12 months.
• REQUEST: Pray for the vision of church planting in the Herndons’ city of Brasov, Romania.

NMI Prayer Mobilization Line

February 21, 2018

Josh and Shannon Herndon, serving in Romania

• PRAISE: Josh just returned from Portugal where he attended a European Nazarene College Faculty Assembly. He reports that it was a great time to gather together with other professors, pastors, and missionaries.
• REQUEST: Pray that Josh and Shannon would continue to make progress as they learn the language.
• REQUEST: Pray that the Herndons’ children would continue to do well in their new school.

Thank you for Praying!

Theological Education Meetings & New Learning Centre Personnel

Selections from European Nazarene College's December 2017 In-Touch Newsletter

Theological Education Meetings of Central Europe Field in Macedonia

Leaders from Central Europe (Albania-Kosova, Bulgaria, Romania, and Scandinavia), together with the Regional Education Coordinator (Stéphane Tibi) and leaders from European Nazarene College (Klaus Arnold, Fernando Almeida, and Raquel Pereira) met from 7 November until 9 November in the wonderful city of Ohrid, Macedonia, to discuss the future of theological education in ministerial preparation on that field. Besides the important discussions we also worked on syllabus templates to find out how the accredited and validated programmes of EuNC can be adapted to the different cultures and learning styles of the countries in Central Europe. It was felt that it is important to have both an accredited programme (so that students can continue their education after graduation) and a curriculum that is flexible and adaptable to the different situations faced by the churches in the various districts. Not everything was finalised but a good foundation has been laid and the next years will be times of experimenting and adjusting to help people fulfil their call to the ministry and support the churches as they participate in the mission of God to make Christlike disciples in the nations.

New Personnel in Learning Centres

We are very thankful for new co-workers in some of our learning centres:

Central Europe Field: Due to personnel changes, we have new leaders in four of the six learning centres in Central Europe. Cezarina Glendenning is the new LC coordinator for all of those four LCs: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Scandinavia. She and her husband Martin and their two sons are missionaries in that field.

In Romania we are thankful that Jonathan Phillips is the new LC administrator. He has served in that country and at the learning centre as missionary for many years and brings a lot of experience into this position.

May God bless each one of these new leaders – and make them a blessing to many!

RSP Students

Originally published in Veritas View newsletter, Fall 2017

Two students from America are in Sighisoara for the Romanian Studies Program (RSP) this semester. They arrived in mid-September and will leave mid-December. Carly Catalanello from Cedarville University, Ohio is working with the special needs program at Veritas. Janelle Roby, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Ohio is working with the It Takes Courage programs. Both girls are leading story and craft time with the youngest children at a Kids’ Club which meets twice weekly in the village of Tigmandru. They are pictured here with Casey Bloom (on right), on-site coordinator for RSP.