REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH CROATIA & SERBIA NEWS  1/2025

 

Bishop John Boonzaaijer visited Croatia and Serbia from February 19 to 23. On that occasion, he visited several of our churches in Croatia and Serbia.

NEW MISSION CHURCH IN VIROVITICA

Virovitica is a  Croatian city near the Hungarian border. It is situated near the Drava river and belongs to the historic region of Slavonia. Virovitica has a population of 14,688, with 21,291 people in the municipality (census 2011). It is also the capital of Virovitica – Podravina Country. See more here.

Since the beginning of this year, a new mission REC church has been started. On Sunday, February 16, 2025, Bishop Jasmin Milić visited this new mission. On that occasion, several new believers were received into full membership of the church.

On Thursday, February 20, 2025, Bishop Jasmin Milić and Bishop John Boonzaaijer held a service in this city, and on that occasion four young people were baptized and two were confirmed, by Bishop John Boonzaaijer.

Bishop Jasmin Milić appointed Mario Kushner to the service of lay reader, who began new missionary work in Virovitica.

NEEDS

The need for this new mission project is the rental of the space – $250 per month.

Total $3,000 per year

NEW MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE ROMA

Rev. Bob Hitching and Rev. Damir Sitar started a missionary work among the Roma in the town of Bistrinci. This work was continued after the death of Rev. Bob by Rev. Damir Sitar.

On Thursday, February 21, 2025, Bishop John Boonzaaijer baptized one new believer and confirmed two. We are grateful to God for this new beginning.

MISSIONARY WORK IN BELGRADE (SERBIA)

Bishop John Boonzaaijer also visited Belgrade on Saturday, February 22, 2025, where a service was held in the premises of the Roman Catholic Church, which rents its space to us for the needs of worship. After the service, Bishop John Boonzaaijer visited the largest Orthodox church in the world, the Temple of Saint Sava.

In addition to this space, we also rented a space for weekly meetings (for Bible classes, pastoral counseling, etc.)

NEEDS

1. Monthly rent for worship space – $300

2. Monthly Travel expenses: $200

Total for 2025: – $6000

GENERAL NEEDS

For the translation and printing of the Book of Common Prayer and other literature, for assistance to families in need, and other needs – Any help, even the smallest, is welcome.

LONG-TERM PROJECT

Church space in Belgrade – around $200,000

Web Page of of Reformed Episcopal Church in Serbia see here.

WORSHIP AT THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD IN OSIJEK

On Sunday, February 23, 2025, John Boonzaaijer preached at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Osijek.

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbiFYyVcSsM&t=3s

WORSHIP IN ZAGREB

On Sunday, February 23, 2025, in the afternoon, John Boonzaaijer preached in Zagreb.

NEEDS

1. Monthly rent for worship space (for Zagreb and Karlovac) – $200

2. Travel expenses: $100

Total for 2025: – $3.600

LONG-TERM PROJECT FOR THE CHURCH BUILDING IN KARLOVAC

$15,000 in the fund

Need another $50,000

OTHER NEWS

INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF CROATIA

Bishop Jasmin Milić had the honor of being among 115 guests at the inauguration of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

Bishop Jasmin Milić with the President of Croatia Zoran Milanović (Foto: Ured Predsjednika RH, Dario Andrišek)

 

SPECIAL NEED FOR MISSIONARIES

Our vision is to start international English-language worship services in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb, and the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. We would be assisted in this by priests from the United States who would come for a short or long period to serve as missionaries.

Our clergy and lay ministers

Rt. Rev. Jasmin Milić, PhD, received his master’s degree (MTh) and doctorate (PhD) at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek. He is the author of 13 books, and ministers as the rector of parishes in Osijek and Tordinci and a Church planter in Belgrade (Serbia). Likewise, he taught at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, where he also worked for a time as the Dean for External Studies, and at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Novi Sad (Serbia), where he worked as the Academic Dean. For over 20 years, he taught religious education in two state (public) schools, and for ten years hosted the radio show “Sources of Faith”, which was broadcast on over 20 radio stations throughout Croatia. He is married and has a son and a daughter.

Rev. Canon Almir Pehlić, ThD, completed his BTh at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek and received his master’s degree (MDiv) and doctorate (ThD) at the “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek. He is the rector of the churches in Karlovac and Zagreb and a church planter in Split. Also, he is the academic dean and a lecturer at the “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary. In 2024, he published his third book of poetry.              

  Rev. Damir Sitar, MDiv, completed his studies at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek (MTh) and at the “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek (MDiv). Also holds B.A. in Pedagogy degree from University of Osijek. He is the priest of the Romani parish in Kapelna, and serves as the president of our humanitarian organization PASTIR (Protestant Samaritan Work). Likewise, he also works as an Educator at the Center for Youth Education. He is married and has two daughters and two granddaughters.              

 

Rev. Nenad Adžić, MDiv, completed the study of Economics and BTh at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek and MDiv at the “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek. He is the Assistant pastor in Tordinci, and is employed at the tax service and serves the church part-time. Also, he is the editor of the very influential Christian website Novi Život (New Life).              

Deacon Sergej Beuk, ThD, completed the study of Pedagogy (BA) at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo and Belgrade, and Cultural Studies (MA) at the Faculty of Culture and Media in Belgrade. He studied theology (MTh) at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek. Currently serves as a Church Planter in Belgrade. He is employed at the Belgrade Youth Center as a Program director, where he organised over 2.500 programs and projects in the fields of theology, philosophy and culture. He published scientific papers in the country and abroad, along with three professional monographs. Likewise, he is the president of the Anglican Theological Institute in Belgrade. He is married.        

Deacon Saša Maligec, PhD, serves in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Osijek as a Deacon and as a Cantor. He completed the study of theology (BTh) at the “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek and received a doctorate in economics (PhD) at the University of Osijek. He is employed at the Croatian Electric Industry. He is married and has two daughters.

 

Lay Reader Domagoj Rade, serves in the church in Karlovac. He completed the program of Computer Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology (B.Sc.), and is currently studying at the “Mihael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary.

 

Lay Reader Dragan Tomašević, is a REC seminarian at the “Mihael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek He serves in REC Zagreb since October 2024. He is married and has two daughters and one son.            

 

  Lay Reader Mario Kushner studied at several academic institutions (Theological Biblical Academy in Croatia, Shepherd’s Theological Seminary in USA, European Bible Trainings Centrum in Germany, Irpin Bible Seminary in Ukraine, and The Master’s Seminary in USA) where he earned academic degrees B.Th. and Th.M. In the past 10 years he has lectured at several Bible schools and theological seminaries in Croatia and Serbia. He is a member of the Croatian Evangelical Theological Society. He is married and has one daughter.