BELGRADE / SERBIA
Church registration
After more than 15 years of our missionary work in Serbia, we have finally managed to register our church REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH BELGRADE (РЕФОРМИСАНА ЕПИСКОПАЛНА ЦРКВА БЕОГРАД) is now legally active and has the status of a legal entity.
According to its internal structure, the Reformed Episcopal Church of Belgrade belongs to the Missionary Diocese of Croatia.
We are grateful to God that we have finally, after several attempts over the past 15 years, succeeded in legally establishing our church in Serbia.
DISCUSSION FORUM – Pastoral Psychology and Contemporary Psychotherapy
At the Belgrade Youth Center on October 14, 2024, Deacon Sergej Beuk organized a Discussion Forum entitled: Pastoral Psychology and Contemporary Psychotherapy.
Among others who spoke at the forum (via online participation) were Rev. Canon Dr. Almir Pehlic from Croatia and Rev. Dr. Charles Erlandson from the USA.
A collection of papers is being prepared, which should be printed in a scientific journal by the end of 2025.
Photos from the December service
Book of Common Prayer Translation Project into Serbian
So far, we have translated the Eucharistic Service and Morning and Evening Prayer.
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.
ZAGREB – KARLOVAC
Rev. Canon Almir Pehlić presents the book “Valley of Visions” at the “Ksaver Šandor Gjalski” City Library in Zabok. December 20, 2024.
Rev. Canon Almir Pehlić preaches in Zagreb
REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH CROATIA & SERBIA
Ley reader Dragan Tomašević preaches in Zagreb
The church in Karlovac is preparing for Christmas service.
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
OSIJEK
Our church building in Osijek is about 300 years old. In the 18th century, it was home to the Roman Catholic Archbishop Michael (Albanian name Mikel Summa), an Albanian from Macedonia. He fled to Osijek due to the Turkish conquest of present-day Macedonia.
On this occasion, at the request of the Association of Albanians from Osijek, a memorial plaque to Archbishop Summa was placed on our building on November 28, 2024. The plaque was blessed by Roman Catholic Bishop Suffragan Ivan Ćurić.
REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH CROATIA & SERBIA
Bishop Jasmin Milić gives an interview for national television about the Reformation Museum in Osijek.
On the second Sunday of Advent, a group of believers from the Evangelical Lutheran Parish of Selenča in Serbia visited our parish in Osijek, along with their pastor. This is an ethnic Slovak parish. There are numerous Slovak Lutheran parishes in Serbia (Vojvodina region).
During Advent, the doors of our church were open every day from morning until evening. Numerous visitors to the Advent fair, which takes place just a few meters from our church, were able to enter our storeroom, view the exhibition, the nativity scene, pick up spiritual literature, and see the church.
REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH CROATIA & SERBIA
Christmas service.
See: A Christmas Message from bishop Jasmin Milić
TORDINCI
Our oldest parish is in Tordinci, which has been operating continuously since the 16th century.
Children’s work is led by our Sunday school teacher, Vinko Kiš.
Christmas service.
KAPELNA – ROMA MISSION
Rev. Damir Sitar visited romani families and on behalf of our church distributed Christmas gifts to the children. These children come from socially disadvantaged families and every gift is welcome. The gifts came to us through the Samaritan’s Purse.
If you would like to help with missionary work among the Romani, write to us at bishop.jmilic@gmail.com so we can tell you more about the needs.
NEEDS
Monthly assistance for Rev. Damir Sitar for travel expenses – $200
Total for 2025: – $2.400
GENERAL NEEDS
Humanitarian aid for Roma families (for food, children’s education, etc.). Any help, even the smallest, is welcome.
NEW MISSION STATION
From January 2025 we are starting a new mission project which we will inform you about in the next Newsletter.
The need for this new mission project is the rental of the space – $250 per month.
Total $3,000 per year
TOTAL NEEDS FOR 2025
(Not including the assistance for the bishop’s office and other support for clerics which is regularly given each year)
For church space rental and travel expenses – $ 15.000
LONG-TERM PROJECTS
Church building in Karlovac – around $50,000
Church building in Belgrade – around $200,000
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP THE MISSION WORK IN CROATIA AND SERBIA, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT TO BE OUR PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHING CHURCHES, CONTACT US AT bishop.jmilic@gmail.com
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.
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 2022, he published his second 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.
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.
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.
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 is married with three children. He serves in REC Zagreb since October 2024.