REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH CROATIA & SERBIA NEWS 4/2025
We present to you the new REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH Croatia & Serbia News 4/2025. You can read previous newsletters here.
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NEW CHURCH ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY OF RIJEKA (ISTRIA)
The city of Rijeka, located in the Istrian region of Croatia on the Adriatic coast, is a historic port city known for its cultural diversity and long maritime tradition.
Although Rev. Ed Fowler visited this small community while in Croatia with his wife and preached there, the congregation held its first official worship service on Christmas Eve this year. The parish priest of the church is Vedran Obućina, PhD in the history of religions and a former priest of the Old Catholic Church.
This marks the formal beginning of a new Christian presence in Rijeka, serving the local faithful and contributing to the city’s rich religious landscape.
HUMANITARIAN WORK IN BELGRADE (SERBIA)
The Homeless
In Belgrade, toward the end of 2025, we had the opportunity to visit homeless individuals to whom we distributed warm clothing, food, and water, and directed them to institutions that could provide further assistance with their needs.
Roma Settlement and Gifts for Children
Our team also visited a Roma settlement in Belgrade, where we distributed Christmas gift packages to children. These gifts were provided by the organization Samaritan’s Purse.
Drop-in Center for Children
There is also a drop-in center for children operating in Belgrade. We provided the children staying at the drop-in center with clothing, school supplies, and sweets.
The drop-in center for children in New Belgrade provides a safe and supportive environment for vulnerable children, offering them a place to rest, receive a warm meal, basic care, and emotional support. It plays an important role in protecting children from the streets and helping them access education, social services, and a sense of dignity and security.
CHRISTMAS IN OUR PARISHES
As every year, we solemnly marked the season of Advent and the feast of Christmas in our parishes. In addition to celebrations in our churches, we also visited those in need and presented them with gifts received from the humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse.
Here are photos from Tordinci, Osijek, Rijeka, Karlovac, as well as from Roma settlements in the surroundings of Osijek.
NEEDS
Mission work in Virovitica:
The need for this new mission project is the rental of the space – $250 per month.
Total $3,000 per year
Mission work in Belgrade
1. Monthly rent for worship space – $300
2. Monthly Travel expenses: $200
Total for 2025: – $6000
Long – term project
Church space in Belgrade – around $200,000
Mission work in Karlovac & Zagreb
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
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.
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).
Rev Vedran Obućina, PhD, completed his BA Degree in Theology ( “Michael Starin” Protestant Theological Seminary in Osijek), Masters Degree in Political Science (University of Zagreb), and his PhD in Religious History (University of Regensburg). He has authored one book and several book chapters, and has written more than 30 scientific and specialist articles in fields of theology, religious studies, interreligious dialogue, area studies, history, and comparative politics. He is the parish priest in Rijeka, Croatia.
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.
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.
