Week of Spiritual Emphasis 2021

Season of Change

From 18-25 September 2021, we had the pleasure of engaging with so many of you across our College and church community in person or online for the Week of Spiritual Emphasis. It made for a truly profound week, listening to seven speakers offer seven unique viewpoints on what change as a concept can look like. After the last 18-months, we can, as a global collective, relate to the notion of “change” well. The aim of this semester’s WOSE was to offer words to inspire and comfort in a reality that can feel somewhat uneasy at times. The Week of Spiritual Emphasis is a space where the contemporary world meets with evergreen scripture, reminding us that He is there through the challenges that we can come face to face with on our life journeys.

Infused with music, poetry, interviews and of course, the talks themselves, it was a week we won’t forget in a hurry.

“As we experience seasons of change or earth-shattering moments of life, embracing by faith and experientially living out this promise and assurance of God’s friendship and abiding presence through the Holy Spirit is potent enough to settle and give peace through the uncertainty and instability that change can bring.” – Pilira Zapita, 2021 WOSE speaker and MA Theology Alumna.

WOSE relived

Sabbath 18 September – Anne-May Müller

Anne-May Müller is a pastor in Cafékirken in central Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as Family and Children’s Ministries Director for the Danish Union. Anne-May is a graduate of Newbold College (1994 and 2021). Anne-May is married to Thomas and they are the proud parents of four adult/teenage sons and added a daughter-in-law to the family this summer.

Monday 20 September – Pilira Zapita

First and foremost, I am a fervent disciple of Jesus Christ. God called me from more than twenty years of teaching and lecturing in 2015 and led me to study for the pastoral ministry in 2018 which I completed in May this year.

My husband Eric and I have a 24-year-old daughter, Mulenji, and a 22-year-old son, Mzati.

Apart from being an educator, I’m also an author and writer, a speaker, mentor and listener.

Tuesday 21 September – Warren Gillin

Warren Gillin is the pastor of Reading Central and Parkside Community Church. He studied at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Berrien Springs, Michigan where he completed his Master of Divinity degree. More recently Pastor Gillin successfully completed a Master of Science degree in Psychology where he hopes to link ministry and psychology as means of connecting with people both inside and outside the Church. He enjoys playing football, reading and meeting new people. He is married to the former Sophia Burton, now Gillin.

Wednesday 22 September – Dejan Stojković

Dejan Stojkovic was born in Kragujevac, Serbia. He finished his primary and secondary education in post-communist Serbia, interrupted a few times with the ugliness of wars that struck this region. He came to England in 2001 to study theology and he completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Newbold College. Here he started a student-led worship service ‘Experience’. Dejan has served as a youth pastor at Stanborough Park Church where he established the Parallel Service as an outreach and reclamation ministry for youth and young adults. Before being called to serve as British union youth director he was serving as a Director for Teen’s Ministry, AVS and Chaplaincy at the South England Conference. Dejan got married to Deana in 2010. Dejan’s mission in life is very simple and that is preparing young people for the second coming of Jesus.

Thursday 23 September – Julian Thompson

Having worked as a pastor in the South England Conference, Julian Thompson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford and currently serves as a lecturer in Hebrew Bible at Newbold College. A man of many talents, Julian has the benefit of a wide-ranging background that includes political science, finance, and sustainability leadership.

Friday 24 September – Filip Milosavljević

Originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia, Filip Milosavljevic is a 3rd generation pastor and 4th generation Adventist, though he did not come into a saving relationship with Jesus until he was 19 when he started to read the Bible for himself. He currently serves the Loma Linda University campus as an adjunct professor of religion and spirituality at the School of Religion and is the Young Adult pastor at the University Church. He loves basketball, adventure, and reading. He is a graduate of Andrews University with a Theology major and later a Masters in Divinity. In December of 2021 he will be completing his doctoral dissertation at Fuller Theological Seminary on “Growing Young Adventists,” a study on thriving churches in Adventism with youth and young adults. Stay in touch with him on Instagram @fil_milo

Sabbath 25 September – Danilo Puskas

Danilo Puskas is Newbold’s resident Head of Student Life and Chaplaincy. As well as coordinating all student support services, Danilo oversees the student life events and socials, as well as the spiritual programmes at the College, including Campus Ministries.