On the occasion of the Mid-Year Meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist Church - Inter-European Region (EUD), held in Friedensau, Germany, from May 21 to 23, the Nominating Commission convened to elect the new Youth Leader. The choice has fallen on Jonatan Tejel, Associate Youth Director of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (GC).
This position was left vacant by the unexpected departure of Stephan Sigg, current Youth Leader, to become the newly elected President of the German Swiss Conference. (read here S.Sigg )
“We lost a really good Youth Leader,” said Corrado Cozzi, EUD Communication, “but we are gaining an equivalently capable one.”
Words of gratitude for the huge work accomplished by Sigg in these 7 years were addressed by Mario Brito, EUD President.
Jonatan Tejel worked as a church pastor in Barcelona, Spain, from 1996 to 2000, and in Valencia, Spain, from 2000 to 2002. In 2002, the Spanish Union elected him as National Youth Leader, a charge he covered until 2005, when he was called to be Associate Youth Leader for the Adventist Scouts (Pathfinders) at the worldwide level, which he maintained until present.
“During these years, I had moments of joy and tears,” Tejel divulged. “The tears: long periods away from my beautiful family; I missed many moments as my daughters were growing up; tears shed at the airport, leaving my family behind while I was traveling to other countries to deliver the Word of God. The joy was represented by the opportunity to meet extraordinary young people and leaders that love the Lord with all their hearts, with all their minds, and with all their strength.”
“I’ve learned much on every one of my trips. I’ve seen young people giving their lives to Jesus and every time I had the privilege to be present for a baptismal ceremony, my heart cried with joy. There is nothing more exciting and beautiful than watching an individual publicly express his/her love for Jesus.”
Jonatan Tejel affirmed that his experience at this level was a clear enrichment for his life and ministry. “I have to say that at the same time as I was sharing the Word of God, I was discovering how much we need to learn from the different and beautiful cultures around the world. This way, we can share, in a better way, the Message that is in our hearts.”
“My heart is full of appreciation for what I’ve been allowed to do as the GC Associate Youth Director,” continued Tejel, “and now I’m looking forward to the task ahead of me, to do the best I can, always walking together with my Jesus.”
Now, Jonatan is coming back to his home division, the EUD.
“I’m humbled and happy to go back home and to serve again with my people in Europe. I’m going back to Europe, ready to keep on learning from each one of the leaders. I’ll be working with and I’ll do my best to keep on sharing my deep passion for the Lord and His Word,” concluded Tejel.