March 5, 2026

Dear Central Church,

Greetings from Santa Clara, Ecuador! Our ministry here is going well. Thank you for your prayers! 

This Sunday, we will celebrate “Seminary Sunday” and welcome a very special guest, Dr. Jeren Rowell, president of Nazarene Theological Seminary. I want to share personally why this day matters so much to me—and why I hope it will matter to you.

NTS has played a significant role not only in the life of our denomination, but in the life of our own congregation. Did you know our last four pastors have held degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary? Additionally, we’ve had several associates who are NTS alumni, including Rev. Bethany Acre who will receive her MDiv in May! Central Church has benefited greatly from the theological depth, pastoral wisdom, and Christ-centered formation that flows from this institution. 

Dr. Rowell brings a deep love for the local church to his leadership. He served 25 years as a pastor and 12 years as a district superintendent before becoming president of NTS. His passion is helping shape ministers whose leadership strengthens congregations around the world. He also treasures time with his wife, four children and their spouses, and seven grandchildren. However, my favorite thing to tell you about Jeren is that he loves the Chicago Cubs almost as much as I do! 

Seminary Sunday is an opportunity for us to give thanks for the ways God uses NTS to prepare pastors and leaders for faithful service. I invite you to pray for the Seminary’s students, faculty, and staff, and to consider giving to support its mission of equipping the next generation of leaders for Christ’s Church.

Thank you again for your prayers for our Ecuador team. We’ll be traveling home on Sunday, and I look forward to sharing with you all that God has done on this trip.

Until He's Finished,
Pastor Mark