ROM 2016

Towards the end of the 2016 (ROM) Renewing Our Minds Gathering in Fuzine, Croatia last August, Jack Fallow, ROM speaker and mentor wrote and shared the following poem that summarized how he experienced the 2016 ROM Gathering and its amazingly diverse community:

ROM 2016

Poems write themselves, you know

They plow out from the pen

Sometimes at ROM, the rhythm flows
And it’s happened – once again.

Fifteen countries came to talk

To share, to listen, learn

Emotions flowed, and tears did too

As we started to discern

That

Our National Love

Comes not from above

That our National Pride

Creates thoughts to divide

Yes, iconic structures

Create mental structures

That tell us we’re better than them

That we will excel

As they go to hell

Because God rings our National bell.

But – God made our world a place

For the whole human race

And here we are – Each one a star

With talent and gifts that abound

And now – as we leave – Don’t forget to believe

That these people around you,

Are part of your team, can help with your dream.

They can all sing your song, as you travel along

They are part of your team, whatever your scheme

But they are not THEY, In fact they are ‘WE’

We have no stones to throw, wherever you go, there’s an ‘US’

That you meet here at ROM, And each is an “I” as part of the ‘US’

So, when you’re alone

There’s Facebook, Skype and phone

And we shall be the bone

That straightens you back

When your will might crack.

And when you’re up high

With your head in the sky

Just continue observant

Of the call of THE SERVANT

Jack Fallow

Appeal: Help Us Build a New Generation of Leaders

Thank You for Donating Today!

Dear Friends,

With our recent refugee relief missions in Serbia and Croatia we demonstrated that the young leaders emerging through our leading ROM – Renewing our Minds and EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum projects are more than ready to apply in real life situations the principles of radical leadership of service inspired and modeled by the person of Jesus. 

Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum) is now moving forward with seven international leadership projects planned for 2016. However, at this time we would like to draw your attention to the 2016 Renewing Our Minds (ROM) Gathering of young leaders, that will take place in Fuzine, Croatia, August 11^th – 28^th. We are expecting 60 young leaders from at least 15 countries to take part this two and a half week long intentional learning gathering. 

For many years ROM has been an impacting international mission advocating radical leadership of service, peace building and reconciliation. ROM teaches young leaders how to embrace each other across various ethnic, racial, national, religious and political divides. It challenges paradigms and assumptions, and refines the characters of young leaders according to the teachings and example of the person of Jesus. 

A group of participants attending ROM 2015

For the hundreds of young leaders from 50 countries, becoming a part of ROM community over the past seventeen years has become a defining and life transforming experience. Many ROM alumni have emerged as leaders of influence in their countries, who are today making a difference in the political, social, humanitarian and religious arenas. Likewise, over those years ROM has given birth to a number of new leadership projects and initiatives. 

Since most of the ROM participants who will take part in the 2016 ROM Gathering of young leaders live in the countries that are economically challenged we need your help. Most of them are not able to cover the conference expenses. We never allow financial limitations to be the factor that will decide if our program candidates should not attend our programs. This is why we are now asking you to help us help those who are not able to cover the expenses of the 2016 ROM Gathering.

Thank you for partnering with us in this important initiative of peace building, reconciliation and development of leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world. I am sure we will all agree that our work is becoming increasingly needed in the world that is becoming more fragile each day, and in need of leaders who are willing to serve and love their neighbors radically and in the Spirit of Jesus.

We will keep you informed faithfully about the progress of this fundraising action and the development of the 2016 ROM Gathering as we move closer to August 2016.

Love and blessings.

Tihomir Kukolja, Director, Renewing Our Mind

Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation

ROM 2015 Photo Album

ROM 2015 Photo Album: Renewing Our Minds Gathering 2015 – ROM 2015, August 1 - 16, Fuzine, Croatia. Several outstanding features make this ROM stand out in a special way. The first one was the outstanding quality of the group. This was a very much engaging group. Our small groups demonstrated this well. Although small groups are given 1.30 hours a day on average to meet, they would all meet for two hours, even longer, eagerly discussing the daily themes and questions. The second outstanding feature was the high quality of speakers and engaging nature of presented materials from the very first day to the last. This summer almost 50% of our speaking corpus were ladies. The third outstanding feature was the quality of prayerful support witnessed every day at ROM 2015. A vibrant and sizable prayer group met every day at 7am, before all the other daily activities would start, to pray for the participants and the team, and all daily activities to follow. These few sentences and over 300 pictures presented here (out of 1600 photos) are only beginning to tell the story of ROM 2015. 

In Houston February 25

Welcome to the Presentation "Ambassadors for a Better World"

Parlor, Wednesday, February 25, 2015. Starting 6:30 pm.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC), 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024

Stories of peacemaking, forgiveness and reconciliation from the Balkans, via Ukraine to Middle East. 

Photo:

One hundred participants from eleven countries attended the 2014 Forum Regathering in October 2014, Fruska Gora, Serbia.

Dear Friends,

Renewing Our Minds (ROM), a ministry of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum), celebrated recently sixteen years of its service. Over the years it helped shape the lives of the hundreds of young leaders from the Balkans to Ukraine and beyond, many of whom are now serving in prominent and senior leadership positions in their countries.

In the year 2014 our ministry had its leadership and reconciliation programs in Croatia, Serbia and Romania. In 2015 we are planning to add a new project in Albania, have our second take in the Middle East, and provide a special place for a group of participants from Ukraine, Russia and Moldova. This will take place at our next Renewing Our Minds Leadership and Reconciliation Gathering in August, in Croatia. Guided by the leadership of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation and your partnership we have been blessed with an amazing growth of our ministry over the past several years.

Come and listen to the accounts of transformation and success that only God can bring into the lives of young leaders from many countries that are involved in our programs. Hear also about the plans to reach our next landmark - twenty years of the transformational service of the Renewing Our Minds reconciliation and leadership development ministry that continues to focus faithfully on peace building, reconciliation, leadership development and following Jesus. Our vision and mission continues to grow strong: “Developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world.”

Our theme for the evening will be "Ambassadors for a Better World". Presenters will be: Tihomir Kukolja, Renewing Our Minds Director, and Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation, Executive Director, and MDPC missionary; Jeremiah Collins, MDPC High School Outreach Director; Matt Rejmaniak, MDPC Elder and serving on the Global Outreach Committee; and Matt Hammon, a professional musician and artist from Houston. Jeremiah, Matt and Matt have over the past few years served in the ROM facilitation teams too. 

This is an exciting time for the ministry of ROM as we try to reach young leaders of the world with the love of Jesus across various ethnic, racial and religious dividing lines. We believe you should know about it. It will be an honor to see you on Wed Feb 25, at 6:30 pm, Parlor, Memorial Presbyterian Church. Bring a friend too.

Tihomir Kukolja, Executive Director, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation

Photos taken at the "Ambassadors for a Better World" evening, February 25, 2015 at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Houston 

This is What ROM is About

Since 2001 Allen Belton has been a speaker and mentor every summer at the ROM (Renewing Our Minds) Gathering which takes place in Fuzine, Croatia. Here is Allen’s brief report on the past summer ROM Gathering.

My time in Fuzine at the Renewing Our Minds Gathering 2014 was rich inspirational experience for me and everyone attending the gathering.

I would like to share one story that demonstrates that. It is about two young couples. Both couples were married just before ROM and both couples decided to come to ROM for their honeymoons. Shenaj and Erman Belegu are from Kosovo. Shenaj’s first time at ROM was in the summer of 2013 and she decided to bring her husband to the next ROM. When I asked her why they came to ROM for their honeymoon she said, “Because I don’t know of another place that has so much peace, that I can feel so comfortable and be myself. I wanted my husband to experience this place for himself.”

The other couple just married who came to ROM 2014 were Marko and Mateja Stupar, from Serbia. They have been part of ROM for a number of years. “ROM is our extended family and we wouldn’t miss it”, they said. They shared a joint wedding reception, together with Erman and Shenaj, at ROM Gathering 2014.

The remarkable thing is that not all is well between Serbia and Kosovo, and ROM is probably the only place in the recent history of Serbia and Kosovo, where one could witness two couples, one from Serbia and another one from Kosovo, celebrating their marriages together, in the same room.

This is what ROM is all about. Each person that experiences ROM is a change person. I am a changed person. ROM is a time to learn from one another, a powerful time of building relationships, learning about Jesus, a time to have our minds renewed and being challenged to home and make a difference.

As a speaker at ROM I felt that what God gave me to share with those present at the last ROM was well received, understood, appreciated with open minds and hearts. I had many one-on-one conversations, and God used me to help others see that Jesus loves them, and that in God’s eyes we are all ‘Designer Originals’.

Allen Belton, published by Balkan Task Force Newsletter, October 2014.

Human Dignity Means Responsibility

Leo van Doesburg, Director for European Affairs and Policy Advising of European Christian and Political Movement (ECPM) talks about ECPM and its views on dignity of human life, family values, gender equality, legalization of same sex marriages, euthanasia, prostitution, human trafficking, quality of life, religious freedom, difference between church and state, speaking Christina values into politics, meaning of freedom, peace building and reconciliation. Leo van Doesburg is External Affairs Manager for the European Christian Political Movement (ECPM), a European political party committed to promoting Christian Democratic values with its social expression in public life. He is actively involved in policy-making at various national and European institutions and has offered many trainings and courses on Christian Democracy, Freedom of Religion & Conscience, Family Values, Human Dignity and Peace & Reconciliation. In 2011 he was awarded the Conscience and Freedom Award for diligently promoting religious freedoms in Europe, in 2013 he was awarded in the recognition for the fight against Roma discrimination in East Europe by the International Romani Union. Leo van Doesburg and ECPM are our European partners. Time 28:08 min.

Thank You for Your Partnership

Dear Friends,

We are looking back at the year 2014 with a sense of great satisfaction and gratitude. Your prayers and support is making a big difference in the quality and growth of our ministry. In 2014 we were able to go forward with four major leadership and reconciliation programs: Renewing Our Minds Gathering (ROM) and Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) in Fuzine, Croatia; ForumRegathering on Fruska Gora near Novi Sad, Serbia; and EDI Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Although our work is sixteen years old, since the time of our reorganization into a new organization, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation at the end of 2011, we have witnessed a notable progress in the growth of our donor base. This is why we were confident to add every year a new content to our programs, especially aiming towards strengthening the follow-up and mentoring areas of our work in Southeast Europe.

In 2015 we are moving forward with the following projects and programs, with an added emphasis on the missional character of our work: Renewing Our Minds Gathering 2015 (ROM), leadership and reconciliation conference in Fuzine, Croatia; Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum 2015 (EDI), leadership conference for business professionals in Fuzine, Croatia; Middle East leadership and reconciliation seminar; Economic Diplomacy and Integrity seminars in Albania and Romania; Completing the process of establishing seven to eight regional representatives in the Balkans; Returning of Tihomir Kukolja and his family to Southeast Europe with a four-year commitment of service.

People like you, filled with a profound understanding of the need for the transforming work of Forum in the lives of the hundreds of young leaders internationally, are making our ministry possible. Thank you for partnering with us in the important ministry of reconciliation and development of leaders transformed by the person of Jesus. In the world that is becoming increasingly fragile our work is becoming increasingly important and needed.

We continue to need your support. Give us an opportunity to start the year 2015 well. Please consider giving at this time of Christmas. Your gifts and prayers are making a difference around the world. You may donate electronically by clicking on “Donate Now”.

May the Lord Jesus fill your hearts with joy at this Christmas Season.

Tihomir Kukolja, Executive Director, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation
Martha S. Weiss, Chairwoman, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation

As We Move into the Summer 2014

Ahead of us are two leading Forum programs in Fuzine, Croatia, EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum, 13^th – 27^th July, and ROM – Renewing our Minds Leadership and Reconciliation Gathering, 2^nd – 17^th August, 2014. Let’s be refreshed with the vision and objectives of Forum, ROM and EDI.

Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation is about advancing the Kingdom of God through development of leaders with noble, reconciled and serving characters, in tune with the teachings of and example of the person of Jesus. Forum’s mission is pursued through intentional, holistic, transformative and relational education, training, mentorship and coaching, as well as through development of serving and caring communities, and networking through strategic partnerships. Our vision is about developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world, and our two main initiatives are ROM – Renewing Our Minds and EDI – Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum.

Renewing Our Minds (ROM), an international reconciliation and leadership development initiative, with its roots in Southeast Europe (Balkans), has become a worldwide mission. ROM advocates forgiveness, reconciliation, peacemaking, loving one’s neighbor as oneself, integrity and leadership of service. It teaches young leaders how to embrace others and develop lasting friendships despite their religious, national and ethnic differences.  ROM is a mission that challenges paradigms and assumptions, refines the character of young leaders according to the teachings and example of the person of Jesus. For hundreds of young participants from 50 countries ROM has been life defining and life changing. Many alumni have emerged as leaders of influence, and are today making a difference in the political, social, humanitarian and religious arenas of their countries. A vision of ROM is about building communities through transformative leadership.

Economic Diplomacy and Integrity Forum (EDI) is built upon the leadership and peace-building principles of ROM to support the development of young professionals and students in the areas of economics, business and politics. EDI Forum believes that the best way to fight against corruption, greed and unhealthy rivalry between and within nations is to establish an economic and political community informed by the principles and character of Jesus.

Visit this place often during the summer months of 2014 for fresh updates about the progress of EDI in July and ROM in August. More to follow beyond the 2014 summer months.