URC General Assembly 2025 - Sunday - Presentation: A journey of ministry, identity, and compassion

Dr Francesca Nuzzolese, serving as an ecumenical representative of the Waldensian and Methodist churches in Italy, shared a deeply personal and theological reflection on her spiritual journey and ministry.
Rooted in a Baptist upbringing in Southern Italy, her call to mission evolved through diverse experiences across multiple continents, including Switzerland, the UK, Australia, and the United States, culminating in her current role as a theological educator in Rome.
The key themes of Dr Nuzzolese's presentation included:
Pilgrimage and mission: framing life as a spiritual pilgrimage, emphasising resilience, cross-cultural empathy (“interpathy”) and the value of marginal perspectives in ministry.
Spiritual practices: personal crises navigated through practices like centreing prayer, spiritual direction, and journaling, which are offered to others as sustaining disciplines.
Commitment to theological education: working to reform seminary education in Italy to meet the evolving needs of the churc, such as chaplaincy and local lay leadership, and seeking international partnerships, particularly with colleges in the UK.
Trauma-informed ministry: emphasising the world as a "trauma zone," advocating for churches to become safe, healing, spaces for refugees, trafficking survivors, and all who suffer.
Radical compassion and justice: encouraging ongoing advocacy for justice, especially in support of refugees through initiatives like Mediterranean Hope, and standing against injustice and violence.
A woven tapestry of lives: through a metaphor of weaving, Dr Nuzzolese illustrated how shared experiences and mutual affirmation created a collective tapestry of faith and purpose.
Spiritual anchor: the reflection closed with a poem by William Stafford, “The Way It Is,” and the reminder from Micah 6:8 to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.