SUMMER 2024 A PUBLICATION OF WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
The Commons is published twice each year for alumni/ae and friends of Western Theological Seminary, 101 E 13th Street, Holland, MI 49423. Reproduction in whole or in part with permission only.
Have a question or idea for a future article or story? Contact us at info@westernsem.edu
The Commons Editorial Board: Anne Chanski, Sydney Huizenga, Andy Bast, Felix Theonugraha, Lindsay Porter
Special thanks to... Rayetta Perez, Katlyn DeVries, and the many contributing authors in this issue.
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148th Commencement Ceremony
Nearly 170 students graduated at the 2024 commencement
Cultivating Our Call
Andy Bast introduces the seminary’s strategic plan and capital campaign, Cultivating Our Call
What is Christian Imagination?
Learn how the Eugene Peterson Center fosters Christian imagination to revitalize pastoral hearts, churches, and vocations
Hope and Healing for the Wounded Soul
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Dr. Elizabeth Pennock highlights how the new counseling program aims to train professionals to partner with pastors in supporting the church and community
Sowing Hope: Integrating Faith and Mental Health in a Fragmented World
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Dr. Todd Billings shares how the new counseling program integrates Christian formation and education amidst a divided cultural landscape
Cultivating a Legacy
Arlan and Barb Van Roekel reflect on the impact and influences that have shaped their generosity towards WTS
Distinguished Alumnus 2024
19 WTS is pleased to recognize Rev. Dr. F. Peter Ford, Jr. as the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient
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Introducing the Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice
Dr. David Stubbs shares the vision behind the new Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice
Alumnus Jeffrey Munroe ‘88 is the author of Telling Stories in the Dark
Engaging the Global Church
Rev. Apollos I. Handan ‘03 highlights how his education at WTS equipped him to serve the global Church
Celebrating the Remarkable Service of Rayetta Perez
After over twenty years of faithful service, Rayetta Perez retired from her role at the seminary at the end of the academic year
Dear Friends,
This year, nearly 170 students graduated from Western Theological Seminary. These graduates are women and men called by God to serve the church. During their time at WTS, they were formed for faithful Christian ministry and participation in the Triune God’s ongoing redemptive work in the world.
In my conversations with many of them, I heard one recurring theme: somewhere along the way, someone in their lives–a spouse, a friend, a pastor, a relative–came alongside them and said, “You are called. Keep going.” The seminary journey was not a solitary journey. The Spirit worked through the people in their lives to keep these graduates going.
This past Easter, I visited someone who cheered me on and kept me going: Sandy Sully, my former youth group director. I met her within days of my arrival in the United States. One of my first memories from my immigration journey is sitting in her living room, where she graciously welcomed a group of first-and second-generation Chinese kids to gather for youth group.
Sandy didn’t just open her home to us. She bought me a computer when I left for college and a laptop when I left for seminary. She visited me every year and invited me over to her house for Thanksgiving and Easter. I got through my seminary education because Sandy cheered me on and kept me going.
Are you being called by God to be a guiding light, like Sandy, for someone in your church, community, or sphere of influence? Are there people in your life who need to hear “You are called. Keep going.” from you?
I know this: Through your faithful prayers and generous support, you cheer for our students and make it possible for them to pursue God’s call in their lives. Thank you.
Blessings,
FELIX THEONUGRAHA, PH.D. President
commencement 2024
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, Western Theological Seminary celebrated a historic milestone: the largest graduating class in the seminary’s history. Nearly 170 graduates, having earned their degrees or certificates, are now embarking on a journey to serve the Church, guided by God’s call in their lives.
This momentous occasion marked the 148th commencement ceremony, a cherished tradition held at Dimnent Memorial Chapel on the campus of Hope College. The 2024 graduates represented 17 countries worldwide, including Myanmar, Singapore, Australia, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Uganda, the United States, and many others.
watch the video recording from commencement 2024
Commencement Speaker
Rev. Dr. Carol M. Bechtel, WTS Professor of Old Testament, was chosen as the 2024 commencement speaker.
Dr. Bechtel preaches and teaches widely and is a General Synod Professor of Theology in the Reformed Church in America. Notably, she served as President of the RCA’s General Synod from 2009–2010 and is currently serving as Executive Director of the American Waldensian Society.
A native of Fulton, IL, Dr. Bechtel pursued her education at Hope College, Western Theological Seminary, and received her Ph.D. from Yale University in New Haven, CT. She now resides with her husband in Holland, MI.
Idiltrudis Torres Martinez, D.Min., and Tito Sandoval, D.Min.
Graduates celebrate with family and friends after the ceremony
The class of 2024
Steven Germoso, D.Min.
Student body president Vanessa Funk, M.Div., praying at the ceremony
“And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11 2024 class verse
Margaret Philpot, D.Min.
Barry Lucas, D.Min.
I have had the privilege of meeting with many of you over the years. In these conversations—often after discussing family, church, and life— you have asked, “So, tell me what’s new at the seminary?” The next few stories are part of that conversation.
These stories are also part of our strategic plan and capital campaign, Cultivating Our Call. Each word in the campaign title matters. Cultivating refers to growth and how to tend well to that growth. Our includes each of you–we are pursuing this work together. Call means that God is the center of all we do, calling us to respond with wisdom and action.
This vision includes new programs, such as establishing a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, growing the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, and funding scholarships to attract and support our future ministry leaders. Read more about this vision on pages 11-18.
Would you continue to pray for God’s wisdom and favor as we pursue this work together? I am ever grateful for your partnership in Cultivating Our Call and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks and months.
Andy Bast Director of Development
Thank You to the David & Carol Van Andel Family Foundation
We are so exceedingly grateful to the David & Carol Van Andel Family Foundation for their ongoing support of Western Theological Seminary’s capital campaign, Cultivating Our Call
At a recent campaign event, Carol shared, “My friends, I hope it’s no secret that David and I believe deeply in the mission of this seminary... it has remained constant in its mission to prepare students for life-long ministry. And that’s why our Family Foundation pledged $1.75MM in the form of a challenge grant to ‘further and deepen’ this mission. In other words, the act of cultivating.”
The Van Andel family’s commitment has led and inspired others to give generously and enthusiastically. We are honored by their partnership in the Cultivating Our Call campaign and remain grateful for the many ways they contribute to the flourishing of our beloved seminary and its long-standing impact and legacy.
What is Christian Imagination?
When we speak of a Christian imagination, we’re not talking about making stuff up or some niche, newfangled angle on faith. Rather, we’re referring to the very heart of what it means to be humans made in the image of God. C.S. Lewis referred to our baptized imagination and pointed to our imagination as the “organ for meaning,” that uniquely human capacity to put all the pieces together. Imagination is how we make sense of the world. Everyone has an imagination. Without it, we can’t make sense of Scripture, ponder an ineffable God, or carry hopes for our future or our children’s future. Imagination is essential to what it means to be human.
active presence in the world. Imagination is the word we use to describe the ability to see with God-attuned eyes how things “fit together” and how God’s grace is far more active than we’ve previously noticed. In his crowning work Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene sought to help Christians regain “an imagination large enough to accommodate our life.” And this imagination is distinctly Christian and Trinitarian–not any willynilly way of “imagining.”
“Without an adequately imagined theology, spirituality gets [easily] reduced…and [flattened]. The Trinity reveals the immense world of God creating, saving, and blessing in the name of the Father and Holy Spirit, with immediate and lived implications for our way of life and spirituality.”
- Eugene Peterson
The question, however, is whether our imagination is being shaped by the author of the truest story–God–or left to be deformed by dimmer lights that degrade our capacity to encounter God’s true world. Whenever Jesus told a parable, spoke to us about the Father, or invited us to “consider the lilies,” he evoked our imaginations. Psalms, the Lord’s Prayer, and the gospel writers all invite us to engage God’s reality, even if we can’t exactly see it. Older Christians referred to this as “seeing with the eyes of faith.”
Eugene Peterson spoke often of our imagination For Eugene, imagination refers to “the large country of salvation,” where our vision expands past the small vistas toward the wideness of God’s
And all this, Eugene believed, was essential for pastors hoping to recover our holy calling amid all that’s crumbling around us, all that seduces us, all that might crush our souls. What we need is a renewed pastoral imagination, where our vision for what God is doing with us–what is possible for the Church–is defined by God rather than by the powerful, idolatrous forces of our age. We need a holy imagination to do this. Eugene put it this way:
What is critical [for pastors] is an imagination large enough to contain all of life, all worship and work as prayer, set in a structure [askesis] adequate to the actual conditions in which it is lived out.
Recovering a Christian imagination and a pastoral imagination is not an artsy side project. This work is at the core of revitalizing our hearts, churches, and pastoral vocations.
Fostering Christian Imagination at WTS
Doxology | September 30–October 2, 2024 | petersoncenter.org/doxology
A gathering where we humbly fix our attention and our hope on God
Doxology is a gathering for the befuddled or hopeful (or both) who long for the simple, sacred life that flows from the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. In a cacophonous age overrun by ego and animosity, we hope to nurture humility, joy, contemplation–and even a bit of holy belligerence.
Order of the Kingfisher | petersoncenter.org/order-of-the-kingfisher Circles of Friendship, Prayer, and Encouragement
Order of the Kingfisher groups are small gatherings of pastors seeking to live out their pastoral vocation by committing to a Common Rule. At the Peterson Center, we’re prayerfully asking God to help us nurture a community of pastors who embody a way of being that is faithful, contemplative, joyful, holy, and deeply human.
Holy Presence Doctor of Ministry Cohort
To learn more about the next Holy Presence cohort, visit wtsem.info/holy-presence. Eugene Peterson’s pastoral writings offer working pastors the gift of a conversation partner who takes them and their vocational calling seriously. The Holy Presence cohort welcomes women and men committed to living out their calling as contemplative pastors in the company of like-minded pilgrims.
Impact of Fostering Christian Imagination
“Just got home from a great few days of Doxology. It is one of the most soulfilling experiences of my year. Instead of most conferences’ loud, busy, crowded schedules, Doxology is slow, reflective, and spacious. I hope this becomes an annual gathering of scholars, artists, and friends who deeply love Jesus.”
– Doxology 2023 Participant
“In the past few months, I have been praying as I’ve not prayed before. I am ministering as I’ve never ministered before. I feel transformed from the inside out. I am fixing my attention on God and, to my profound surprise, encountering God.”
– Pastor & Doctor of Ministry Student
“There’s a wonderful community developing that feels safe, creative, and generative. I have become accustomed to feeling out of place most of the time (partly as a woman but also as a contemplative, introverted artist). I don’t feel out of place in this place, which is refreshing.”
– Pastor
Hope and Healing
Dr. Elizabeth Pennock Associate Professor of Counseling Director of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
A woman in her mid-30s, soul weary after years of infertility; a teenager struggling with anxiety and self-injury; a couple seeking to love each other well as they each sort through the challenges of parenting while each carrying their own stories of trauma and heartache; a young adult grieving the sudden loss of his mother; a pastor wondering how to keep going week after week as he struggles with persistent, severe depression.
The faces of each of these individuals come to mind as I reflect on my 15+ years of work as a professional counselor. In each set of eyes, I see the remarkable “imago dei,” the reality that each human is created in the image of the living God and uniquely
But each face also tells a story that includes pain, sorrow, fear, hope, and longing.
“I see the remarkable ‘imago dei,’ the reality that each human is created in the image of the living God and uniquely reflects God’s work in creation.”
Pastors are well acquainted with this reality as they shepherd their congregants through the joys and challenges of life. For pastors, congregational care is one task among many that need attention within
for the Wounded Soul
meeting the need
The new Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Western Theological Seminary is designed to help meet this need by training students to provide clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) that is research-based, relationally-oriented, trauma-informed, and rooted in the Christian soul care tradition. Offering this degree within the unique context of the seminary community provides the opportunity to equip women and men to be wise, humble, and hopeful mental health practitioners. Beyond simply providing students with the skills and knowledge to be competent counselors, our hope is that students will learn to be attuned to their own selves and stories while remaining anchored in God’s story of redemption and restoration.
“There is an urgent need for Christian mental health care professionals to partner with pastors in caring for the church and the community.”
Trauma-informed care, in its many variations today, seeks to tend to the whole person, to the psychic and somatic wounds that overwhelm, restoring us to wholeness and resilience. In our curriculum at WTS, we draw from the latest research-based insights from trauma studies to help people suffering from all types of psychological distress move toward more profound healing, health, and wholeness.
A trauma-informed training program recognizes that the students in the classroom have also been wounded and need to engage their own pain in the context of a transformational community.
trauma-informed
Trauma is a word that is thrown around often in our culture, and I have been asked what it means to have a “trauma-informed” training program for counselors. Trauma is simply the Greek word for wound, and trauma-informed care addresses not merely what happened to cause pain throughout our lives but what happens when stresses and struggles tax our bodies and weary our hearts, wounding us to the core.
As we welcome our first cohort of students to campus this fall, I am eager to journey with them through this season of personal and professional formation. The impact of the CMHC program will multiply as each student experiences personal transformation and then moves into the community to offer a unique healing presence to those in need of care. Soon, these students will bear witness to both the pain and the redemption in the stories and faces of their own clients.
To learn more about the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, visit counseling.westernsem.edu.
Sowing Hope: Integrating Faith
and Mental Health
in a Fragmented World
Dr. J. Todd Billings Professor of Reformed Theology
When our kids were home during the COVID-19 pandemic season, like many families, ours took on new projects to pass the time. Through hours of work and much creativity (particularly from my wife and son), our yard yielded a strange and new beauty through planting in our garden. What makes our garden interesting is its “both-and” abundance; rather than neatly sequestered rows or boxes, the garden holds together many helpful varieties of plants, leading to flourishing.
navigating a divided landscape
As Christians, we are called to respond in wise compassion to the serious mental health challenges in our communities which have heightened since the pandemic. Statistically, rates of mental illness, substance abuse disorder, and suicide have risen sharply, especially among youth. And yet, in assessing the “problem,” we can be tempted to have a one-sided response to conform to the deep cultural fractures that characterize our era. We often feel tempted to compartmentalize our work in response to these needs, creating siloed gardens that reflect our fragmented cultural landscape.
In this divided landscape, some churches see their role as primarily reinforcing a civic message: to raise mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and support growth in the mental health infrastructure. They rightly point to the scores of people without access to treatment and lament the stark shortage of mental health clinicians.
They distance themselves from an “emotional prosperity gospel” where depression or anxiety are stigmatized as reflecting deficient faith.
However, at times, this reaction can partition faith and mental health into distinct realms. Mental health awareness is encouraged within churches, but exploring the root of anger, despair, and grief is often left to counselors and psychiatrists rather than welcomed into the sanctuary. Psalms of lament are passed over. The church becomes simply a “referral space” to the “mental health specialists” when mental health challenges arise. Faith has nothing to add.
In contrast, other Christians caution against the pervasive influence of “therapeutic” culture, arguing it overlooks genuine needs and can overshadow faith’s emphasis on truth and goodness. For example, in an extensive study of the faith of young adults, sociologists observe a phenomenon dubbed “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism,” which tends to “colonize” historic faiths, like the Christian faith.
“As Christians, we are called to respond in wise compassion to the serious mental health challenges in our communities.”
In this approach, the central telos of life and function of religion is therapeutic: “The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.”1
Other studies indicate how, on a functional level, the psychiatrist or therapist (or wellness influencer) can be a new “priest” to mediate healing, leading to an individualistic, dangerously self-centered quasireligious practice. In response, these Christians plant gardens that speak about truth and virtue but fence off discussions of mental health and mental disorders.
The ideology of the “therapeutic” can dangerously oversimplify faith. People may unquestionably embrace pop psychology as the only source of divine inspiration.
faithful integration
These divergent reactions present a false dichotomy. On one side, Christians embrace the insights from the psychological and social sciences but do so at the cost of a robust theology. On the other side, Christians display wariness about the idolatry of the therapeutic yet neglect genuine scientific insights.
A thoughtful Christian faith and the knowledge and expertise of a counselor in clinical practice belong together. As John Calvin rightly noted, the Psalms give us “an anatomy of all parts of the soul.”
1 This point is the “therapeutic” aspect of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, a “creed” that summarizes the functional theology of most participants in the study. See Christian Smith, Soul Searching (Oxford University Press, 2005), 162-3.
“The seminary’s counseling program seeks to cultivate beautiful, biodiverse gardens that bring together what many separate.”
It is a gift from God for our prayer and formation, for “there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror.” The Triune God is our healer, and God’s word is our food and nourishment.
And yet, we need clinical counselors who can distinguish valuable therapeutic concepts from those prone to misuse, especially within religious contexts. Concepts like ‘self-esteem’ and ‘trauma’ are particularly susceptible. Without this discernment, they risk not only psychological ineffectiveness but also confusion among followers of Jesus if perceived as definitive solutions to their deepest hopes. As the Psalmist confesses, “You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
cultivating counselors
In the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Western Theological Seminary, students will join a community striving to integrate Christian formation with the professional excellence of a secular counseling program. Rather than fencing off a medicalized approach to mental health from faith or eschewing expertise in mental health, the seminary’s counseling program seeks to cultivate beautiful, biodiverse gardens that bring together what many separate.
Such an approach is a gift to the ecosystem of the church and the world. For Christians, as Makoto Fujimura points out, “Culture is not a territory to be won or lost but a resource we are called to steward with care. Culture is a garden to be cultivated.”2
2 Fujimura, Culture Care (InterVarsity Press, 2017), 40.
Cultivating a legacy
The Van Roekels’ Journey of Generosity
Rick Capotosto Associate Director of Development
How many couples can say they met the first week of their lives? The two mothers sharing the maternity ward at Orange City Hospital in the ’40s could not have imagined their babies would one day be married! Yet, that’s exactly what happened years later when Arlan and Barb Van Roekel reacquainted in college, fell in love, and married in 1968.
Growing up in the farming towns of Maurice and Newkirk, Iowa, Arlan and Barb Van Roekel learned the value of working hard, saving money, participating in the faith community, and giving sacrificially.
Dedication to the life of the Reformed church blossomed in their teen years. Arlan began teaching Sunday school as a senior in high school and Barb played the organ at her church, activities they both continue to this day.
Barb and Arlan learned the value of diligent work, tithing, and personal sacrifice through their parents’ example. Arlan recalls his father faithfully contributing $2 to their church offering each week; when the fall harvest came in, he would make his annual tithe. Similarly, Barb watched her mother work hard to support her children after their father died, even making sure Barb could continue organ lessons.
With this bedrock of values, Barb and Arlan finished their schooling at Northwestern College, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Iowa. After Arlan completed two years in the army, they settled in Des Moines, Iowa, and raised their family at Meredith Drive Reformed Church.
While attending Meredith Drive, the Van Roekels cultivated their heart for giving through preaching and example. Over twenty years ago, Arlan and Barb began supporting Meredith Drive’s intern from Western Theological Seminary, and they became increasingly interested in the school’s work.
“We’ve been impressed with how Western responds to congregations’ needs in the 21st century,” they shared. “The variety of degree programs WTS offers now has opened theological training to people who want to serve in roles other than lead pastors.”
The Van Roekels plan to establish a scholarship at Western Theological Seminary next year. They also plan to participate in the Cultivating Our Call campaign with a legacy gift to secure the future of WTS and help future students with tuition costs.
“We’ve been impressed with how Western responds to congregations’ needs in the 21st century. The variety of degree programs WTS offers now has opened theological training to people who want to serve in roles other than lead pastors.”
“So many graduates from Western have impacted our lives, such as George Muyskens, Jon Garbison, Tony Vis, Jill Ver Steeg, Mike VanRees, and others,” they say with gratitude. “We are confident in the leadership of President Theonugraha and the efforts he is making to keep the seminary on the cutting edge of excellence.”
Like many of our remarkable donors, the Van Roekels choose to prayerfully and faithfully support Western’s work. Because of their support and the support of many others, we are cultivating our call to serve the church so that the world may be invited to experience abundant life in Christ.
Could a contribution to the Cultivating Our Call campaign be part of your legacy?
For more information, contact Andy Bast at andy@westernsem.edu or (616) 566-3555.
The Van Roekels Family
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS 2024
REV. DR. F. PETER FORD, JR., M.DIV. ‘82
Dr. Ford and his wife, Patty, in Lebanon
Rev. Dr. F. Peter Ford, Jr., M.Div. ‘82, is an ordained minister of the Reformed Church in America. He and his wife, Patty, faithfully served as RCA missionaries in six countries across the Middle East and East Africa for forty years. Their work brought them into various leadership development, pastoral, and theological education roles often centered around Christian–Muslim relations or within contexts that required living peacefully among neighbors of different faiths.
Dr. Ford’s journey began in a loving Christian family in Massachusetts and upstate New York. He pursued his education at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY), earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1975. During his time at SUNY, Dr. Ford’s passion for missionary work was nurtured and confirmed through his involvement with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.
Dr. Ford then earned a master’s degree in Greek and New Testament from GordonConwell Theological Seminary. Soon after graduating in 1975, he and Patty married and moved to Rochester, NY, to begin their careers. The Fords were introduced to the RCA mission program through their church in Rochester.
“We were very attracted to the RCA’s approach of always working with, and even under, the leadership of the local church in any given mission setting.”
– Rev. Dr. F. Peter Ford, Jr.
Former RCA Director of Human Resources
Al Poppen recommended Western Theological Seminary as a great place to gain theological training. Al knew that Ford would appreciate the opportunity to learn from professors who were former missionaries, such as John Piet, John Hesselink, and Eugene Heideman.
Distinguished Alumnus Presentation 2024
Thesis advisory meeting with student from Senegal (2011)
During his time at WTS, Dr. Ford was encouraged to become ordained, and in 1982, the RCA appointed Peter and Patty as full-time career missionaries.
In 1984, the Fords embarked on their first mission assignment in Muscat, Oman, where Dr. Ford served as a Minister for Community Relations. He visited Omani neighbors and shopkeepers, learning more about Islam while seeking ways to share something of his faith with love and respect. Five years later, the Fords accepted another call to Khartoum, Sudan to teach the Bible in Arabic at a local Presbyterian church. During this time, Dr. Ford realized his interest in teaching national Christians heading into pastoral ministry.
When the Gulf War erupted in 1991, the Fords were forced to leave Sudan. Dr. Ford pursued graduate work in Islam through Temple University during this time. The Fords returned to Sudan in 1994 to teach courses at the Nile Theological College and raise their sons. Dr. Ford successfully completed his Ph.D. in Religion (Islamic Studies) in 1998.
In 2002, the Mekane Yesus Church in Ethiopia asked Dr. Ford to establish a Christian-Muslim relations program at their main seminary in Addis Ababa. This opportunity allowed him to focus full-time on teaching courses in Christian-Muslim relations, including Qur’anic Arabic, to students preparing for evangelism among Ethiopia’s Muslim population.
Ordination service (1982)
The Fords with their two children, David and Andrew
Teaching at NEST (2018)
After seven years in Ethiopia, Dr. Ford’s colleagues took over the program’s leadership and continue leading the program to this day.
In 2009, the Fords moved to Kenya to assist St. Paul’s University with its newly established master’s program in Islam and Christian-Muslim relations until its Kenyan faculty completed their Ph.D.s. After three years in Kenya, the RCA received yet another request for Dr. Ford’s expertise from the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon, which paved the way for Dr. Ford’s final ten years of missionary work as Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies and Associate Editor of the NEST Theological Review at the Near East School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut, Lebanon.
During their career overseas, the Fords raised their two sons, David and Andrew, primarily in Africa. In addition to a book dissertation, Dr. Ford has written a number of articles and book chapters on his years of experience with Islam and ChristianMuslim relations. In retirement, the Fords have settled near family in Richmond, VA. Western Theological Seminary is grateful for Dr. Ford’s faithful service and is delighted to honor him with this award.
Dr. Ford teaching a class in Arabic (1990)
Introducing the Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice
Dr. David Stubbs Professor of Ethics and Theology
Co-Director of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program
Imagine going inside a state prison and taking a seminary course in a classroom alongside incarcerated students. Such an experience would be transformative! Learning with and from incarcerated students inside prison walls would shape how you see people who are different from yourself. It would change how you read Scripture, engage in ministry, and understand many societal issues.
the opportunity
Western Theological Seminary is thrilled to be offering a Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice beginning in the fall of 2025. The certificate program includes three integrated “inside-out” classes at the Muskegon Correctional Facility, where students will learn in a classroom that includes both “inside” incarcerated students and “outside” WTS students. A cohort of WTS students will travel to the Muskegon Correctional Facility, enter the prison, and learn with and from a cohort of men currently enrolled in the Hope-Western Prison Education Program.
The certificate program lays a foundation for restorative justice ministries and restorative practices in the context of the Christian faith. Restorative justice names a way of approaching the many harms done to individuals and society through injustice, wrongdoing, and crime by asking the question, “How can we heal the harms and build a better community?”
Students will deepen their knowledge of biblical and theological dimensions of restorative justice, restorative practices, and practical aspects of putting the gospel into action through courses such as “Restorative Justice,” “Leading with Courage and Compassion,” and other electives. The certificate is earned by taking three “insideout” classes and four other foundational classes through the main WTS campus.
a formational impact
We are confident that participation in our program or taking inside-out classes will transform students’ approach to pastoral, social, or educational ministry, particularly for those with prophetic or social callings or involvement in justice systems. Engagement with prisons illuminates societal issues like racism, education, income inequality, violence, and the justice system. Interaction with inside students fosters cultural understanding. Studying Scripture in prison offers fresh perspectives on our faith, following Jesus, who also experienced incarceration. We encourage seminary students to seize this opportunity.
“Inside-out” courses will be open to students enrolled in the certificate program or another WTS program. In addition, such courses could be an excellent way for alumni to further their education. They might also be the first seminary course someone in the community takes at WTS.
Whatever the case, taking these courses will be a rich, intense, difficult, and joy-filled learning experience–a transformative exchange between professors, inside students, and outside students as they all engage in the course content.
program creation
The WTS Graduate Certificate in Restorative Justice intersects with the Hope-Western Prison Education Program (HWPEP). This initiative of Hope College, Western Theological Seminary, and the Michigan Department of Corrections provides an opportunity for men incarcerated in Michigan state prisons to earn a Hope College Bachelor of Arts degree.
There are very few, if any, programs like this one that unites incarcerated students gaining a Christian liberal arts Bachelor’s degree with seminary students seeking to further their education for lives of leadership, ministry, and service. We are confident this certificate program will be a great addition to the WTS educational community and be a transformative educational experience for our students.
To learn more about the Hope-Western Prison Education Program, visit wtsem.info/hwpep.
HWPEP
Welcomes
New Co-Director
After a nationwide search, the Hope-Western Prison Education Program is pleased to announce that Kary Bosma has been appointed Co-Director. She will succeed Dr. Richard Ray, who retired at the end of June 2024. Bosma will join Dr. David Stubbs in leading the program into its next stage of development.
Bosma comes to the HWPEP from Calvin University, where she served as Director of Operations for the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI). After earning her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Calvin University, she cultivated a career in higher education at Calvin, where she served students through student life and academic departments. When CPI began in 2015, Bosma discovered a rare opportunity to combine her interests in the criminal justice system, restorative justice, and higher education. In 2016, she joined the staff of CPI, which grew to become a nationally recognized exemplar for prison education programs under her leadership of its operations.
To read the full press release, visit wtsem.info/welcome-kary-bosma.
Telling in the STorieS Dark
Alumnus Jeffrey Munroe ‘88 is the author of Telling Stories in the Dark
In the darkest corners of our lives, where sorrow, trauma, grief, and pain reside, a profound capacity exists for resilience and hope.
Telling Stories in the Dark by Jeffrey Munroe is a uniquely inspiring non-fiction book that illuminates the transformative power of sharing our most profound experiences of suffering.
Within the pages of this book, you will encounter the stories of ordinary individuals who, when confronted with profound adversity, chose to do something extraordinary—they transformed their pain. Munroe takes his audience on a poignant journey through the lives of these remarkable individuals who have harnessed the redemptive potential of their suffering, what Munroe’s mentor Frederick Buechner calls “the stewardship of pain.”
When we tell our stories—and when we listen well to each other’s stories—we discover much about what it means to be human. We discover there are others like us. We discover our feelings aren’t unusual. We discover we aren’t alone. And sometimes, we discover God in the midst of our stories.
This book poignantly reminds us that no matter how deep our wounds may be, we possess the innate ability to transform our pain into a source of strength and growth.
Telling Stories in the Dark is ideal for individual reflection and group discussion. It’s a great gift for friends who are grieving—Telling Stories is guaranteed to leave readers inspired, uplifted, and deeply moved.
Jeffrey Munroe is editor of the Reformed Journal, a digital magazine that explores issues of faith and life from a generously Reformed perspective. He also is the author of Reading Buechner: Exploring the Work of a Master Memoirist, Novelist, Theologian, and Preacher. Jeffrey is a Michigan State University and Western Theological Seminary graduate and ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America. He served in the non-denominational youth ministry, Young Life, for three decades in West Michigan and Europe and was Executive Vice President of Western Theological Seminary for nearly a decade. He and his wife Gretchen live in Holland, MI, and are the parents of two adult children.
To find a copy of Telling Stories in the Dark or to learn more about Jeffrey, visit www.jeffreymunroe.com.
Engaging the Global Church
Reverend Apollos I. Handan ‘03 shares how his education at WTS equipped him to serve the global Church
How did your education at WTS equip you for international engagement?
Handan: The Master of Theology (Th.M.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) programs at WTS deepened my theological comprehension and broadened my perspective on leadership development, both within and beyond my denomination in Nigeria. My education at Western Theological Seminary was crucial in guiding me through the accreditation process with the West Africa Association of Theological Institutions (WAATI). I take great pride in the experiences and knowledge I gained in seminary.
What was your learning experience like as a student at WTS?
Handan: Being a student in the Th.M. and D.Min. programs allowed me to meet and learn from an array of church leaders and pastors from Uganda, Kenya, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, and the U.S. The Th.M. and D.Min. programs brought students together from various cultural and ecclesiastical backgrounds and theological traditions, such as Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, and Methodist. The diversity of these two programs provided a rich learning experience in which we pursued cross-cultural studies and engaged in theological dialogue within a Reformed framework.
Rev. Apollos I. Handan ‘03 has served in Christian ministry for over 40 years. Rev. Handan’s extensive leadership experience spans both education and pastoral governance. Having served as Principal of the Baptist College of Theology, Jos, for 11 years, he imparted theological training to various individuals, including resident pastors, teachers, evangelists, and church workers across Nigeria and other parts of Africa. He also was President of the Southern Kaduna Baptist Conference, overseeing a vast network of 525 Baptist churches and 126 pastors. He facilitated ecumenical activities throughout his tenure and contributed to various boards, including the Baptist College of Theology, Jos, and the Institute of Church and Society/Christian Council of Nigeria.
Rev. Handan serves on the boards of the Christian Education Development Advisory Centre (CEDAC) and Pilgrim Lighthouse Foundation (PLF). In May 2020, he transitioned to a teaching role at the Baptist College of Theology, Jos, where he continues to mentor and shape the next generation of church leaders for Nigeria and Africa. Rev. Handan has authored four books and is currently writing a fifth.
Celebrating the Remarkable Service of Rayetta Perez
After over twenty years of faithful service to Western Theological Seminary, Rayetta Perez retired from her role as Director of Administration and Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. As a small appreciation for her tremendous impact on the seminary, some past and present colleagues shared memories of Rayetta’s shining moments at a recent gathering.
Dennis Voskuil, former President of Western Theological Seminary, encapsulates Rayetta’s indispensability with one word: “outstanding.” He shares, “I can’t imagine my ministry as a president without Rayetta as my assistant during those crucial years.” Rayetta’s role extended beyond administrative support; she was pivotal in organizing intercultural immersion experiences and facilitating online programs. Rayetta was crucial in every way to my ministry and the success of the
seminary over that time,” he affirms, expressing deep gratitude for her unwavering support.
Former Academic Dean Leanne Van Dyk adds another layer to Rayetta’s legacy, choosing “steadfast” to describe her contributions. Van Dyk appreciates Rayetta’s unique blend of “calm intelligence, commitment, persistence, and loyalty,” qualities that have been the bedrock of her long tenure. “It was my great privilege to work with Rayetta at Western, and I treasure the memories of our collaboration,” Van Dyk shares, underscoring the unique and invaluable qualities Rayetta brought to her role.
“It was my great privilege to work with Rayetta at Western, and I treasure the memories of our collaboration.”
– LEANNE VAN DYK Former Academic Dean
Rayetta and Dennis Voskuil (2002)
Rayetta and John Hesselink (2012)
Rayetta (2008)
Colleagues like Jill English and Norm Donkersloot echo these sentiments. “Rayetta is generous with the capacity to receive us freely as is while bearing witness to what we might become,” shared Jill English.
Reflecting on their 20 years of collaboration, Donkersloot chooses “polished” to describe Rayetta’s professionalism. He recalls her ability to handle challenging HR roles gracefully and calmly, smoothing and soothing situations rather than aggravating them. “You were and have been a polished rock for the seminary for a long time,” he acknowledges.
President Felix Theonugraha shared that during her tenure at WTS, Rayetta’s unwavering focus on fostering a positive work culture and promoting collaboration has significantly contributed to the seminary’s success. “Rayetta has been a trusted mentor, confidant, and friend to many of us. Her wisdom, empathy, and genuine care for others have made her a cherished team member. As Rayetta embarks on this new chapter of her life, we express our deepest gratitude for her years of faithful service and leadership.”
“Rayetta’s unwavering focus on fostering a positive work culture and promoting collaboration has significantly contributed to the seminary’s success.”
– FELIX THEONUGRAHA, PH.D. President
As Rayetta enters this retirement season, we honor her steadfast commitment, unwavering care, and inspirational leadership legacy. Her influence has not just left a mark but has shaped the very fabric of Western Theological Seminary, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her years of service. Congratulations, Rayetta, on a well-deserved retirement. Your enduring contributions will continue to inspire us for years to come!
Western Theological Seminary Welcomes New Director of Admissions
Western Theological Seminary welcomed Drew Brown as Director of Admissions at the beginning of the spring 2024 semester.
As a distinguished alumnus of Azusa Pacific University, Brown brings a rich blend of experience and scholarly achievement to his role at the seminary. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology and a master’s degree in English, emphasizing Literature and Theology. This diverse educational background positions him uniquely to contribute to the seminary’s vision of integrating theological education with an appreciation for literary and cultural studies.
In speaking about his role, Brown expressed his deep sense of calling, noting, “I feel called to support the church using my specific skillset, and I never imagined that would be at my dream seminary.” Drew Brown’s appointment comes at an opportune time for Western Theological Seminary’s admissions department, infusing it with optimism and forward momentum.
SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS
Founders’ Day Lecture 2024
On Thursday, April 18, Western Theological Seminary welcomed Vern and Carla Sterk, along with special guests J. Samuel Hofman ‘58, Jim Heneveld ‘81, Rev. Janelle LópezKoolhaas ‘01, and Rev. Dr. Dennis Voskuil, who shared about the unique legacy of WTS in Chiapas, Mexico.
A full recording of the lecture is available at wtsem.info/founderslive2024.
Student Life at WTS
The Spring 2024 Abbey Retreat and intensives were held on campus in February. During the two-day retreat, distance learning and in-residence students gathered to rest, connect, and experience God together.
During this week, the student council team hosted the annual Spring Banquet at Christ Memorial Church in Holland, MI. Many students, staff, and faculty joined for an evening of community, comedy, and fun.
Hispanic Summer Institute
In May, the WTS Hispanic Ministry Program proudly hosted 40 pastors and ministry leaders for a time of renewal and learning. Pastors participated in a wellness workshop designed to address emotional and spiritual well-being.
Stoutemire Lecture 2024
Rev. Dr. Micah L. McCreary, President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, was the featured guest for this year’s Leonard F. Stoutemire Lecture in Multicultural Ministry.
The Stoutemire lectures equip seminarians, faculty, staff, alums, and local congregations with resources for increasing intercultural competence and achieving greater effectiveness in Christian ministry.
Dr. McCreary presented a lecture titled The Impact of Spirituality on Stress, Trauma, and Socio-Race. A recording of the lecture is available at wtsem.info/stoutemire-live.
Current Grant Projects at WTS Pathways for Tomorrow
This grant program is designed to support seminaries as they build sustainable programs that will carry theological education into the future. This grant is currently providing funds for the Eugene Peterson Center and Hispanic Ministry Program.
WTS is grateful for the support of the Lilly Foundation in supporting the work of these current grants.
To learn more about these programs, please email us at info@westernsem.edu.
Churches in Mission
Churches in Mission is planning the program’s next phase for providing lifelong learning to current pastors and ministry leaders.
Nurturing Children with Disabilities (NCD)
This unique program will engage congregations in training to help them better support children who may have difficulty participating in church life. NCD, which will launch this fall, is actively recruiting up to eight churches in the greater Grand Rapids area.Visit wtsem.info/cdm to learn more.
Compelling Preaching Initiative
WTS received a Compelling Preaching grant designed to support pastors and ministry leaders who teach and preach. This program, which is anticipated to launch in 2025, is a partnership between WTS, Hope College, and Pillar Church in Holland, MI.
ALUMLINE NEWS
Charles Johnson ‘57 and his wife, Donna, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 12, 2023.
Earl Laman ‘57 and his wife, Charlotte, celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary in 2023.
Wendell Karsen ‘63 published his latest book, Bishop K. H. Ting and the Church’s Struggle for Survival in Communist China, via Kindle Publications. The book is available on Amazon.
Gerald Bates ‘64 and his wife, Marlene, served in Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as Free Methodist Missionaries for 30 years. During their first furlough, Gerald earned a master’s degree from Western Theological Seminary. Gerald shared that his time at WTS has had an enduring impact on his life and service. He served as a Free Methodist Bishop of North America for 14 years. Upon his retirement, Gerald joined with African leadership to establish Hope Africa University in Burundi. He and Marlene continue to serve as active members of the Friends of Hope Africa University Board.
Charles Stickley ‘64 served Eastlawn Reformed Church in Muskegon, MI, for 19 years after ordination. He served Hurley Reformed Church in Hurley, NY, for 33 years until his retirement at 70. Since his retirement, Charles has served five area churches as a pulpit supply or interim pastor. He is now serving the United Reformed Church in Bloomington, NY, and enjoying “retirement” with his wife Esther and their family. He will celebrate his 88th birthday in August.
Rowland Van Es, Sr. ‘64 and his wife, Judy, reflect on their many happy memories of life in the Philippines (1975-1997) at Silliman University Divinity School and University and Tainan Theological Seminary in Taiwan (1965-1973) and (1997-2005). After Rowland retired from Tainan Theological Seminary as Professor of Biblical Studies, Old Testament, in 2005, they moved to Green Valley, AZ. Rowland and Judy occasionally visit family and friends in Kansas, Michigan, and Africa. They have been heavily involved with Green Valley Samaritans for 19 years, where their work has led them to help search for stranded migrants in the Sonoran Desert.
Stan Hagemeyer ‘65 has taken up writing fiction. In addition to short stories, he is currently editing a four-hundred-page historical novel relating the adventures of his grandparents from 1900 to their 50th anniversary in 1950. Stan realized he was the sole living member of his generation, and since he knew this special couple well, he decided to record their story for the rest of the family. He shares that the Ludington Writers Club is a source of friendly critique and encouragement for him. Stan is also finishing a lengthy romance novel, written primarily for his wife, Mary Ann, to whom he reads each chapter when completed.
Curry Pikkaart ‘74 continues to write, preach, and minister through Pastor Curry Ministries. He currently serves part-time on the staff of Hope Church in Kalamazoo, MI.
Raymond Tilstra ‘74 and his wife, Ginny, are now fully retired after concluding their ministries as the Illinois classis leader and as a pastoral care staff person. They live close to their son and his family in DeKalb, IL. Their daughter and her husband live at Lake of the Ozarks and have two married children. They also have four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ginny’s mother recently passed, and Ray’s mother resides in an assisted living facility. Although they have both experienced health issues, they feel God has blessed them tremendously. They serve in various capacities at their church in DeKalb and enjoy the worship, community, and growth that is taking place in the church.
Phyllis Palsma ‘78 and Nolan Palsma ‘81 retired from ministry in April 2023. Phyllis served in ministry for 45 years (44 as an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament), and Nolan served for 43 years. Most recently, Phyllis was the Director of Pastoral Care at Christian Health in Wyckoff & Wayne, NJ, and Nolan was the Senior Minister of Upper Ridgewood Community Church in Ridgewood, NJ. They moved to Liverpool, NY, and are enjoying time with their grandchildren.
Samuel Laswell ‘94 and his wife, Judy, are enjoying good health in the 18th year of his retirement from full-time ministry and will soon celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary. Samuel is serving as a pulpit supply minister for a church in transition, and they are small group leaders at Dearborn Christian Fellowship. They have two sons, Thomas and David. His “avocational interests” include genealogy and restoring a 1987 Toyota pickup.
Robert Rook ‘94 and his wife, Holli, are in their seventh year of ministry at First Reformed Church in Oostburg, WI. They have been blessed with three children and four grandchildren and praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
Wendy Greenwood Van Tassell ‘94 and her husband, Tom Van Tassell, retired in June 2020. For 23 years, they co-pastored First Congregational Church of Spencer, IA. Wendy now serves as a cohort mentor for students in the Lay Ministry Training Program of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.
Reginald Smith ‘04 has been board president of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association for 28 years. Crain’s Grand Rapids Business interviewed him for the major building projects that have transformed the “Ellis Island of Grand Rapids” into a thriving, diverse community. The article can be found by visiting crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate.
Randy Vander Weit ‘04 began a new position as West Michigan Youth for Christ’s City Life Director in Muskegon. Before accepting this position, he was the Director of Extended Programs at the Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore.
Brett VanderBerg ‘19 accepted a call in 2023 to be the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Peace Church in Eagan, MN.
Peter Wilkinson ‘23 was installed as a pastor at Oakview Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI on February 25, 2024.
ON TO GLORY
Dean K. Veltman ‘54
b. Nov. 13, 1927 Winterset, IA
d. April 27, 2023 Penney Farms, FL
Hope College; WTS ‘54
Service: Winterset United Presbyterian Church, career chaplain for the United States Navy and Marines
Kenneth VanWyk ‘55
b. 1927
d. Dec. 26, 2023 Boise, ID WTS ‘55
Thomas Keizer ‘58
b. March 27, 1933
d. Jan. 11, 2024 Grand Rapids, MI
Hope College; WTS ‘58
Service: Minister of Word and Sacrament for 40 years in the PC(USA) at churches in Madison, WI; Cadillac, MI; Benton Harbor, MI; Cascade, MI. Thomas also served as interim pastor in Princeton, WV and Port Charlotte, FL
Peter Mondeel ‘58
b. May 18, 1933 Hollandale, MN
d. May 5, 2024 Lexington, SC
Central College; WTS ‘58
Service: Served churches in Hammond, IN; Los Angeles, CA; founding pastor of a church in Riverside, CA. After 20 years in the ministry, Peter served as a marriage and family counselor and as a chaplain in retirement.
Service: Served churches in New York City, NY; Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Calvary Reformed Church, Oak Forest, IL
Ralph Ludwick ‘64
b. June 22, 1930 Rockford, MI
d. April 28, 2022 Kentwood, MI
WTS ‘64
Service: US Army, pastor for churches in New Berlin, WI; Forreston, IL; Sarasota, FL; Wyoming, MI; Grand Rapids, MI. Ralph was the first Protestant chaplain in the ICU and Emergency Departments of St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI
Moody Boon-Wan Yap ‘67
b. Feb. 23, 1930 Kulangsu, Fukien, China
d. Oct. 12, 2023
University Baguio ‘64; WTS ‘67; North Baptist Seminary ‘77 Service: Chinese Bible Church, Detroit, MI (1967-1970); Classis of Lake Erie Reformed Church (1971-1977); Christ Community Church, Farmington Hills, MI (1978-1980); Christ Church of the Bay Area, San Mateo, CA (1981-2023); various roles in the Reformed Church in America (1986-2023)
Carl John Folkert ‘77
b. Jan. 4, 1952
d. Jan. 5, 2024
Hope College; WTS ‘77
Service: Minister in the Reformed Church of America for 25 years by serving Spring Valley Reformed Church in Fulton, IL and Covenant Community Church in Hudsonville, MI
Joseph Policoro ‘82
b. April 11, 1954 Morristown, NJ
d. Jan. 20, 2024 Westminster, CO
Hope College ‘77; WTS ‘82
Service: First Reformed Church, Edgerton, MN; churches in Bangor, MI (1983-85), Stanton, MI (198688), and Trinity Church in Northport, MI (1988-1996)
Keith Titus ‘97
b. Aug. 2, 1939 Cheboygan, MI
d. Sept. 18, 2022 Alpena, MI
CMU; WTS ‘97
Service: Christ Community Church
Eric Lee Nichols ‘18
b. March 16, 1965
d. Nov. 13, 2023 Detroit, MI
WTS ‘18
Norman J. Kansfield ‘65
b. March 24, 1940 East Chicago, IN d. Jan. 27, 2024 Grand Rapids, MI
Hope College ‘62; WTS ‘65; Union Theological Seminary ‘67; University of Chicago ‘70 and ‘81
Service: Second Reformed Church in Astoria, NY; Western Theological Seminary; Colgate Rochester Divinity School and Crozer Theological Seminary, Rochester, NY; St. Bernard’s Institute. Kansfield served as the tenth president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary and a General Synod Professor of the Reformed Church in America. After his presidency, Kansfield taught Reformed Theology at Drew University in Madison, NJ and served as theologian in residence at Zion United Church of Christ in Stroudsburg, PA.
Dr. Matthew Floding D.Min. ‘96 passed onto glory on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Dr. Floding faithfully served Western Theological Seminary as the Dean of Students and Director of Formation for Ministry. Prior to serving at Western, he spent 20 years in various ministerial roles, including as a youth pastor, pastor, and chaplain at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA.
Floding was active in the Reformed Church in America at the denominational, regional synod, and classis levels. In 2011, he completed a two-year term as chair of the steering committee of the Association of Theological Field Educators. After serving at Western, Flooding went on to become the Director of Ministerial Formation at Duke Divinity School. He is a former chair of the Association for Theological Field Education and the editor of Welcome to Theological Field Education
Dr. Floding earned a B.A. from Bethel University, an M.A. from Wheaton College, an M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Western Theological Seminary. He is survived by his wife, Marcia, and their three children.
