The
COMMONS WINTER 2023
A PUBLICATION OF WESTERN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
VOLUME 26, NO. 2
In this issue...
3 5 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, Tamara Buikema, and the many contributing authors in this issue.
Stay Connected! @westernsem @westerntheologicalseminary westernsem.edu 1
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Cultivating Community
An excerpt from the inaugural lecture of Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst as the Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity
An Enduring Impact
WTS honors Jill English, former Director of Admissions, as she steps into a new call in ministry
New Interim Director Leads the Hispanic Ministry Program
The Hispanic Ministry Program welcomes Dr. Alberto La Rosa Rojas as interim director
Hebrew for Regular People
The authors of the 8-week congregational curriculum, Hebrew for Regular People, share how the guide brings the WTS Hebrew program to church congregations and wider communities
Alumni Spotlights
See the many contexts in which WTS alumni serve and hear how their education has prepared them for ministry
Symposium on Disability and Ministry
The Center for Disability and Ministry hosts its second-annual Symposium on Disability and Ministry in the summer of 2023
The Faith and Illness Initiative
The Girod Chair launches the Faith and Illness Initiative and hosts an inaugural gathering with two public events
From Hands Out to Hands Together
Churches in Mission Director Hannah Stevens shares a remarkable story from a cohort member in Flint, MI
Semester Highlights
Highlights from key events throughout the fall 2023 semester
2022-2023 Impact Report
Impact report on the 2022-2023 year and a letter from the Director of Development Andy Bast
Dear Friends, I am so thankful for your generous support and faithful partnership with Western Theological Seminary. Because of you, students are receiving sound theological education and practical ministry training. Because of you, pastors and ministry leaders graduate from WTS every year ready to serve the church wherever God leads them. Because of you, churches are growing and thriving through the work of our alumni. Without you, none of this would be possible. I mean it with all my heart when I say I am so thankful for you. We hear many statistics today about the decline of the church. In this post-pandemic era, fewer people are attending church. Even fewer are choosing to pursue a seminary education. In light of that, I am pleased to share that Western Theological Seminary remains unmoved in its mission to form women and men for faithful Christian ministry and leadership. Just as we have over the past few years, we continue to buck the trend. This fall, we enrolled 424 students across all degree programs, which is the second-highest enrollment year at the seminary. We are also on track to launch a new degree program, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, in the fall of 2024. Our vision is to graduate humble and hopeful counselors who will be trained and formed in a distinctively Christian approach. This degree will also better equip our pastors to respond to the mental health crisis in our country today. We can choose to get discouraged about the state of the church in the United States, or we can choose to remember the words of Jesus: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” At Western, we refuse to be discouraged. Instead, we are committed to raising workers for the harvest. Thank you for your partnership in the gospel!
Blessings,
FELIX THEONUGRAHA, PH.D. President
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cultivating community:
SPACE FOR LIFE IN A DISINTEGRATING WORLD The following is an excerpt from the installation lecture of Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst as the Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity. To watch a recording of the full lecture, visit: wtsem.info/cultivatingcommunity.
Things Fall Apart. This is the title of Chinua Achebe’s 1958 novel that portrays the complicated arrival of white Christian missionaries among the Igbo people of Nigeria. The phrase very aptly describes our world today. What with the global rise of authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, the climate crisis, the build-up of radical parties on the left and the right, wars in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as ideological polarization and political gridlock in this country, we might appropriately assess that things are clearly falling apart in our world.
Space for Life
From the beginning and throughout history, our creator God has been opening space for life, space for life in community. Created by community, humankind was marked for life in community, communion with God, others, and the rest of creation, of which it is only a part. We know how the story continues–mistrust, disobedience, accusations, murder, and violence escalated to the
Dr. Felix Theonugraha, James Padilla DeBorst, Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Dr. Kristen Deede Johnson
extreme. Things fell apart, not once but many times. However, God never gave up on humanity. God initiated covenant after covenant, seeking always to open space for life. In the utmost expression of covenantal commitment, God became a simple manual laborer in an oppressed corner of the Roman Empire. Jesus brought life to the oppressed by preaching, teaching, healing, befriending, and generating a community composed of the most unlikely assortment of women and men. Through his life, death, resurrection, and eternal rule, Jesus Christ re-established the disintegrated bonds between humanity and its creator and made human community possible again.
Cultivating community
What then about us, here, now? We cannot simply look on impassively as our world disintegrates. What is our calling as followers of the way, the truth, and the life? What does it look like to open space for life in our current reality? I propose that as beings created by community and for community, we are gifted by God and compelled by God’s Spirit to cultivate community. And Spirit-led community will, in turn, cultivate us. The gifts of the spirit are granted to God’s people for the building up, oikodome, of the community.
about dr. ruth padilla deborst
In addition to her role at WTS, Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst serves with the Comunidad de Estudios Teológicos Interdisciplinarios (CETI), a learning community with students across Latin America and the Networking Team of International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation (INFEMIT). Dr. Padilla DeBorst has written numerous articles and chapters on the topics of social and ecological justice. As a narrative theologian, she seeks to creatively bring together the Word and World for the integral witness of the Good News in diverse contexts. She and her husband, James, live part-time in Costa Rica. 3
NEWS TO CONNECT
“As beings created by community and for community, we are gifted by God and compelled by God’s Spirit to cultivate community. And Spirit-led community will, in turn, cultivate us.”
Richard C. Oudersluys, endearingly named by the WTS community as ‘Dr. O,’ said “Oikodome is a community task, something that should take place wherever that community exists and whenever that community exercises itself in witness and worship.”1 And how does this mutual edification take place? Through encouragement and consolation, through the word of God’s grace “in conversation, meditation, proclamation, and study,” through truth-telling, and the use of the many gifts of the spirit. “There isn’t a Christian congregation that does not need desperately the spiritual gifts of every one of its members. Even the simplest, most unpretentious gift is needed and, when exercised, it does free up others to exercise their gifts.”2
Casa Adobe
Casa Adobe is located in working-class Santa Rosa de Santo Domingo, Heredia, Costa Rica. In this intentional– or some would say accidental–Christian community, people of diverse backgrounds, including refugees, share daily life. Seeking to not only go to church but to be the church, we begin our days with morning prayer and end them with community meals. Worship and witness mark 1 Ibid, (215) 2 Ibid, (217)
Dr. Padilla DeBorst speaking at the installation
the pattern of our lives. We share dirty dishes and divvy up chores, recycle grey waters and garden intensely, enjoy music nights and a variety of celebrations, contribute to a common pot for all living expenses, and include diverse people in our Sunday afternoon Biblical reflections. Our conviviality as creatures of the community of love is constantly under threat. Space for life–life for all–is not a given in our disintegrating world. As Casa Adobe, by no means do we uphold ourselves as a model. We depend entirely on the breath of God’s Spirit, who inspires and sustains us. As we surrender to the work of the Spirit, we are being fashioned into a witnessing community attentive to the cries of the earth and the people and willing to step into the necessary change. Is there a way forward? Left to our own devices, the answer is a rotund no. However, there is good news: Creator God has not abandoned Creation but instead continues opening space for life and empowering people through the Spirit to choose life by cultivating communities in which all are welcome. And because of God’s persistent love, Christ’s reconciling work, and the gifting and empowering of the Spirit, faithful communities can embody alternative social, political, ecological, and moral ways of life and together become God’s dwelling place and witnesses of God’s good purposes until Christ returns.3 May it be so! 3 Ephesians 2:19–22
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AN ENDURING IMPACT Director of Admissions, Jill English, steps into a new call in ministry By Krista Greendyke, Carol Ann Bailey, and Rayetta Perez In the summer of 2023, Jill English, Director of Admissions, bid a fond farewell to Western Theological Seminary after 17 years of service. Jill’s work left an indelible mark on the seminary and all who had the privilege of working with her.
growth at wts
Jill knew admissions well: she joined the WTS staff in 2005 as an Administrative Assistant and steadily progressed to Admissions Associate and Associate Director. Her decadelong perspective and deep well of experience were foundational to her appointment to Director in 2017. As a symbol of her commitment to the seminary and theological education, Jill pursued and
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completed her Master of Arts degree at WTS in 2016. Colleague Carol Ann Bailey describes Jill as “not your average admissions director. She was an innovative, thoughtful leader who possessed an intimate understanding of every facet of the admissions process.”
faithful leadership
One of Jill’s standout qualities was her unwavering care for people. She called it a privilege to walk alongside prospective students as they discerned their call to ministry. President Felix Theonugraha shares, “Jill blessed every student who walked through the seminary’s doors and entered our programs with care,
NEWS TO CONNECT
encouragement, and prayers. Her strategic thinking and innovative spirit allowed us not only to survive but also grow during the pandemic.” Admissions colleague Krista Greendyke praised Jill’s gift for writing, which she used to care well for students. “The emails she crafted were informative and filled with encouragement, knowledge, and thought-provoking questions that made each individual feel special,” Krista recalled. “Jill’s words continue to inspire and guide me.” Her legacy of dedication and inspiration will continue to shape the admissions department and the seminary for years to come. Although she is no longer beside us in chapel services or meetings, we continue to ask, “How would Jill say this?” as we strive to emulate her wisdom, care, and grace.
Her competence, care, and dedication to the seminary, the church, and our students were evident every day,” noted Rayetta Perez. “She is a blessing–a faithful friend and colleague.”
turning the page
With a commitment to lifelong learning and following God’s call, Jill stepped away from admissions work at WTS to pursue chaplaincy training at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, MI. We’re delighted she is beginning a new chapter with many years of WTS in her heart!
“Jill blessed every student who walked through the seminary’s doors and entered our programs with care, encouragement, and prayers.” Felix Theonugraha, Ph.D. President
“Jill’s genuine faith guides her life–every conversation, prayer, and commitment.
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NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE
HISPANIC MINISTRY PROGRAM In July, Dr. Alberto La Rosa Rojas began his role as Interim Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program in addition to serving as Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics.
how do you view your vocation as a professor and interim director?
I view my vocation at WTS as a theologian, instructor, and now interim director, as equipping Christian leaders for the work that God has called them to in the church and the world. I seek to come alongside them and listen to them to ensure that we are answering their questions, addressing their needs, and not just answering questions that no one is asking or addressing. There’s another aspect to this vocation: I feel that I’ve been called to pass down this great tradition of the Christian faith with its many voices across the centuries and the world. Not just the Christian faith but particularly the Reformed tradition, which has been deeply formative for me. The Hispanic community is a growing number of people in the church, yet they historically have not had the privilege of attending graduate-level education. I feel a particular calling to these people to do theology in Spanish and bilingually to raise up the voices of our people from the past and pass on those traditions.
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how have your experiences shaped your calling?
I am a first-generation immigrant to the United States. I emigrated from Peru with my parents when I was 10 years old. When my family and I arrived in the United States, we started attending a Christian Missionary Alliance church, where my faith began to form. I went to Trinity Christian College, which is a school affiliated with the Reformed tradition, and finally to Western Theological Seminary, where I followed my calling into ministry in the RCA. Throughout that time, I was bothered by, and at times pushed down, one question: Why and how does home matter as a Christian? What is the importance of home? As an immigrant, I experienced the deep loss of my home in Peru. And while, at times, I was welcomed and loved here in the United States by the communities and the churches in which I found myself, the Reformed tradition, in particular, became a home for me. This is a huge part of my story. Nevertheless, I always felt a deep sense of not being fully at home in the world. And so, as I neared the end of my time as a student at WTS, that was the question I brought to my doctoral work at Duke University. From a theological and biblical perspective, I wanted to understand two questions: What is home? Why does home matter? And so I wrote my dissertation on a theology of home and how God forms us through the places and communities we’re in, though they are not as they ought to be, as they will be one day.
NEWS TO CONNECT
“I feel like what I’m called to do here is to think through and implement how WTS can provide a sense of belonging for students from many different places–particularly first, second, and third-generation Hispanic immigrants.” I find this to dovetail really well with my work as Interim Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program because, in many ways, I feel like what I’m called to do here is to think through and implement how WTS can provide a sense of belonging for students from many different places–particularly first, second, and third-generation Hispanic immigrants. And again, not just for Latinos and Latinas, but how our seminary community can be a place where we all share life together.
what is your hope for the hispanic ministry program at wts?
My hope for the Hispanic Ministry Program is that it continues to be a place for second-and third-generation Latinos and Latinas to explore who they are, their personal and cultural identities, and the particular vocations that God has given them in the world. Additionally, I hope we will continue to grow partnerships throughout Latin America, so we can partner with Bible institutes, seminaries, and theological institutes in Latin America to provide much-needed theological education. Finally, my hope is that the Hispanic Ministry Program will continue to be a source of wisdom and insight for the Reformed Church in America and other denominations that interact with Western Theological Seminary.
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about dr. alberto la rosa rojas
Dr. Alberto La Rosa Rojas was born and raised in the port city of Callao, Peru, where he learned to love soccer, salsa, and Peruvian ceviche. His experience as an immigrant informs and fuels his research which explores the meaning and importance of migration and home for the Christian life. Dr. La Rosa Rojas received his Th.D. in Theology and Ethics from Duke University (2022) with a dissertation titled “God’s Journey Home: Toward a Theology of Migration and Home from the Americas.” He has taught courses in the United States, El Salvador, and Peru. He has also written a number of book reviews and book chapters, including “A Migrant at the Lord’s Table: A Reformed Theology of Home,” included in Reformed Public Theology: A Global Vision for Life in the World.
Dr. La Rosa Rojas serves as the Interim Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program at WTS, as co-convener of the Latino/a Working Group for the Society of Christian Ethics, and a licensed candidate for ordination in the Reformed Church in America, Holland Classis.
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HEBREW FOR
REGULAR PEOPLE By Dr. Travis West, Associate Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament and Hannah Stevens, Director for Churches in Mission The Hebrew program at Western Theological Seminary is built on a creative and playful classroom environment. With humor, music, and stuffed animals, professors invite students to experience the wisdom of the Hebrew scriptures with their whole body. Many students are surprised to experience joy and laughter as they study an ancient language. More significantly, students frequently experience deep spiritual formation in the process. When WTS graduate Hannah Stevens studied Hebrew in 2015, she discovered gratitude for the ancient people of Israel, the texts they preserved, and the God who continues to be revealed through them. She believed that a layperson’s faith and love of scripture would benefit from this study and wanted to bring the class to church. Dr. Travis West, Associate Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, and Dr. Pam Bush, Hebrew instructor, had often longed for the same opportunity. Together, the idea for Hebrew for Regular People began to take shape, and, in the fall of 2022, it finally came to realization. Hebrew for Regular People is an 8-week congregational curriculum, printed in both facilitator and participant guides, which are accompanied by original artwork by Mariah West and audio/ visual files to teach lessons and songs. The curriculum features three songs in Hebrew, including a modified version of Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–5). The course also introduces enacting as an interpretive tool, building a Sabbath practice, engaging prayer and silence, and using twelve key Hebrew words in the Hebrew scriptures. The class is written with the same emphasis on humor, embodiment, and play as the Hebrew program at WTS. Our hope is that “regular” people can experience the gift and deep formation that can come from engaging scripture in this way.
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RESOURCES TO EQUIP
For example, Psalm 37:5 is a verse included in Hebrew for Regular People. The following excerpt has been revised from the curriculum to give you a taste of what it offers. Gol is the name of a song based on the text of Psalm 37:5. It is often translated in the following ways:
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” (NIV) “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” (NKJ) “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” (NRSV) What is this verse telling us to do? What does it look like, practically speaking, to “commit your way to the Lord”? If you pause to consider this, it sounds like we are the primary actors involved. It’s about us and our commitment. In challenging, life-altering seasons, it might be natural to put immense pressure on ourselves to work hard and really commit our way to the Lord. Conversely, if (or when) the difficult season persists, it might be natural to assume that it was our fault. Those natural actions might be prompted by our understanding of the word “commit.” The action of committing is difficult to picture, and even more difficult to do. In English translation, it’s easy for us to let the first part of the verse—what we need to do—overshadow the second part of the verse that points to God’s action. Now consider a more literal translation of the Hebrew:
“Roll your path onto the Lord; trust upon him and he will do it.” The Hebrew image of “rolling your path” is concrete and evocative. Imagine unrolling a yoga mat or a red carpet. Additionally, the image focuses on God’s action, since God holds the path that is our life—we roll our path onto the Lord.
The second half of the verse reinforces the image. We don’t trust “in” the Lord. The Hebrew preposition is best translated as “upon.” The only way to trust “upon” a path is to walk on it. The life of discipleship looks like walking on the path of our lives. The psalm suggests that trust is inherent to the act of living. It also promises that our trust is not misplaced: “The Lord will do it!” The Hebrew image emphasizes God’s action, though we still have a role to play. We roll and walk, but the Lord holds us up. In the Old Testament, discipleship is tangible and active, not abstract and intellectual. God does the heavy lifting—literally! The Hebrew for Regular People curriculum translates the hope we have for our students—that they will encounter God through the language, culture, and practices of the Hebrew Bible—into accessible, real-life opportunities to learn and to inspire the faith of “regular” people, like you! To find a copy of Hebrew for Regular People, scan the QR code.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS For many years, Western Theological Seminary alumni have served in diverse contexts. Our graduates serve in rural congregations, inner-city ministries, suburban multi-site churches, as missionaries in the U.S. and abroad, in classrooms, and as nonprofit leaders. They come from and serve various denominational and non-denominational settings. Quite simply, WTS graduates serve the Church. As WTS enters a new chapter in our history, we believe God is calling us to continue working alongside our historic partner and founder, the Reformed Church in America, while also expanding our student body and partnership to those who come from and serve new and different denominations, networks, and ministries. Today, we are an independent seminary. We are proud to be an officially related institution of the RCA. And we have new partnerships with the Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Kingdom Network. We hope to grow partnerships with other networks and denominations going forward. This is a “both-and,” not an “either-or” situation!
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Fundamentally, we strive to be a place that attracts and sends students who are serious about their call to ministry, drawn to our theological and formational commitments, and called to the work (and grace!) it takes to follow this call no matter their church home. We could highlight hundreds of incredible alumni serving in diverse contexts, but for now, I’d like to celebrate several that represent some of the churches in the different networks and denominations where our alumni serve. Would you join me in praying for each of these leaders and the thousands of WTS alumni faithfully serving Christ’s church?
Andy Bast Director of Development
STORIES TO INSPIRE
Daniel Stidham M.Div. ’19
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? In 2018, I joined a revitalization/re-plant effort of Calvin CRC in partnership with Calvary Church of Orland Park (RCA). In 2019, we closed Calvin CRC and reopened as Calvary Church of Oak Lawn with dual affiliation in the RCA and CRC.
“It’s encouraging to hear that WTS seeks to be a Reformed institution embracing how diverse the Reformed world has become over the last 500 years and how they continue to bring in strong faculty to inspire students!”
Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? I currently serve as the Oak Lawn Pastor and Minister of Word and Sacrament of Calvary Church of Oak Lawn, which has dual affiliation membership in the CRC and the Kingdom Network. I have also served in various roles in our New Thing Classis within the RCA, the Kingdom Network, and within the Classis Chicago South of the CRC.
Dennae Pierre D.Min. ‘21
“While at WTS, I was blessed by the relational care and direction I received from my professors. I was deeply challenged and shaped by the reading materials and community-centered campus. But, beyond all, I am grateful for the cohort of believers among whom I grew and fostered life-long friendships.”
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What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? I lead the Surge Network in Arizona, a movement of local churches and ministries committed to displaying Jesus in our city. Surge curates tools to equip missional congregations, builds multidenominational and multiethnic relational networks, and works to activate the laity in our city. Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? In addition to my work with the Surge Network, I have also worked in leadership with City to City, the Crete Collective, and Roosevelt Community Church.
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Joshua Scheid M.Div. ’13
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? In a few months, I will celebrate ten years of serving in my first call at Massapequa Reformed Church in Massapequa, NY!
“I was so refreshed after attending the inaugural Doxology gathering last year at the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination. I’m so grateful that WTS provides space for the intentional formation of servant leaders for Christ’s Church–in the RCA and beyond.”
Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? In addition to my primary ministry at Massapequa Reformed Church, I am the stated clerk of Nassau-Suffolk Classis, and after a six-year term serving on the Commission on Church Order (three years as moderator), I was elected to be the Vice President of the RCA’s General Synod this past June. For the past few years, I also wrote weekly Bible commentary for The Sunday School Guide, although I just stepped back from that in light of my new roles as Vice President and as a dad (times three!).
Cody Raak M.Div. ’14
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? Since graduating, I have served as a Pastor at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Springfield, South Dakota.
“I’m enrolled in a Doctor of Ministry cohort at WTS. The Alliance of Reformed Churches is developing an ordination pathway that requires all pastors to continue learning. I’m excited to see how WTS courses could become a forum for pastors actively serving churches, training together, and encouraging one other in their callings.”
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Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? In addition to my main focus as pastor, I also serve on the administrative team for Midwest Network (formerly Dakota Classis). I also lead our community youth group and serve as chaplain for the volunteer fire department.
STORIES TO INSPIRE
Rudy Rubio M.Div. ’19
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? Since graduating from WTS, I have been serving as a church planter.
“I appreciated Dr. Chuck DeGroat’s focus on caring for ourselves and Dr. Sue Rozeboom’s teaching on the sacraments!”
Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? I serve as the pastor of the Reformed Church of Los Angeles, CA, which is not currently affiliated with a denomination or network.
Judy Nelson M.Div. ‘14
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? I have served as a chaplain at Tyson Foods in Zeeland, MI, for eight years, as well as in two smaller Chaplain agencies.
“What excites me about WTS is the commitment to prepare women and men for Christian ministry in the church and in an ever-changing world.”
Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? In addition to serving as a chaplain, I’ve developed a curriculum for clergy desiring to enter chaplaincy. I’ve also served as an officer in the Holland Classis, the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes, and am presently serving as the RCA’s General Synod President.
Eliú Martínez GCPM ‘22
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? Since graduating from WTS, I was ordained and now serve as a pastor for the Latin Pentecostal Church of God.
“The classes I took at WTS helped me expand my theological knowledge to continue sharing the word of God in my ecclesiastical environment.”
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What excites you about WTS now? I am currently working on my Master of Arts degree here at WTS!
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Alex Arthurs
M.Div., GCDM ‘19 What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? I spent four years in Gladstone, NJ, serving Peapack Reformed Church as a pastor. In January 2023, I accepted a call from Calvary CRC in Holland, MI, to become their next Pastor of Preaching and Discipleship. I’ve spent the past several months happily serving Calvary, where I did my teaching church internship at WTS!
“The formation classes at WTS were vital in helping me understand my pastoral identity, giftedness, and calling. I use so much of what I learned in Dr. Ron Rienstra’s preaching classes in my role as a pastor!”
What excites you about WTS now? I’m so excited about Western’s commitment to forming men and women to be healthy, selfless, Spirit-empowered leaders in Jesus’ church.
Jonathan Ytterock M.Div. ’13, D.Min. ‘22
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? I desire to see congregations grow in their life of fellowship and witness as they are rooted in the hope of Christ’s ministry.
“The centrality of Word and Sacrament, how our worship shapes us to live our theology, and the importance of interiorizing the Word have all continued shaping convictions in my formation as a pastor.”
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Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? In 2021, I accepted a call to serve Timnath Presbyterian Church in Timnath, CO, as their pastor. This congregation is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and part of the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks. I also serve on the Committee for Church Order for the Presbytery and as a board member for Together for Timnath.
STORIES TO INSPIRE
Barbara Yandell D.Min. ’19
“During my time at WTS, my colleagues’ encouragement and even different perspectives from professors helped form me for ministry.”
What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? Since graduating, I have trained and mobilized Christian leaders, churches, students, and missionaries in cross-cultural missions and evangelism.
GENEROUSLY REFORMED Over the past 30 years, our growth has allowed us to equip women and men from many denominations and networks. Below are some of the networks and denominations represented by our alumni in this article.
Where and in what capacity do you currently serve? I serve as Global Alliance Missions Mobilizer, President of Hope for the Nations, and Coordinator of Perspectives and Engage courses.
Mike Van Rees M.Div. ’96
“I am grateful for how WTS shaped me for lifelong ministry. Dr. Tom Boogaart opened my eyes to the wonders of the Old Testament. Dr. Tim Brown inspired me to communicate Scripture with passion and truth. Dr. Dennis Voskuil modeled how to lead and navigate organizational change in a God-honoring way. Dr. Rob Link showed me the value of friendship. These relationships continue to feed my soul 25 years later.”
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What has been your calling or pastorate since graduating? After graduating from WTS, I accepted a position at Meredith Drive Reformed Church in Des Moines, IA. A year later, I started a church alongside 25 others called The Ridge in Ankeny, IA. I’ve been serving as the Lead Pastor of The Ridge, a member of The Sending Network, for the past 25 years.
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From left to right: Jody Michele, Andrew T. Draper, Dr. L. S. Carlos Thompson, Andrea Mae
2023 SYMPOSIUM ON
DISABILITY AND MINISTRY By Dr. Ben Conner Professor of Practical Theology Director of the Center for Disability and Ministry The past months have been packed as students returned to campus and another semester began. Just before their arrival was this year’s Center for Disability and Ministry Summer Symposium. Held annually on the campus of Western Theological Seminary, the Symposium is a vital platform for pastors and ministry leaders to engage in the critical discourse surrounding disability and ministry. In 2023, the Symposium was co-hosted by the Western Theological Seminary’s Center for Disability and Ministry and the Collegeville Institute. The Universal Design in Learning (UDL) concept oriented the gathering.
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Our joint exploration occurred alongside our collective act of worship by centering inclusive practices that reflect the diversity within our community and in all creation. One of the event’s highlights, which has continued to spark conversation, was the vision and call to action for Christian communities shared by Jody Michele. Jody Michele is an author, licensed minister, disability advocate, and consultant in Indiana. She is a power wheelchair user whose cerebral palsy affects her speech in terms of pace and clarity, and she was a keynote speaker at this year’s Symposium.
NEWS TO CONNECT
At the Symposium, she presented insights from her new book, Disabling Leadership: A Practical Theology for the Broken Body of Christ, with her coauthors, Andrew T. Draper and Andrea Mae. Throughout her presentation, Jody invited attendees to enter “crip time.” “Crip,” a label most people are familiar with as a derogatory and offensive slang word, has been reclaimed by the disability community as an insider term: a badge of disability pride. “Crips” need not be ashamed of their impairments or embodiments. People with disabilities are expert life-hackers, navigating a world not designed for them. I verbalized the formal invitation, but Jody created the welcoming space for attendees. As Jody presented, Andrew knelt on the floor in front of her and repeated what she said–he didn’t interpret it; he repeated it. If it took several attempts for Andrew to understand Jody’s speech, that was fine–the process was not about efficiency, but faithfulness; there was no rush. Attendees were pushed beyond passive listening to a deep attending, active listening. Far from viewing disability in terms of deficit or liability, Jody and Andrew’s intimate familiarity with disability provided an essential embodied perspective that helped attendees, local pastors, ministry leaders, and practitioners to unsettle and defamiliarize theological concepts and practices of Christian leadership that
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Andrea Mae Jody Michele and Andrew T. Draper
have become accepted in a world that is organized to support them. Many of these concepts and practices are ableist and marginalizing to disabled people. The church has historically viewed people with disabilities as “targets” of ministry and teaching rather than as ministers and teachers. When Jody presented at the Summer Symposium, she taught about Christian leadership. However, how she taught raised questions like: What does it mean to have a voice? To have a voice is to exercise agency, power, and self-determination and to contribute. To find one’s voice is an exercise of vocation, belonging, and disruption. Which voices matter? How does our selection of voices to proclaim the truth, teach, and lead point to the kind of community we value? Which voices, in terms of eloquence, diction, and presentation, should be heard from the pulpit, in Sunday school, or in the seminary classroom?
Through Jody’s voice and invitation to embrace a transformative connection with time and embodiment, the church is presented with a profound opportunity to recognize the invaluable role of disabled individuals–their bodies, minds, and voices–in fulfilling the mission to bear witness to the rich tapestry of the kingdom of God. We sincerely hope that you will join hands with the WTS Center for Disability and Ministry as we work together to further advance the embodiment of kingdom values in the everyday life of the church, academy, and world. To watch a recording of the 2023 Symposium on Disability and Ministry, visit: wtsem.info/symposium-recordings
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While modern medicine has advanced in many areas, serious chronic illness is on the rise. For many, the gift of life continues amid affliction, including chronic pain, fatigue, and other forms of physical and mental distress.
For this reason, the Girod Chair launched the Faith and Illness Initiative (FII), a think tank-like set of gatherings with a lofty goal: to discover a theology of vocation and virtue for Christians living with chronic illness.
Most Christians rightly seek healing through prayer and medical interventions. We pray and long for a bodily cure. But what happens when illness persists?
During the inaugural September 2023 gathering, the Faith and Illness Initiative held two public events: Light in the Darkness: Discipleship and Witness for Christians with Chronic Mental Illness and A Long Obedience: Cultivating Christian Virtue in Long-Term Illness.
Christians today can often live within a narrow set of storylines about how God works in relation to illness. The chronically ill and their communities often assume God’s calling–to bear witness to God’s love–is paused while they are ill, that a life of discipleship can resume only once they are “healed.” Scripture and church history offer compelling visions of God’s ongoing calling and work. We need these pathways, which have been forgotten or obscured, to revitalize the modern Christian imagination.
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The Girod Chair and initiatives are made possible by the support of the David and Carol Van Andel Family Foundation in honor of Gordon H. Girod, long-time RCA pastor and father of Mrs. Van Andel. To watch a recording of the lectures or to learn more about the Faith and Illness Initiative, visit fii.westernsem.edu.
NEWS TO CONNECT
Light in the Darkness Panelists Dr. Elizabeth Pennock, Associate Professor of Counseling and Director of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Western Theological Seminary Dr. Kate Finley, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hope College Dr. Irene Kraegel, Director of the Center of Counseling and Wellness at Calvin University Dr. J. Todd Billings, Gordon H. Girod Research Professor of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary
Long Obedience Panelists Dr. Matthew Levering, James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology at University of Saint Mary of the Lake Dr. Peter Jaggard, M.D., NorthShore University Health System Dr. Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin University Rev. Wendy Haack, Healthcare Chaplain at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
WINTER 2023
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FROM HANDS OUT TO HANDS TOGETHER A Churches in Mission participant reflects on how simple changes can make a significant impact on a congregation and community. By Hannah Stevens Director for Churches in Mission
First Presbyterian Church of Flint, MI, a Churches in Mission cohort member, has been around for well over a hundred years. Their building is a historic part of the city of Flint, MI. The church’s congregation voted to stay downtown, even after most members had moved out to the suburbs. They believed God called them to care for the city of Flint. As a result, they have invested in programs and personnel costs to help people experiencing homelessness and returning citizens get identification documents and file paperwork for services. Congregation members have prepared and served breakfast out of the church’s kitchen to people in the neighborhood every Sunday for over three decades. In fact, it’s currently the only place in Flint where you can get a free hot breakfast on a Sunday morning. The congregation had much to brag about, and yet, they wondered what else God had in store for their neighborhood. In the beginning of 2021, the First Presbyterian Church of Flint assembled a team to engage the Churches in Mission process at Western Theological Seminary. They talked to people who lived and worked in their church’s neighborhood. They listened to congregation members and learned about local and historical demographics. They started to pay attention to the physical and relational distance between most of the congregation and the people who live and work in the neighborhood. The team noticed that while many of the congregation’s
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efforts focused on doing things for their Flint neighbors, there was rarely an opportunity to be with them. It turned out that people who lived and worked in their church’s neighborhood were open to reciprocal relationships with the congregation too. The Churches in Mission team helped launch a neighborhood coalition to bring residents, business owners, churches, and city officials into the conversation. They invited moms and kids living in a local shelter to use their spectacular kid’s space. They started hosting supervised visits between parents and their kids in foster care. Then, they decided to do something big: they changed worship. The team realized the schedule of their Sunday morning breakfast, which was served downstairs, followed by their
“The team noticed that while many of the congregation’s efforts focused on doing things for their Flint neighbors, there was rarely an opportunity to be with them.”
STORIES TO INSPIRE
worship service, which took place upstairs, contributed to the separation between the attendees. In theory, breakfast attendees could come upstairs to worship after breakfast, but this rarely happened. The team wondered if the congregation could be the ones to take the stairs. In the fall of 2022, they tried it. Leadership voted on a trial period of changing the education hour to take place downstairs, just after breakfast concluded. This allowed congregation members and breakfast attendees to gather around tables and study scripture together. After only a few weeks, there was energy about what was happening downstairs at First Presbyterian Church of Flint. Congregation members were learning from the wisdom and experiences of the church’s neighbors, relationships were slowly taking shape, and people from the congregation and neighborhood expressed surprise at how much they appreciated and were blessed by one another. The congregation continues to be curious about how best to invite their neighbors into deeper relationships. They continue to experiment with the adult education hour and pay attention to how breakfast attendees want to be in relationship with congregation members. Amid these changes, they have noticed more neighbors and congregation members greeting each other by name and have seen more hugs and high-fives than ever before.
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Most importantly, they are experiencing a playfulness and lighthearted camaraderie in interactions between traditional breakfast attendees and congregation members that hadn’t existed beforehand. Through these interactions, they are discovering the transformative power of being present with their neighbors.
About Churches in Mission
Churches in Mission collaborates with congregations who see and want to explore a social, economic, or physical change in their neighborhoods, and desire to know and listen to their neighbors, participate in acts of gratitude and story sharing, and are looking for new partners in ministry.
To learn more about Churches in Mission, scan the QR code or visit wtsem.info/cim.
The Churches in Mission project is made possible by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment.
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SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS
Over 200 attendees gathered for the second annual Doxology gathering hosted by the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination on October 2-4. Doxology participants engaged in workshops, worship, and conversations guided by Dr. Malcolm Guite, Sho Baraka, Dr. Gisela Kreglinger, and The Porter’s Gate.
We welcomed our new students to campus on August 25 for orientation! Students met with faculty, staff, and current students.
During the fall 2023 Abbey Retreat, students gathered on campus to explore practices of witnessing God’s actions in the world. They examined various forms of testimony—through narrative, art, service, and music— and how each bears witness in unique ways.
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NEWS TO CONNECT
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” ROMANS 12:2 WTS VERSE OF THE YEAR
Pastor Rich Villodas, author and pastor of a large, multiracial church in Elmhurst, Queens, NY, was the speaker for the 2023 Osterhaven Lecture Series in Theology. Rev. Villodas offered wisdom and insight around “Contemplative Rhythms for an Exhausted Culture” and “Becoming a Calm Presence in an Anxious World.”
The inaugural Great Lakes Theology Conference took place on November 2-3. Several undergraduate students and others considering seminary delivered papers on the topic of creation. We’re grateful to all who joined and presented at the conference!
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IMPACT REPORT
2022–2023 July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023
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IMPACT REPORT
Dear Friends, It’s been ten years already! In May 2013, I followed God’s call to serve as a member of the Western Theological Seminary development team. It has been a remarkable journey filled with remarkable stories. I’m grateful for the many ways you have partnered with us to support Western. So, in the spirit of celebrating a decade of our walk together, I thought you’d enjoy reading a few stories in this issue of The Commons that capture the spirit of WTS. I hope you are encouraged – you and your generous gifts are woven in every word! Throughout my years, the focus of our story has been clear: Western Theological Seminary exists for the sake of the church and the world. Our mission is to form women and men to lead the church by proclaiming and embodying our historic Christian faith with grace and conviction. All we do is for Christ’s church: to form well-equipped leaders for today and tomorrow. I am a supporter – just like you – because I want the church to thrive for my two teenage kids as they seek to follow Christ. Our shared desire for the church means we author this story together. One of my great joys is to meet with many of you. I was asked recently, “What would happen if no one gave this year?” That was a great question, with a devastating answer: WTS would have to drastically reduce faculty and staff – or triple tuition. In either case, it is clear that WTS cannot exist without you. You pray, recommend students, encourage us, and give faithfully and financially. I’m so grateful that you value deeply-formed, mature leaders for the sake of Christ’s church. Thank you! It is a joy to report that with your giving, WTS closed the books for fiscal year 2022-23 in a strong financial position. While operational giving was down compared to the prior year, the difference was due to unique one-time gifts that were not repeated. So far, 2023-24 results are up thanks to churches and households who have either resumed giving or made first-time gifts to support students, and many of you are stretching to increase your giving. We are so encouraged by these trends, and pray that, with your help, the momentum will continue. I am so grateful for your generosity. It is an incredible blessing and encouragement. You are part of our shared story–and we are in it together, for the sake of the church and the world. Yours sincerely,
ANDY BAST Director of Development WINTER 2023
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IMPACT REPORT 2022—2023 REVENUE Contributions
$3,130,465
28.0%
Investment Support
$2,614,543
23.0%
Tuition & Tuition Support
$2,490,061
22.0%
Grants Received
$1,341,740
12.0%
Auxiliary Enterprises
$968,533
9.0%
Gifts to the Endowment
$365,996
3.0%
RCA Assessments
$218,055
2.0%
Other
$95,920
1.0%
$11,225,313
100%
Educational Services
$5,809,718
52.9%
Management & General
$2,524,549
23.0%
Student Services
$1,020,467
9.3%
Fundraising
$957,493
8.7%
Auxiliary Enterprises
$680,016
6.2%
$10,992,243
100%
Operating Revenue and Support
EXPENSES
Total Expenses
LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS
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$41,196,062
$41,277,395
$40,902,573
$40,614,282
$46,502,422
$41,030,275
$43,145,868
A combination of endowments and other long-term investments
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023 IMPACT REPORT
JULY 1, 2022—JUNE 30, 2023 LAST FISCAL YEAR’S STUDENT COUNT
121 MASTER OF DIVINITY 61 MASTER OF ARTS 119 DOCTOR OF MINISTRY 115 GRADUATE CERTIFICATES 5 TH.M. STUDENTS 111 HISPANIC MINISTRY PROGRAM
433
Total student body fall 2022
$642,752
$1,847,309
Tuition support by donor funds
Tuition paid by students
SEMINARY FUND GIVING
$ 1,559,386
$1,732,000
$1,667,000
$2,114,000
$1,646,000
$1,543,000
$1,781,000
$1,910,000
$2,171,000
$2,165,000
$2,014,000
Operation gifts from alumni, churches, corporations, foundations, and individuals
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 WINTER 2023
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ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS YOU SUPPORTED IN 2022-2023,
ABBE REFORMED CHURCH Clymer, NY
CHURCH OF THE COMFORTER Kingston, NY
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
AMERICAN REFORMED CHURCH Hull, IA
CHURCH ON THE HILL Flushing, NY
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
AMERICAN REFORMED CHURCH Luverne, MN
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF HARRINGTON PARK Harrington Park, NJ
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
AMERICAN REFORMED CHURCH Orange City, IA
COMMUNITY REFORMED CHURCH Zeeland, MI
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
AMERICAN REFORMED CHURCH Worthington, MN
CONVERGE COMMUNITY Portage, MI
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
BETHANY REFORMED CHURCH Kalamazoo, MI
CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY CHURCH Chowchilla, CA
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Grandville, MI
BETHEL REFORMED CHURCH Lester, IA
CROSSROADS REFORMED CHURCH Overland Park, KS
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Lynden, WA
BETHEL REFORMED CHURCH Leota, MN
DAWSON MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH Birmingham, AL
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Melvin, IA
BETHEL REFORMED CHURCH Sterling, IL
DRAYTON REFORMED CHURCH Drayton, ON
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Oostburg, WI
BRONXVILLE REFORMED CHURCH Bronxville, NY
DUMONT REFORMED CHURCH Dumont, IA
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Rock Rapids, IA
CADILLAC CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Cadillac, MI
EBENEZER REFORMED CHURCH Morrison, IL
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH South Holland, IL
CALVARY REFORMED CHURCH Orland Park, IL
FAIR LAWN COMMUNITY CHURCH Fair Lawn, NJ
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Athens, NY
CARMEL REFORMED CHURCH Rock Valley, IA
FAITH CHURCH Dyer, IN
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH Waupun, WI
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH Sioux Falls, SD
FAITH REFORMED CHURCH Slate Hill, NY
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF SCOTIA Scotia, NY
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH Springfield, IL
FAMILY OF GOD COMMUNITY CHURCH Newaygo, MI
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF WICHERT Saint Anne, IL
CHANCELLOR REFORMED CHURCH Chancellor, SD
FELLOWSHIP REFORMED CHURCH Holland, MI
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Plymouth, MI
CHRIST ANGLICAN CHURCH Orange, VA
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Saugatuck, MI
FLATLANDS REFORMED CHURCH Brooklyn, NY
CHRIST MEMORIAL REFORMED CHURCH Holland, MI
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Grand Haven, MI
GROVE REFORMED CHURCH North Bergen, NJ
CHRIST’S FAMILY CHURCH Davenport, IA
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Nashville, TN
HAMILTON REFORMED CHURCH Hamilton, MI
CHRISTIAN CHURCH - DISCIPLES OF CHRIST Indianapolis, IN
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BONITA SPRINGS
HARBOR CHURCHES Hudsonville, MI
CHRISTIAN CHURCH DISCIPLES OF CHRIST Fullerton, CA CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY INC. Kissimmee, FL
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Bonita Springs, FL
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PETOSKEY
Petoskey, MI
Holland, MI
Oak Harbor, WA Orange City, IA
Buffalo Center, IA Edgerton, MN
HAVEN REFORMED CHURCH Kalamazoo, MI HOPE CHURCH Holland, MI
IMPACT REPORT
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING CHURCHES:
HOPE REFORMED CHURCH George, IA
PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH Wayne, NJ
VRIESLAND REFORMED CHURCH Zeeland, MI
HOPE REFORMED CHURCH Kalamazoo, MI
RARITAN REFORMED CHURCH Raritan, IL
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Grand Rapids, MI
HOPE REFORMED CHURCH Muskegon, MI
REFORMED CHURCH OF LINDEN Linden, NJ
WESTVIEW CHURCH Waukee, IA
HOPEWELL REFORMED CHURCH Hopewell Junction, NY
ROSE PARK REFORMED CHURCH Holland, MI
WESTWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH Omaha, NE
IMMANUEL REFORMED CHURCH Belmond, IA
ROSEWOOD REFORMED CHURCH Jenison, MI
WYCKOFF REFORMED CHURCH Wyckoff, NJ
JOHNSTOWN REFORMED CHURCH Johnstown, NY
SECOND REFORMED CHURCH Lennox, SD
ZION REFORMED CHURCH Amherst, SD
KOREAN NEW LIFE CHURCH Commerce Township, MI
SHALOM CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Sioux Falls, SD
ZION REFORMED CHURCH Sheffield, IA
LISHA’S KILL REFORMED CHURCH Schenectady, NY
SPRING VALLEY REFORMED CHURCH Fulton, IL
LONG ISLAND TAIWANESE CHURCH Williston Park, NY
ST. MARK’S CHURCH Burlington, NC
MASSAPEQUA REFORMED CHURCH Massapequa, NY
SUNRISE COMMUNITY CHURCH Tulare, CA
MIDDLEBUSH REFORMED CHURCH Somerset, NJ
THE BRIDGE Johnston, IA
NEW HOPE REFORMED CHURCH Mississauga, ON
THIRD CHURCH Pella, IA
NEW HOPE REFORMED CHURCH Powell, OH
THIRD REFORMED CHURCH Grand Rapids, MI
NORTH HOLLAND REFORMED CHURCH Holland, MI
THIRD REFORMED CHURCH Holland, MI
NORTH PARK REFORMED CHURCH Kalamazoo, MI
THORNAPPLE COMMUNITY CHURCH Grand Rapids, MI
ONESQUETHAW REFORMED CHURCH Feura Bush, NY
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH San Pedro, CA
PEAPACK REFORMED CHURCH Gladstone, NJ PELLA REFORMED CHURCH Adams, NE PEQUANNOCK REFORMED CHURCH Wayne, NJ PILLAR CHURCH Holland, MI PITCHER HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH North Syracuse, NY PRAIRIE VIEW REFORMED CHURCH Prairie View, KS
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TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH Orange City, IA TULARE COMMUNITY CHURCH Tulare, CA TWIN FALLS REFORMED CHURCH Twin Falls, ID UNION PARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Des Moines, IA UNIONVILLE REFORMED CHURCH Delmar, NY UNITY REFORMED CHURCH Norton Shores, MI
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ALUMLINE NEWS Arthur VanEck ‘51 and his wife, Bea VanEck, celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary on August 24, 2023. Donald Bruggink ‘54, the James A. H. Cornell Porfessor Emeritus of Historical Theology at WTS, edited his friend and colleague, the late Eugene Heideman’s (‘54) book The Canons of Dort: God’s Freedom, Justice, and Persistence. This book was recently published as part of The Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America.
William Paarlberg ’69, with the help of others, started the Special Education Ministries at Third Reformed Church in Holland, MI. They now serve over 300 special education students and have started programs in other churches and programs worldwide. Andrew Atwood ’73 and his wife, Jan, are still working part-time, with weekends spent away in the forests of northern MI. They enjoy their vital friendship groups as well as spending time with grandkids. Andrew’s book, Loving Mother Earth, is available on Amazon. He also shares his work and life journey at andyatwood.com.
Eugene DeHoogh ‘57 and his wife, Darlene, celebrated their 69th anniversary and Darlene’s 90th birthday on July 15, 2023. They have been blessed with two children and their spouses, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. They praise the Lord for his many blessings.
Jack Doorlag ‘75 and his wife, Mary, celebrated 50 years of marriage on May 18, 2023, by spending a week with their family at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. They will continue celebrating this occasion by enjoying an October Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel.
Wesley Kiel ‘57 and Joyce Looman were wed on August 26, 2021, by Rev. Tim Brown at Pillar Church in Holland, MI.
John Koedyker ‘76 is retiring from being the Stated Clerk of Musegon Classis for 18 years on January 1, 2024.
Larry Izenbart ‘63 purchased a home in Colorado Springs, CO, with his daughter and son-in-law after his wife’s passing. Larry’s son, David, currently serves on the WTS Board of Trustees. Charles Stickley ‘64 was honored for his 33 years of service at Hurley Reformed Church through a columbarium dedication named the “Stickley Gardens.” This columbarium is a place for church and community members to remember those who have been part of their lives and to the glory of God. Sherwin Weener ‘66 moved to Jenison, MI, with his wife, Shirley, and is preparing to publish his autobiography.
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Arlin VandeZande ‘76 is retired and living in South Dakota with his wife, Marie. Nolan Palsma ‘81 retired from full-time ministry on May 1, 2023. He served three Reformed churches: Pequannock Reformed Church in Wayne, NJ; Pitcher Hill Community Church in North Syracuse, NY; and the Upper Ridgewood Community Church in Ridgewood, NJ. He also served on many RCA denominational committees and councils, the Alumni Association and the Board of Trustees of Northwestern College, and chaired local clergy fellowships. Rev. Palsma is married to Phyllis (Steenhoek) Palsma (‘78) and has three grown children and two grandchildren. Wayne Sneller ‘81 spends some of his retirement time providing pulpit supply to churches in the South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnestoa regions. He is also a Reformed Church in America Retiree Chaplain for South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, and northwest Iowa. ALUMLINE NEWS
Paul (Bud) Pratt ‘82 and his wife, Patty, retired from active ministry in January 2023. They continue to enjoy their family time, grandchildren, and engaging in kingdom work. They will be preaching and leading worship at the Protestant Church of Oman from mid-September until mid-October 2023.
Audrey Edewaard ‘16 and her husband, Eric, welcomed the birth of their son, Samuel, on April 3, 2023.
Michael VanHamersveld ‘85 is retiring as Staff Chaplain from Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services after ten years of service on September 1, 2024.
Nathan Longfield ‘19 is launching a new worship community in Holland, MI, called Emmaus Church. Emmaus is a worshiping community centered on intentional community, relationship, hospitality, living into our baptismal identities, discipleship, being around table together, and faithfully being together in God’s Word. Nathan is also expecting a son in November with his wife, Tori.
Kevin Kleinheksel ‘86 was installed as the Pastor of Community Life at Haven Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland, MI, on August 20, 2023. John Scholte ‘88 is the Senior Pastor of Arcadia Community Church in Arcadia, CA. He is a member of the San Gabriel Presbytery of the PC (USA). Marc de Waard ‘90 and his wife, Kathy, have started their seventh year of serving at Chancellor Reformed Church in South Dakota. Marc is the current president of the Governing Board for Love I.N.C. of greater Lennox & Turner County and on the administrative team for the Midwest Network in the Alliance of Reformed Churches. Gregory Heille, O.P. ‘91, Director of the D.Min. in Preaching and Professor of Preaching and Evangelization at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, is the lead editor of a new book from Orbis Books titled Preaching Racial Justice. Jessica Shults ‘04 is the Chief Partnership Officer at The Colossian Forum. Philip Rose ‘06 and his wife Heidi planted The Living Well Church in Kalamazoo, MI, in October 2018. The Living Well celebrated its fifth birthday on October 1, 2023. Philip and Heidi’s three children have blessed them with eight beautiful grandkids and one more on the way! Phillip Pratt ‘07 is now employed at the Everence Foundation as a consultant in stewardship and charitable giving, where he assists congregations, organizations, and individuals to grow in generosity. Elizabeth Carroll ‘16 took a call in 2022 as Senior Pastor at Oakland City Church in Oakland, CA. WINTER 2023
Mark Immink ‘19 was ordained in 2019, and he is planting a church in Plainwell, MI, called “City on a Hill.” The church launched in February of this year.
Keith Moody ‘19 has accepted a call to serve as the Minister of Word and Sacrament for the Abundant Life Reformed Church in Wyckoff, NJ, after serving several other congregations in an interim capacity. Drew Peterson ‘19 is the Associate Pastor at Faith Reformed Church in Traverse City, MI. He recently became a Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach through the American Association of Christian Counselors. Wayne Otten ‘20 continues to faithfully serve as the Senior Pastor at Unity Reformed Church in Kentwood, MI. Jake Chipka ‘21 has accepted a call to Delmar Reformed Church near Albany, NY. His ordination was held at Pillar Church in Holland, MI, on July 16, 2023. Jordan Starkenburg ‘21 was ordained in the RCA in June 2021 and installed as Associate Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Traverse City in July 2021. On July 27, 2022, they welcomed their child, Lyra Joy, into the world. Jill Kohlhagen ‘22 is serving as a chaplain with Dunes Hospice in Valparaiso, IN. She will be ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the RCA on October 1, 2023. Brett Busch ‘23 started as Pastor of Pella Reformed Church in Adams, NE, on August 13, 2023. Jacob Richards ‘23 has taken a call to the First Congregational Church of Portland, MI. Jeremy Zoet ‘23 became ordained and installed as the Associate Pastor of Zion Reformed Church in Grandville, MI, on June 25th, 2023. 32
ON TO GLORY Melvin J. Voss ‘55
b. Jan. 21, 1930 St. Anne, IL d. July 23, 2022 Belmond, IA Hope College ‘52; WTS ‘55 Service: (1955-60) Raritan Reformed Church, Raritan, IL; (1960-67) First Reformed Church, Knoxville, IA; (1967-83) Hope Reformed Church, Parkersburg, IA; Bethany Reformed Church, Belmond, IA
Roy Kats ‘56
b. Feb. 28, 1931 Firth, NE d. Apr. 11, 2019 Kalamazoo, MI Central College ‘53; WTS ‘56 Service: (1956-60) Logan Reformed, Dell Rapids, SD; (1960-65) First Reformed, Decatur, MI
Gerald VanderVelde ‘58
b. Dec. 25, 1930 Grand Rapids, MI d. Apr. 10, 2023 Grand Rapids, MI Hope College ‘55; WTS ‘58 Service: (1958-62) Union Reformed, Paterson, NJ; (1962-68) New Era Reformed, New Era, MI; (1968-81) Oakview Community, Grand Rapids, MI; (1981-95) First Reformed, Hull, IA; (1996-ret.) Richmond Reformed, Grand Rapids, MI
Henry A. Stegenga ‘59
b. Feb. 5, 1932 Chicago, IL d. Nov. 6, 2023 Hope College; WTS ‘59 Service: (1959-1979) Chiapas, Mexico; (1979-85) Calvary Reformed, Holland, MI; (1985-1997) Peace Reformed, Zeeland, MI
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Harry Mencarelli ‘60
b. Nov. 12, 1924 Grand Rapids, MI d. Oct. 24, 2022 Grand Rapids, MI Hope College ‘57; WTS ‘60 Service: (1960-1967) Trinity Reformed, Chicago, IL; (1967-74) First Reformed, Waterloo, Evansdale, IA; (1974-78) Ninth Reformed, Grand Rapids, MI
Robert VanEarden ‘61
b. Feb. 9, 1929 Clymer, NY d. Mar. 29. 2023 Chino, CA Hope College ‘56; WTS ‘61 Service: (1961-65) Delaware Reformed, Lennox, SD; (1965-70) Hope Reformed, Montevideo, MN; (1970-90) Chino Valley Reformed, Chino CA; (1990-95) Assoc. at Chino Valley Reformed, Chino, CA
Richard TerMaat ‘64
b. Sept. 21, 1938 Vesper, WI d. Sept. 13, 2023 Grand Rapids, MI WTS ‘64; Calvin Theological Seminary ‘81; Westminster Theological Seminary ‘95 Service: Ninth Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI; (1967-2003) Established The Other Way Ministries and served as executive director; (1981) Servant’s Community Reformed Church; (1990-2000s) Founded Westown Jubilee Housing and served as executive director
Paul Swets ‘67
b. Apr. 2, 1941 Chicago, IL d. July 14, 2023 Holland, MI Hope College ‘63; WTS ‘67; U of M ‘70, ‘73 Service: (1965-Interim) Mountain View Reformed, Denver, CO; (1967-1972) University Reformed, Ann Arbor, MI; (1974-85) Christ Community Reformed, Lake Worth, FL; Second Presbyterian, Memphis, TN
ON TO GLORY
James Esther ‘69
b. Oct. 23, 1941 Buffalo, NY d. Dec. 12, 2022 Monroe, NY Hope College ‘63; WTS ‘69; CRDS ‘74 Service: (1969-76) First Reformed, Rochester, NY; (1976-unknown date after 2001) Second Reformed, New Brunswick, NJ
John Venenga ‘75
b. March 31, 1942 Adrian, MN d. March 11, 2021 Pella, IA WTS ‘75
Michael Danner ‘90
b. Apr. 4, 1939 d. Sept. 4, 2021 Holland, MI WTS ‘90
Joan Bolman
b. April 23, 1933 Fillmore Township, MI d. Oct. 9, 2023 Altamont, NY College of St. Rose ‘76; WTS ‘22 Service: Onesquethaw Reformed, Feura Bush, NY Joan was born to William and Janet (Terpstra) Bolman on April 23, 1933. Joan served Western Theological Seminary as an administrative secretary for 28 years. She also worked at Miles Laboratory and Hope College. After retirement Joan spent time volunteering at many places. She was an active member of First Reformed Church of Zeeland.
Valerie F. Doka ‘91
b. Dec. 5, 1947 South Bend, IN d. Aug. 3, 2022 South Bend, IN WTS ‘91
Dennis DeWitt ‘96
b. Aug. 29, 1941 Muskegon Heights, MI d. Apr. 6, 2023 Holland, MI Hope College ‘63; U of M ‘74; WTS ‘96 Service: (1996-2016) Community Church of Douglas, MI; Pastor of Congregational Care
Carole Barber ‘15
b. Sept. 1, 1947 d. Sept. 8, 2023 Mission Viejo, CA WTS ‘15
WINTER 2023
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