72nd Anniversary Celebration

CHAPLAINS’

CONFERENCE

BANQUET

FRIDAY, May 29, 2015

6:00 PM – PUNCH BOWL

6:30PM – BANQUET

Prince Conference Center

BANQUET CHAPLAINS’ CONFERENCE

May 29, 2015

Rev. Ronald Klimp

Master of Ceremonies 6:00 p.m. Punch Bowl

6:30 p.m. Welcome Prayer – Rev. Ronald Klimp 6:40 p.m. Dinner 7:15 p.m. Retirement & Years of Service Awards 8:00 p.m. Entertainment presented by “Night Shift” <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Conference Planning Team Dianne Algera Cindy Holtrop

Charles Cornelisse Ron Klimp Eric Evenhuis Beverly Koetje

Music Brenda Wright

(at the Piano during dinner)

Night Shift Jesse Thayer/ sound tech

Gordon Thayer/ vocals &guitar Michael Brown/ drums

Dave Taalman/vocals &guitar Scott Robinson/vocals & bass guitar

Nan Nye Snoeyink/ vocals Eric Schweinzger/piano & keyboard

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RECOGNITION OF RETIREMENT The following are retiring from chaplaincy ministry. They have a combined service of about 202 years in chaplaincy and 246 years as ordained ministers. All have served with distinction, and we are grateful for their many years of service on behalf of the denomination. We wish them God’s blessing as they travel into a new phase of life and new opportunities for service.

Retiring from Chaplaincy Advisory Team Rev. Rozanne Meyer Bruins Rev. George Cooper Rev. Ronald H. Cok Rev. James Molenbeek Rev. Curt Roelofs Rev. Betty Vander Laan Rev. James VanderSchaaf Rev. Siebert Van Houten Rev. Dr. Case Vink

Years of Service: 5 years 15 years Rev. Evert S.H. Busink Chaplain Jim A Kok. Rev. Steven J. Alsum Chaplain Wendell Gelderman 20 years Rev. Jae H. Kim Rev. Ronald H. Cok Chaplain Laurie J. Moll Chaplain Carol Flietstra Rev. Case Vink 10 years Rev. Philip Apol 25 years Rev. Dr. Mark J Knoper Rev. W. Dean Dyk 35 years Rev. James VanderSchaaf

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Retirement Biographies

Rev. Ron Cok I plan to retire in Albuquerque, NM as 2015 ends. My heart is grateful for the amazing grace that is the light during my journey through early life, education, pastoral and VA chaplain careers. From memory of an event prior to my 2nd birthday, I thank the Lord for his having taken me as I am… Jesus asking our Father’s blessing and inviting me to journey alongside his mentoring presence… From his friendship I have received more than one could ask or imagine… Born into faith filled 3rd generation immigrant families settled in MT, land of opportunity and freedom, now enjoying healthy 90 year old parents, five siblings, extended families, Joan, a wonderful bride of 46 years, children: Joshua, Jeremy, Paige and Amanda (already ‘face to face’), spouses: Liza, Tara, Rob and eight incredible grandchildren: Lucas, Kamryn, Henry, Oliver, Gemma, Sierra, Mazzy and a gestating boy. The paradigm reinforced during seminary proved authentic and trustworthy day by day and is the premise for presence, conversation, friendship and hope: the humanity of our Lord. Favorite quotes: “Just as we have borne the image of earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the man from heaven.” I Cor. 15:49 “The chief theological question of all time-What in the Sam Hill is going on here anyway?” Annie Dillard “The grateful heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all others.” Cicero Best Practices: Outstanding Caregiver Recognition and Rocking & Talking with the Chaplain Question: was or is?

Rev. Rozanne L Meyer - Bruins

My biography as told through names…

My biography as told through names. . . Rozanne L Meyer: my birth name given by my parents in rural Minnesota, 1950. Rozi Meyer: my name given by my 5 siblings and fellow students throughout my years at Central MN Christian School and at Calvin College. Roze Meyer Bruins: my name after marrying George Bruins, 1971. Mrs. Bruins: my name as a high school English teacher (NJ) and ESL teacher in Rome, Italy. Mom: our first born Joel gave me this name, 1977. This name “stuck,” as two more biological children, Leah and Mary, joined our family, followed by our two adopted children, Paul and Abigail. Chaplain Roze: my name given by patients in my first unit of CPE, Pine Rest, 1998. I have kept this name for the last 17 years during my psychiatric chaplaincy ministry at Pine Rest and Forest View hospitals. Rev. Bruins: given at ordination, Neland CRC, 1999. Never use it. Mama Roze: children in-law Rikki, Daniel, and Philip use this name. Grandma Roze: our oldest grandson, Bryan, gave me this name in 2002. In 2007 his brother Ethan echoed it. In November, 2015, we look forward to another grandbaby calling me Grandma Roze! Conclusion: Names change. They even disappear. I am sad, for example, to now leave behind the name Chaplain

Roze. For comfort, I cling to that name that will never change for me—my forever name. . .

Child of God: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!” I John 3: 1

Rev. James Molenbeek

As I will retire at the end of June I look back with a lot of gratitude to God and amazement for the opportunity to carry out my life’s calling for 40 years. I felt an early call to ministry which I once hoped to escape, but for which doors kept opening. I served in the CRC as pastor of Luctor, KS; First Salt Lake City, UT; Pine Grove, Howard City, MI; East Muskegon, Muskegon, MI; I served next on a ministry staff as Minister of Congregational Life at Plymouth Heights, Grand Rapids; And for me it was a rather natural transition to the chaplaincy which I have enjoyed now in my ninth year at Sunset Retirement Communities in Jenison, MI. While I enjoyed the work as a “General Practitioner Pastor” by mid-career I felt a growing desire and affirmation to specialize, which prompted me to take CPE, and also led to the staff ministry, and then chaplaincy. It became a great avenue for personal and professional growth. Each chapter had its own unique challenges and each chapter prepared for the next one unfolding. At this point I plan to take a time for Sabbath and renewal with my wife, Sue, and discover together what we are being prepared for next. It’s been a team effort for us and our sufficiency has been provided by God, who thankfully uses earthen vessels such as we are to bring the gospel of peace and hope to all who will receive it.

Rev. Curt Roelofs CHAPLAINCY: A PLACE OF GRACE

At my ordination on September 11, 1970, my oldest brother, Rev. Harlan Roelofs, charged me to be “my own person” in ministry. He

highlighted the unique persons of Peter, Paul, and John, and then again urged me to be “my own person”. He underscored the

empowering reality that God calls, equips, guides, and energizes by His Holy Spirit. Looking back over my forty five years of ministry, I thank God for providing “Chaplaincy as a Place of Grace”. There I could discover my ministerial gifts, and daily with joy, be myself where God’s providence led.

Two parish ministry experiences sowed the seeds for seeking more specialized ministry. In Anacortes, WA, I was excited about pastoral care with young people, a SWIM team, youth retreats, and community outreach with elderly. While in Cedar Falls, IA, my pastoral care gifts were affirmed. However, around the third year of ministry there was a conflict with church leadership which surfaced and was resolved. This resulted in further affirmation to consider specialized ministry.

At the CRC Synod of 1977, I providentially met Dirk Evans and explored the idea of chaplaincy. In February of 1979 I decided to pursue CPE training. After several consultations I selected Harper Hospital in Detroit. On our fifteenth wedding anniversary, August 27, 1979, our family moved to Detroit.

God’s providence was with us during my chaplaincy training. Becoming “my own person” in ministry flourished. My peer group, which included four Catholic sisters and the challenges of ministry in a very large teaching hospital, confirmed that an acute care setting was that “Place of Grace”.

After seven units of CPE, I began my chaplaincy at Providence, a Daughters of Charity hospital whose philosophy was , “The Love of Christ Compels Us”. Being reformed, I appreciated that perspective and found a niche with excellent interfaith pastoral care and interdisciplinary medical teams. I thoroughly enjoyed my ministry and was excited to provide “high touch in a high tech world”. For me, Providence Hospital was God’s gift, truly a “Place of Grace” for 33 years.

Rev. Betty Vander Laan I began college at midlife, after being a stay-at-home mom for twenty-four years. I was wrestling with a call to ministry, uncertain, yet hopeful for a future in ministry. It was a time of discernment and learning. After graduating from Trinity Christian College (TCC) in 1993, I studied theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, graduating with my M Div Degree in 1996. I completed a Clinical Pastoral Education residency in 1998, secured a position in chaplaincy, and completed coursework at Calvin Seminary. By 2001 I was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament. I became a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains in 2002, serving on the APC Ethics Commission and as secretary for the Board of Directors. In 2010 I completed a two year Clinical Training Program at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. I work as a staff chaplain at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, a multi-cultural urban hospital providing pastoral care in the cardiac and cancer units, and for palliative care patients, assisting with advance directives and end-of-life decisions. I am a member of the Medical Ethics Committee and a Research Chaplain. In 2012, our research team was awarded a $209,000.00 grant from HealthCare Chaplaincy, funded by the Templeton Foundation. We co-authored and published an article in BioMed Central titled, "What do I do? Developing a taxonomy of chaplaincy activities and interventions for spiritual care in intensive care unit palliative care." And in 2014 I graduated from TCC with my MA in Counseling Psychology.

Rev. James VanderSchaaf

Having considered making a few comments, I believe that it is incumbent on me merely to thank the people most significant and important in my life who enabled and provided me the opportunity to minister for 40 years

I thank my wife Linda who worked tirelessly, as a Metro Health Pharmacist and other venues of work, for many years, with longsuffering, to provide the means for me to do chaplaincy and support our family. I love and cherish my children, granchildren and their families who rarely complained. I thank my colleagues and friends of the chaplaincy family by whose encouragement and support, I came through times of lean years in the Criminal Justice Chaplaincy ministry of aftercare and reentry for returning citizens. I thank Jake Heerema for many meetings of encouragement and thanked me for my gifts to do ministry. Thank you to Bill Stroo, as a friend and co-worker at CJC, whose remarkable insight into personality issues was always refreshing, along with our mutual membership and travels in the MW- AAPC, joyful.

The example of Jim Kok and the ministry of Kindness is in essence what we tried to practice at CJC and hope to continue for many years. One additional person to give thanks is Dr. Russel Brubaker, MD, Psychiatrist who met with me monthly for over 25 years, gratis. He helped provide insight, knowledge and understanding of the psycho-pathology of millions affected by incarceration and kept me certified as an AAPC Fellow. Needless to say, he infused me with the grace to accept my own intra-psychic stuff. I thank also the staff members of CJC who provide excellent ministry to difficult, broken and often deranged people whose lives rarely get on track after incarceration.

I count it a privilege to have ministered, as a chaplain lo these many years, endorsed by the CRC, thank the Lord for relative good health and wonderful financial support from a host of dedicated folks & churches. My home church, Woodlawn CRC and calling church COS, both embraced me with love and support for many years. May each of us be so blessed, pax nobiscum, amen.

Rev. Siebert Van Houten I have been blessed with a varied and interesting ministry career. While I enjoyed my initial congregational ministry I felt led to pursue chaplaincy. After serving a residency at Pine Rest and along with my wife, Ina, serving as house parents at a group home for women inmates we moved to Hamilton, ON where I served as chaplain at the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. From there I took up the challenge as a Regional Coordinator of Chaplaincy for the Government of Ontario. As part of a group of chaplains we were mandated to promote and develop chaplaincy programs for the government and transfer payment agencies which provided opportunity to work with chaplains in the community and local faith groups. It was a challenging and creative time. Subsequently, I became the Canadian director of Chaplaincy and Care Ministries, a position I enjoyed as it gave me opportunity to meet with denominational chaplains and represent the CRC on various chaplaincy organizations, and promote chaplaincy within the denomination. The present ministry from which I am retiring is a ministry at a seniors’ retirement complex and a long term care facility in Barrie, ON. It has been a rewarding challenge being the first chaplain to set up new ministries in both places. As I reflected on my ministry I also realized that I had been involved with the Canadian CRC chaplaincy Committee in various capacities for over 25 years. I am grateful to God for leading me into so many different chaplaincy experiences. It has been an exciting and rewarding ministry engaging both in the development and hands on ministry aspects. Now Ina and I are planning to move back to Hamilton where our children and grandchildren live, and take some time to reflect on where we will be involved in the future.

Rev. Dr. Case Vink After 2 years of Residency that led to training as a CPE Teaching Supervisor, I finally landed the position of Coordinator of Pastoral My roles were manager and educator, also teaching in the Clinical Ethics and Aboriginal Cultural Helper programs. I served on the national board of CASC as chair of the Professional Practice Commission developing national practice standards. In 2000 CASC honored me with the Award of Excellence in Professional Practice. My D. Min, completed in 1999, led to teaching at the Baptist Seminary in 2000 and the Catholic Theological School in 2004 with courses in Pastoral Care and Human Suffering. I worked with a team to certify the Aboriginal program with CASC and in 2005, I moved to Calgary as Spiritual Care Coordinator and CPE Supervisor for Foothills Medical Centre and Rockyview General Hospital. Late 2013, I retired from health care and then I trained to do Specialized Interim Ministry which I have been doing part time since then. I am currently doing casual spiritual care at the Banff Hospital and starting my second interim ministry. I have loved my career in chaplaincy. It has been challenging, painful, encouraging and meaningful.