Women in Ministry

Hand2Hand feeds and prays for 5,000 kids every weekend in West Michigan. Currently we have 90 church partners of 13 different denominations who are feeding children at risk of weekend hunger in 146 schools.

“My personal experience as a child who lived in poverty, combined with the local church who came around our family and loved us in spite of our messiness is the driving force behind the call God has on my life. My passion is for the Church to rise up and penetrate their local communities, schools, and families with the love of Jesus so that ultimately all will come to faith in Jesus Christ. Together WE can rise up, be mobilized, and be the direct hands and feet of Jesus in our own neighborhoods."

“God has called me to serve in leadership and governance ministry roles within the RCA, since 2002. In my congregation I have served as an elder, clerk, consistory vice president, Outreach Ministry Team Leader, and more. At the classis level, I served on the Great Lakes City Classis visioning team (2015) and Executive Team as the first female vice president and president (2016- 2019). At the denomination level, I served as the Synod of the Great Lakes regional representative on the General Synod Council (2007- 2011) moderator of the General Synod Council (2010/2011) and member of the general secretary search committee (2017/2018). I think God designed me as a strategic architect; I see the big and small picture at the same time. I have a passion for leadership, developing systems and processes that improve organizations and help people serve well.”

"I believe God forced me out of the professional work to capture my attention more fully. God showed me He needed me to transfer my leadership gifts and serve His church, not the world and has been placing me in leadership roles I never would have imagined. I simply remain obedient and submit to being stretched in each ministry role."

God is using “my pastoral gifts and clinical skills perfectly and effectively by listening to the stories (of my clients), to be the presence of Jesus Christ and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through words and actions.”

Who spoke into you, encouraging you to serve God in your context?
“God, family and sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ encouraged and prayed for me. God is using my spiritual gifts in amazing and productive ways to glorify his kingdom through my actions and words.”

In looking at the future of the Church, I am encouraged “to continue to be faithful to God in the midst of trials and God will continue to accomplish (His purpose) till the end.”

“In 5th grade, I found out I had scoliosis and in 6th grade I had major surgery on it. It was during this time that I realized how important my relationship with God was." Going into surgery, "I repeated over and over 'Nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus'" Romans 8:38-39. I believed "these words because my family, my church, and my Christian school had taught and shown the love of God to me from the day I was born. This time in my life created a passion inside of me to do whatever I could to share and teach that same love of God to as many people as I could.

I get excited when I see kids and families grasping the knowledge and love of God. The future of the church is our relationship with God and the inter-generational relationships with have with each other, sharing our lives and faith together.”