At the Young People’s convention every summer, two delegates from each Young People’s Soci-ety meet to elect new officers to serve on the Fed Board. These officers are elected from those who have been nominated by the current Fed Board. At the end of each summer, newly elected members take the place of those members who have fulfilled their two years of service. Those elected to the Fed Board at this upcoming convention will serve two consecutive years, beginning at the end of this summer. Thus, as a Federation Board of the Young People’s Societies, we want to inform our young people about the delegates from whom they will vote at the upcoming convention.

The first office to be filled is Vice-President. The nominees for this office are Matt DeBoer and Joel Bodbyl. Matt DeBoer is 21 years old and attends Grandville Protestant Reformed Church. He is a full-time student at Grand Valley State University, but will graduate, the Lord willing, at the end of April. Matt would like to explore the possibilities of involving more young people outside of the West Michigan area with the Fed Board.

The second nominee, Joel Bodbyl, also attends Grandville Protestant Reformed Church. At age 21, he is a full-time student at Grand Valley State University and is self-employed. Joel’s goals for the Fed Board include: helping to make the Beacon Lights more popular among young people, learning more about what it is that the Fed Board does, being an asset to the board, and helping both the Beacon Lights committee as well as the Fed Board through his service.

The next office is that of Vice-Treasurer. The two nominees for this office of Vice-Treasurer are Derek Van Overloop and Jon Pastoor. Derek Van Overloop is 18 years old and attends Trinity Protestant Reformed Church. He is currently fulfilling an internship at Innotec. Derek seeks to maintain godly leadership among the Young People.

The second Vice-Treasurer nominee, Jon Pastoor, is 17 years old and attends First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. Jon is a senior at Covenant Christian High School. He also works as a maintenance laborer at the Twin Lakes Nursery. Through his work on the Fed Board, Jon would like to encourage other young people to grow in their faith, witness to others, and become more involved with helping others in the churches.

Anna Gustafson and Emily Dykstra are the two nominees for the office of Vice-Secretary. Anna Gustafson is 18 years old and attends First Protestant Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan. She is currently in her freshman year at Calvin College. Anna seeks to encourage the young people to continue in their walk of faith.

Emily Dykstra, the second nominee for Vice-Secretary attends Hope Protestant Reformed Church of Walker, Michigan. Emily, age 18, currently works as a receptionist at a doctor’s office. She would like to see the societies of the Western churches more involved in the federation’s activities.

The next office to be filled is the office of Librarian. The two nominees for this office are Laura Huizinga and Lauren Kraker. Laura Huizinga is 20 years old and works full time as a secretary for Bosveld Builders. Laura’s goal for the Fed Board is to more actively involve the young people in the work of the Fed Board by informing the young people of the duties and the responsibilities of the Fed Board.

Lauren Kraker at age 19 years old is the other nominee for the office of Librarian. Lauren attends Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church. She currently is a freshman at Davenport University. Her goals for the Fed Board are to strengthen the young people in the churches and to encourage them to become more involved with activities.

Reverend Haak and Reverend William Langerak are the two nominees for the last office, the office of Spiritual Advisor. Reverend Haak at age 52 is the minister at Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church. His goals for the Fed Board are to help keep the Young People’s Societies well informed of denominational events, to encourage the societies to participate in these events, to work on the unity of the Young People’s Societies, and to share ideas from society to society on what each Young People’s Society has done and has profited from.

The second nominee for Spiritual Advisor is Reverend William Langerak. At age 41, he currently labors as the minister at Southeast PRC. His goal for the Fed Board is to give biblical advice regarding the various decisions the Fed Board must make in order to promote energetic and measurable spiritual growth in Protestant Reformed young people, to the glory of God’s name in Jesus Christ.

As the young people look forward to the upcoming convention and the delegate meeting at which the young people will vote for new members to serve on the Fed Board, we ask that our young people prayerfully consider each nominee and the gifts with which God has blessed them. We ask that our young people pray for guidance for the delegates as they vote for new members to serve on the Fed Board. May our young people also pray for God to give both the current as well as the new members the strength to carry out the work that God has for us as we serve Him through our work on the Fed Board.