Another Federation Board year is nearing its close, which means that it is time to introduce our new nominees. This is also the time publically to thank those members who will soon be retiring from their 2 year terms on the Fed Board. Thank you to Brian Feenstra, Joe Holstege, Erika Schipper, Dan VanUffelen, and Rev. Haak for all your hard work and for making our meetings run smoothly and efficiently! You will all be missed, but it is time to look forward now.
Our two nominees for the spiritual advisor position are Prof. Dykstra and Rev. David Overway. Professor Dykstra is the professor of Church History and New Testament Studies at the Protestant Reformed Seminary. He has served there for about 18 years, serving previously as Pastor of Hope PR Church in Grand Rapids and of Doon PR Church in Iowa. Rev. Overway has recently moved to the Grand Rapids area to be Pastor in Hope PR Church, and also previously served in Doon PR Church. Both of these men have expressed their love for the people of God and their desire to serve on the Federation Board, assisting in the spiritual growth of the young people.
Up for nomination as youth coordinator we have Mr. Brett Van Koevering and Mr. Brad Bruinsma. Brett is a member of Holland PR Church, where he currently serves as an elder. He is employed at Kamps Tile and Stone. He values the role the Federation Board plays in encouraging and building up the next generation in the truth. Because of this he informed us that he would enjoy working together with the Board. Brad Bruinsma lives in Grandville, Michigan along with his wife, Trisha. They have three daughters, Kari (15), Skyler (13), and Emma (11). They moved to Grandville around 8 years ago from Kalamazoo, MI, which is where Brad started out his married life. Kalamazoo is also the place where he spent the most time in one place. His dad is a minister (Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma) so Brad moved around a lot as a kid. The neat thing about that is that he was able to get to know many people and even live in unique places such as Jamaica. Brad is self-employed as a tile and flooring specialist, which takes up much of his time. He enjoys tinkering on his house (yes, that means there are many half done projects at his house at any given time.) During the summer months his family looks forward to many camping trips around the area where they spend time fishing, swimming and enjoying friends and family. Brad also expressed his love for the young people of the churches and his desire to be able to serve them, if the Lord’s will is that he joins the Fed Board.
Next, for vice president, the Fed Board has nominated Taylor Dykstra and Stefan Bodbyl. Stefan is a member of Grandville PR Church, and he wrote this:
I am excited for the possibility to serve on the Board. I look forward, if elected, to the joys of serving our Lord and the Protestant Reformed Young People. I thoroughly enjoyed the conventions that I attended and look forward to helping in the provision of a spiritually beneficial convention in the future for our young people, through the work that goes on behind the scenes. There is an abundance of work to be done from what I understand from my brothers who previously served on the board, and I express my appreciation to you, the current members, for your hard work. I am thankful to God for the nomination and the ability potentiallyto help in this work.
Taylor attended Heritage Christian School and Covenant Christian HS (2011). He is a member of Trinity PR Church and currently attends GVSU, studying Mechanical Engineering. He hopes to graduate in August, 2015, Lord willing. Last August he married his wonderful wife, Erin. Taylor enjoys fishing, reading, carpentry, and working around the house. He expressed his willingness to help out on the Fed Board if that is God’s will for him.
Nominated for vice treasurer were Joel Rau and Zachary Kuiper. Zach is currently a member of Hudsonville PR Church. He attends Davenport University, majoring in Accounting. He sees this opportunity, if he becomes elected to the board, as a way first to help become more involved with the churches and the young people, but also as a way to prepare him for the career path that the Lord is leading him down. Joel, member of Hope PR Church in Grand Rapids, is currently in his second year at Calvin College. While working on his business degree there, he enjoys working for Kregel’s Landscape and Garden Center on the side. Possibly being on the Fed Board excites him because he too sees this as a great opportunity to serve the young people of our denomination, to encourage them to be active in growing in their faith and love for God, and to promote the communion of the saints among the young people through the work of the Fed Board, Beacon Lights, and the Young Calvinists.
Finally, our nominations for the vice secretary position were Annica Bosveld and Nicole Kamps. Annica attends Hope PR Church in Grand Rapids. She is currently pursuing an Elementary Education degree at Grand Valley State University. She works part time at Motman’s Greenhouses in Allendale. She is excited to be offered an opportunity to be more involved in our denomination, and with the young people in particular. As a potential member of the Federation Board, she would like to gain experience in promoting good Reformed literature for our young people. Nicole is a member of Southwest PR Church. She is studying to obtain her nursing degree through Davenport University. As possible vice secretary she looks forward to working along with the young people as we all grow together in our faith in Jesus Christ.
The Fed Board would like to thank each one of these who have so willingly accepted these nominations. Now we await the voting to take place at the convention to see which of these will be serving with us. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we go forward, working always to glorify God in every way.