When Rev. Mark Hofman was ordained in Churchill, Montana, a few months ago, he began his ministry in the same area where both his paternal grandfather and maternal great-grandfather served.
"In the fall of 1950 my father, Tymen Hofman, was ordained to the ministry in the Christian Reformed Church in Bozeman. I don't remember that event, having been born in 1954," said Mark's father, Dr. Ron Hofman, a pediatrician in Grand Rapids, Mich.
But Dr. Hofman said he had "a huge lump in my throat reminiscing about what that might have been like as I witnessed the ordination of my son."
Mark Hofman's grandmother, Cobi Jorritsma Hofman, and his wife, Heidi, stood by him during the ordination. Calvin Seminary professor Carl Bosma flew out from Grand Rapids to preach "an inspirational call to broaden the kingdom," said Hofman.
Heidi Hofman's grandfather, Rev. John Medendorp, had been the first pastor of Bozeman CRC in the 1940s.
Medendorp's son, grandson, and great-grandson all followed his footsteps into ministry via Calvin Theological Seminary. Heidi Hofman's mother, Chris Veltkamp, grew up in Churchill, where Mark was ordained.
Ron Hofman said, "Things have changed in 60 years, but the commitment to the kingdom remains fast, and the call to bring God's Word to a world in need is still paramount. To God be the glory."
