These pages introduce the 53 people declared by Synod 2008 to be candidates for ministry in the Christian Reformed Church.
The number of potential new pastors is exceptionally large this year because of changes in the master-of-divinity program at Calvin Theological Seminary. We rejoice in this “bumper crop” and with these candidates and their families. And we commend them to the churches for your prayers and consideration.
The CRC’s candidacy process has been evolving in the past few years. There is now an active partnership between the faculty of Calvin Seminary and a standing synodical committee called the Candidacy Committee. These two bodies work together to encourage and prepare men and women for ordained ministry.
Most of the 53 people pictured here earned their master-of-divinity degrees from Calvin Seminary, the CRC’s official theological school, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Fourteen of them earned their degrees elsewhere and completed the CRC’s Ecclesiastical Program for Ministerial Candidacy, which is administered by Calvin Seminary. For furture information on these Candidates, see www.crcna.org/pages/candidates.cfm.
The Candidacy Committee and the faculty of Calvin Seminary join together in publicly congratulating these people and in calling the church to rejoice and work with them in service to our Lord. In the words of Ephesians 3:21, “to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
James Alblas
Language: English
Contact:
57 Leonard St. NE, #2
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-291-9835
jimalblas@yahoo.com
Peter Armstrong*
Language: English
Contact:
1026 NE 65th St., #318
Seattle, WA 98115
206-353-3892
peterbruce.armstrong@gmail.com
Paul Birnbaum*
Language: English
Contact:
2512 Mildred Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
616-452-7468
qlnpraise@mail.com
Martin Boardman
Languages: Dutch
and English
Contact:
6 Glaceport Avenue
Dundas, ON L9H 7E3
Canada
905-690-6771
theboardmans@sympatico.ca
Steven G. Boersma*
Language: English
Contact:
635 6th St.
Ashton, IA 51232
sboersm0@calvinseminary.edu
Brian Bork
Language: English
Contact:
350 Eureka SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616-780-9281
bbork41@gmail.com
Ioan Daniel Bud*
Languages: Romanian
and English
Contact:
3555 Burton SE, Apt. 4
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
616-285-5372
dbud3@calvinseminary.edu
Keith Buist
Language: English
Contact:
7154 Linden SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
616-247-5740
krbuist@msn.com
Christopher Cassis
Language: English
Contact:
1754 Spring Meadow Court SE
Caledonia, MI 49316
616-322-5986
ccassis9@calvinseminary.edu
Darrin J.B. Compagner
Languages: English
and Spanish
Contact:
3365 Earle Ave. SW
Grandville, MI 49418
616-534-4434
dcompagner@hotmail.com
Scott A. DeVries
Language: English
Contact:
46 Old Mill Dr., #13
Holland, MI 49423
616-393-7959
sdevrie8@calvinseminary.edu
Stephen De Wit*
Language: English
Contact:
1168 Edna SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
616-745-9391
skdewit@gmail.com
Eric J. Dirksen
Language: English
Contact:
2881 360th St.
Sioux Center, IA 51250
616-450-3022
rcdrksn@gmail.com
Steve Dozeman
Language: English
Contact:
13056 James St.
Holland, MI 49424
616-366-2794
stevedozeman@gmail.com
Adam Eisenga*
Language: English
Contact:
425 Briar Lane NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616-970-5548
aeisenga@firstbyron
centercrc.com
Paul G. Hackett*
Language: English
Contact:
5549 Bunky Way
Dunwoody, GA 30338
770-390-8644
hackett2@bellsouth.net
William Harris
Language: English
Contact:
418 Courtney St.
Galesburg, MI 49053
269-665-7392
wlharris3@yahoo.com
Mark Hilbelink*
Languages: English
and Spanish
Contact:
701 W. Washington St., Apt. 14
Greenville, MI 48838
616-366-6222
mhilbelink02@yahoo.com
Craig Hoekema
Language: English
Contact:
2951 Sunset Blvd.
Sarnia, ON N0N 1C0
Canada
519-908-9237
cjhoekema@yahoo.com
Laurie W. Hogge
Language: English
Contact:
1312 Giddings SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
616-550-0744
lhogge@gmail.com
Margaret Hummelman
Languages: English
and basic Dutch
Contact:
414 Alberta Street
New Westminster,
BC V3L 3J7
Canada
604-524-3730
mhummelman@hotmail.com
Margaret J. Jenista
Languages: English
and basic conversational Spanish
Contact:
90 Columbus Pike
Cedarville, OH 45314
616-828-3794
megjenista@gmail.com
Ladan Jennings*
Languages: Farsi
and English
Contact:
16231 15th Dr. SE
Mill Creek, WA 98012
425-338-5543
lajennings@comcast.net
C. Layne Kilbreath
Language: English
Contact:
860 Bancroft Rd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
925-934-5161
layne@faithfellowship.com
James Knochenhauer
Language: English
Contact:
15339 Lake Ave.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
616-842-5122
knochenhauer@charter.net
James A. Kralt
Language: English
Contact:
139 Henry St.
Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0
Canada
519-856-9056
jkralt7@gmail.com
Matthew Lanser
Languages: English
and basic Spanish
Contact:
3550 Burton Ridge Rd. SE, Apt. F
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
616-957-8195
matthew.lanser@gmail.com
John R. Lee
Languages: English
and Spanish
Contact:
5919 Appleby Rd.
Marion, MI 49665
231-743-6794
jrlee12@gmail.com
Jacob Meadows
Language: English
Contact:
245 Chickadee Ln.
Sequim, WA 98382
360-561-1271
jacobmeadows@hotmail.com
Henry W. Meinen
Language: English
Contact:
5133 Line 26
St. Pauls, ON N0K 1V0
Canada
519-393-6228
hmeinen@hotmail.com
Peter Oh
Languages: Korean
and English
Contact:
c/o Wyoming Community CRC
150 Burt SE
Wyoming, MI 49548
616-247-3894
alitlbro@hotmail.com
Benjamin M. Oliveira
Languages: English
and Russian
Contact:
4090 Ives Farm Lane NE
Cedar Springs, MI 49319
616-540-8525
benoliveira@juno.com
Dominic J. Palacios
Language: English
Contact:
726 E. Main St., Apt. 601
Flushing, MI 48433
616-450-1440
dominic.palacios@gmail.com
Christian R. Pedersen
Languages: English
and some Spanish
Contact:
1826 S. Emerson
Denver, CO 80210
303-722-2546
captainpico@yahoo.com
Henry J. Reyenga*
Language: English
Contact:
1906 Englewood Dr.
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616-452-6124
hjreyenga@hotmail.com
Daniel Roukema
Language: English
Contact:
4923 17th Ave. SW
Calgary, AB T3E 0E7
Canada
604-864-4923
danroukema@gmail.com
Ryan Schreiber
Language: English
Contact:
3501 Burton SE, Apt. F
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
616-994-2998
schreiber.ryan@gmail.com
David P. Stockdale*
Language: English
Contact:
6499 Thimbleweed Ln.
Rockford, MI 49341
616-866-4198
dstockdale@netpenny.net
Joyce Suh
Languages: English
and basic Hausa
Contact:
4229 Dulcey Dr.
San Jose, CA 95136
408-229-8206
joycesuh@sbcglobal.net
Nicholas Van Beek
Language: English
Contact:
12951 105th St. SW
Raymond, MN 56282
320-967-4718
nvanbeek01@hotmail.com
David Van Berkel
Languages: English, some French, and a little Korean
Contact:
76 Peter St.
St. Thomas, ON N5R 1T7
Canada
616-915-0546
davevanberkel@yahoo.ca
Zachary Vandenberg*
Language: English
Contact:
1334 Augusta Court E.
Holland, MI 49423
616-566-3311
zachvdb@hotmail.com
Grant Vander Hoek*
Language: English
Contact:
8220 Herar Lane
Mission, BC V2V 7G1
Canada
604-826-2412
grantvanderhoek@gmail.com
Jeff Vandermeer
Language: English
Contact:
8716 Wellington Road 18
RR# 5
Belwood, ON N0B 1J0
Canada
519-843-7363
jdvandermeer@gmail.com
Chad Vandervalk
Language: English
Contact:
PO Box 2559
Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0
Canada
226-448-3081
csvan@yahoo.com
Joshua Van Drunen
Language: English
Contact:
1708 N. 7th St
Sheboygan, WI 53081
641-780-7228
josh_steph_vd@hotmail.com
Craig Van Hill
Language: English
Contact:
520 Graafschap Road
Holland, MI 49423
616-355-2899
cvanhill@gmail.com
Steve Van Noort
Language: English
Contact:
1618 Camellia Dr.
Unit A-2
Munster, IN 46321
219-455-1027
chivalry112@hotmail.com
Joel Van Soelen*
Language: English
Contact:
2865 Englewood Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508
616-241-5466
jtjvanzoo@gmail.com
Mark W. van Stee
Language: English
Contact:
2900 Britton Ct. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
616-240-1707
mwvanstee@gmail.com
Brad Vos
Language: English
Contact:
26200 SW Canyon Creek Rd., Apt. 204
Wilsonville, OR 97070
503-347-4361
bradvos@gmail.com
Aaron Walters
Language: English
Contact:
8393 Twinberry Point
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
605-431-8097
akwalters7.1@gmail.com
Daniel C. Zylstra
Language: English
Contact:
230 Spencley’s Ln.
Peterborough, ON K9H 1R9
Canada
705-749-0636
dzylstra@gmail.com
About the Author
David R. Koll is a retired Christian Reformed pastor. He lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., and is a member of the Anaheim CRC. He was the CRCNA director of candidacy from 2008 to 2021.