Dear Rose Park,

I am the proud coach of the Holland Little League Giants baseball team. Our season officially started this past Saturday with our first game, but Simon and I have been playing catch since the ground first thawed. Almost every day after school, Simon asks to play catch in our lawn. Playing catch is one of my favorite things to do. It makes me think of my childhood and I always smile. As we toss the ball back and forth and fall into a rhythm, I naturally start to think about the church.

Dear Rose Park,

General Synod is both an event and a body of people. The event is a once-a-year gathering that shapes the direction of the denomination. The body of people who gather for the annual event make up one of the four assemblies of the Reformed Church in America. From June 13-18, delegates from around the U.S. and Canada will come together in Tucson, Arizona, for General Synod. They will worship together, fellowship, and deliberate and vote on many things related to the RCA’s ministry.

Dear Rose Park,

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19: 13-14)

Dear Rose Park,

Location, location, location. We often hear this phrase when it comes to real estate, reminding us of the importance of the location of a home when considering purchasing. However, this dynamic goes far beyond real estate; place plays a particularly important role to our growth and maturation process. Whether it’s your childhood home, your hometown, your high school campus, or even your home church place plays a foundational role as to who we are and who we grow to be.

Dear Rose Park,

Yesterday afternoon I had the privilege to officiate a brief committal service for a Holland community member. It was a beautiful day among the trees to praise God, to witness to our faith, and to give thanks for the life of one of God’s children. As we gathered around the graveside, I was again struck by the gracious and loving words of our liturgy.

Dear Rose Park,

Every year Sam and I make a goal to read as many books as we can. Typically, the goal is about 15-25 books each; I know that might sound small to some avid readers, but that’s a pretty hefty goal for each of us. We enjoy reading and we’ve made it a priority to read before we go to bed. Not only does it help us go to sleep, but it also quiets our minds, eliminates the temptation to sit on our phones, and opens us up to a whole new world of conversation and thought.

Dear Rose Park,

As an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament, I have the unique privilege to be involved in some very meaningful services.   Some of those services, like baptisms and professions of faith are called “congregational services” while weddings and funerals are called “pastoral services”.  Beyond these congregational and pastoral services, I also have the unique privilege to be involved in what are called “classical services.” 

Dear Rose Park,

Throughout scripture we encounter a repeated theme: the path of the righteous and the path of the foolish. Easter has come and gone, palm branches are starting to crunch, and we’ve already shouted out He is Risen! However, I’m still pondering the words of Holy Week. I’m still pondering Judas and his willingness to forego an eternal relationship with Christ in order to gain immediate gratification on the path of the foolish.

Dear Rose Park,

This is the sixth and final Lenten-letter that will focus on a central story and book. The story is the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. The book is The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller. As we continue to journey step-in-step with Jesus towards the cross of Calvary, it’s my hope for each and every one of us to recover the heart of our faith in the Risen King.

Dear Rose Park,

This is the fifth Lenten-letter that will focus on a central story and book. The story is the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. The book is The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller. As we continue to journey step-in-step with Jesus towards the cross of Calvary, it’s my hope for each and every one of us to recover the heart of our faith in the Risen King.