Network

I've been a Christian Reformed pastor since 1977, raised in Chicago. In 1978 I first dragged my wife Rose and two children to Costa Rica for language training for work in Latin America. It didn't take too long for Rose to very seriously hear her own call. I thank God for that and for her daily. Rose is now Refugee Coordinator for the CRC in Canada, working in the Burlington, Ontario office and is a trained spiritual director.

We have three grown daughters, scattered from Ottawa, Ontario to Grand Rapids, now one in Washington, D.C., though soon to move back to Columbia, Missouri. Erika is a pastor/chaplain/mother. Her husband Tim Postuma helps run this Network and likes the free labour he gets out of his father-in-law. They have  twins, Lucas and Ella, plus Caleb JAMES! Middle daughter Anna lives in Ottawa, now, She is lawyer working for the Department of Justice after delivering Adele during law school four and half years ago. Currently she is on maternity leave--a year in kindly socialist Canada--after giving birth to Japheth Adrian in September, 2011. Husband Jason Grootenboer teaches at Redeemer Christian High School in Ottawa. Youngest Jessica is a splendid knitter, barista, English major and child and dog lover. Her partner Liz Lucas  took a Master's degree in journalism from Missouri State University and working in Washington, D.C. . There Jessica manages Looped Yarnworks, a knitting and yarn shop and exports samples of warm goodies to family and friends regularly. Their dog Darby is almost as lovable as my German Short-Haired Pointer Dakota, but half the size.

I am pastor of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario. Besides preaching and pastoring, I ride my bike around the Niagara Peninsula and long to cross-country ski, which happens only rarely here. Canoeing happens regularly with hand-made double-bladed paddles, sometimes in wood-canvas canoes I've restored but haven't sold yet. My daughters are getting restored canoes when I get around to them.