Meet Your US Central Region Connector, Trudy!

What is a Regional/Affinity Group Connector?

Regional Connectors are available to support your congregation and ministry leaders by connecting them with denominational resources so you can thrive in the ministry God has given you. Each of our connectors serve a region of the CRCNA. In addition, our Affinity Group Connectors are the point people for our Hispanic, Korean, SEAPI, and youth/young adult members. 

What region or affinity group do you serve? 

I serve the US Central region which includes 11 classes: Central Plains, Northcentral Iowa, Wisconsin, Lake Superior, Chicago South, Illiana, Northern Illinois, Heartland, Iakota, Yellowstone, and Minnkota. Personally, I live in Milaca, Minnesota and attend Pease CRC. I love serving the many local congregations here in the Midwest ranging from rural to urban. We have some congregations that have memberships larger than the towns they call home, as well as some small(ish) towns that are home to several CRC congregations.  I see a strong sense of family and intergenerational ministry around this region that has also been a huge part of my own family’s story at Pease CRC. But what I love most is being able to support the people in all these congregations that have a heart for their congregation, their community, and around the world.

How did you come into your role? 

I grew up in New Era, Michigan on a dairy farm that’s still owned by my family. I graduated from Dordt College with an education degree and after getting married and moving to Minnesota (which is a great story but too long to get into here…), I started working for Pease CRC as their Ministry Coordinator and was blessed to do that for almost 12 years. In 2016, my pastor came back from a classis meeting and laid a job description on my desk for a new concept called the Connections Project that was looking for regionally based people to support the local CRC congregations in a given region. He said: “You’ve been resourcing Pease CRC for 12 years, maybe you should try doing that for more congregations.” I began working part time for the denomination a few months later. That grew to also working for Faith Formation Ministries, which morphed into Thrive and a new role as a Regional Connector.

In what area of ministry are you most passionate about encouraging and equipping congregations? 

It’s hard for me to narrow down what I am most passionate about when it comes to the local church. My first church job included supporting existing ministries, starting new ones, chairing the education and outreach teams, supporting volunteers, working with the church council, etc… all of these experiences grew my knowledge of and interest in both what each ministry was about, but also for how best to provide leadership in these areas and for the church in general. After 12 years of working in my own congregation and now 8+ years of listening to the experiences of other congregations, I find myself able to speak a little into almost every area of church life. What’s the old saying? “Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one.” I think this is why I love the role of Regional Connector… I get to listen and learn and then connect congregations to the experts and resources that will support them in the best way possible. I love that I get to do that every day! (But if I had to pick a favorite area of ministry that I love to help congregations think about, it would be intergenerational ministry!!)

Visit the Thrive website at crcna.org/thrive/regional-connectors to learn more and reach out to your Connector!