The last few weeks have been full of God’s faithfulness to his church and to Westminster Seminary California as alumni have been ordained and installed in churches around the country! Our prayers go with them and their new congregations as they take up the call for which they came here to be equipped: to serve Christ, his Gospel, and his church.
Here are the most recent ordinations:
JOE STEENHOLDT (MDIV, 2022) Joe was ordained and installed as the pastor of Luverne Christian Reformed Church in Luverne, Minnesota in a service on Sunday, September 18, 2022. The service was led by Pastor LeRoy Christoffels, a Board Member Emeritus of WSC, retired CRC pastor, and Luverne’s CRC’s Classical Counselor. The Charge to the Pastor was given by Brad Jones, an alumnus of WSC (MDiv, 2010) and pastor of Arise Presbyterian Church PCA in Vista, CA. The Charge to the Congregation was delivered by John Klompien, another WSC alumnus and pastor of Calvary CRC in Orange City, IA. Joe is joined in membership at Luverne CRC by his wife Karly and their three children: Olin, Elsy, and Ayla.
CALEY MEZA (MDIV, 2022) Caley was ordained within the Christian Reformed Church to serve Plainfield CRC on Sunday, October 2, 2022 after sustaining his examinations on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Caley connected with this congregation (then Plainfield Community Church) when he interned with fellow alumnus Derek Buikema (MDiv, 2012) last summer. Derek has continued to mentor Caley and even helped to lead the service at the launch of Plainfield CRC on Sunday, September 11, 2022.
MARK ELFFERS (MDIV, 2022) Mark passed his Classis Examination on Thursday, September 8, before Classis Georgetown of the Christian Reformed Church. He was ordained and installed as the pastor of Zutphen Christian Reformed Church in a service on Sunday, September 11. This service was led by Rev. Stephen Terpstra and Rev. Allen Petroelje of Borculo CRC, both of whom mentored Mark during a 12-week internship that he completed in the summer of 2021 as part of WSC’s field education program.
NATE PASCHALL (MDIV, 2021) Nate was ordained in the Presbytery of Minnesota and Wisconsin of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church as pastor of Providence Church OPC in Madison, WI in a service on Friday, October 7. In this unique ceremony, Nate was ordained simultaneously with his fellow pastor, Joseph Wan, who will serve alongside him as the pastor for Providence Orthodox Presbyterian’s Chinese service and congregants. Dr. Bryan Estelle, Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Seminary California, participated in the service as one of Nate’s guests. Fellow WSC alumnus Rev. Eric Hausler (MDiv, 1989) also participated in the service, after mentoring Nate in a year-long internship at Christ the King Presbyterian Church OPC in Naples, FL. Nate also asked Rev. Frank Marsh of Covenant Church OPC to participate in this exciting event.
