Brent and Lisa Van Kooten Family Profile By Ryan Hoekstra

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Duane Hensley
5 years ago
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And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 NKJV As summer sprints along, we pause to see what s up with members of Pella II.

1 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 NKJV As summer sprints along, we pause to see what s up with members of Pella II. Meet some of our new additions to the congregation and see what goes on around the world. Brent and Lisa Van Kooten Family Profile By Ryan Hoekstra Brent and Lisa (Houser) Van Kooten were married on February 20 th, 2016 about four and half months ago. It was good to sit down with them recently and catch up on their lives, so we can get to know them better. Both Brent and Lisa were born and raised in Pella. Brent is a son of this congregation and has been a member of Pella II for his entire life, He is the son of Brian and Glenda Van Kooten, and has two older sisters, Stephanie and Tricia, both of whom are married and live in Sully. Lisa is the second daughter of Duane and Barb Houser. Duane is retired from construction and as a police officer, but is currently the Facilities and Grounds Manager at Central College. Barb is the Office Manager of Pella Family Dentistry. Lisa has an older sister who is married and lives in Knoxville. Currently, they re uncle and aunt to Stephanie s two boys, but with expected additions on both sides of their family tree, they ll have two more nephews (or nieces) by the end of the year. Lisa graduated from Pella High School in 2011, and continued her education at Central College, graduating with a Bachelor s degree in elementary education. She is currently pursuing her Master s degree while teaching at Oskaloosa Elementary School, where she teaches fourth grade. This is her second year of teaching there. She loves watching kids succeed. She has observed children get frustrated with a skill, a concept, or an area of study. But then a lightbulb clicks on their minds, and it gives them hope that they can accomplish the task. She also enjoys that Kids have unconditional love for you, they just show it differently. Brent has worked for four and a half years at Two Rivers Cooperative in Agronomy Ag Sales. His job entails visiting with farmers and advising them about crops. The favorite part of his job is interacting with the farmers. As PCHS and PHS graduates respectively, Brent and Lisa didn t run in the same circles, and had never met until mutual friends asked them to talk to each other. So on their first date, Brent carved pumpkins with Lisa and her college roommates. A self-described home body, Lisa connected with Brent s quiet style. So it is not surprising to discover that their first time -1-

2 out together by themselves what they would consider their first date was a trip to Walmart to go grocery shopping! Lisa started attending Pella II with Brent when they started dating. She was baptized and made profession of faith a year ago in July of As one of the younger couples of Pella II, they especially appreciate Pastor Tom s preaching, and the way he connects Biblical truths and teachings with real life in a way that kids can understand it. They love the way he uses humor, and that his messages hit home. Since Lisa started attending Pella II, she s noticed that the church has been changing, with a nice mix of contemporary and traditional elements. Both point to worship style, congregational participation and music as part of those changes. Lisa describes Pella II worship as energetic, and Barbara does a great job with music. It s a complete 360 from last year at this time. On the day of their wedding (in the middle of February) the weather was an incredibly balmy 60 degrees! They are planning a belated Southern honeymoon trip later on this year. When asked about where they would like to travel, they both quickly replied, Alaska! Brent would like to visit New Zealand, citing the Lord of the Rings trilogy where much of those movies were filmed. And Lisa would like to visit Australia someday. Brent has been fishing in Canada six or seven times. Brent and Lisa live in a farmhouse just north of Tassel Ridge Winery near Leighton. It s a quiet place, which complements their quiet lifestyle. Their favorite activity is sitting on the front porch together, watching the sunset. They enjoy going boating and sitting around bonfires. And, with their families nearby, they like spending time with them, bonding together and enjoying their company. So get to know this young couple you ll be glad you did! My Worth Is Not in What I Own By Barbara Boertje DeVries My worth is not in what I own. We as Christians cannot argue that fact. Colossians 3:16 says that songs are meant to teach and admonish us while enabling the word of Christ to dwell in us richly. I d like to share a fairly new song that accomplishes both goals. You should be hearing a beautiful rendition of My Worth Is Not in What I Own in worship in the next couple months, but if you want a sneak preview you re welcome to listen to this recording sung by two of the composers (Keith and Kristyn Getty) at My worth is not in what I own; Not in the strength of flesh and bone, But in the costly wounds of love at the cross. My worth is not in skill or name; In win or lose, in pride or shame, But in the blood of Christ that flowed at the cross. I rejoice in my Redeemer, Greatest treasure, Wellspring of my soul. I will trust in Him, no other; My soul is satisfied in Him alone. As summer flowers we fade and die: Fame, youth and beauty hurry by. -2-

But life eternal calls to us at the cross. I will not boast in wealth or might, Or human wisdom s fleeting light. But I will boast in knowing Christ at the cross.

by Graham Kendrick, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty 2014 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) and Makeway Music (Adm. by musicservices.org). because we had some people come who had helped us in past years.

3 But life eternal calls to us at the cross. I will not boast in wealth or might, Or human wisdom s fleeting light. But I will boast in knowing Christ at the cross. Two wonders here that I confess; My worth and my unworthiness. My value fixed my ransom paid at the cross. by Graham Kendrick, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty 2014 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) and Makeway Music (Adm. by musicservices.org). because we had some people come who had helped us in past years. By 8:45 AM we had our first unit built, boxed, and ready to go to the warehouse and the flow continued all day. The assembly line never really stopped. The church supplied wonderful coffee times and lunch. We had great fun fellowshipping with each other. It was great to see members of all ages helping produce carts that will change lives around the world. Each cart gives hope to another child of God. This song is a reminder of where our true value lies not in our accomplishments, efforts, skills, reputation, wealth, might, or wisdom but in the finished atoning work of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our worth is in the costly wounds of love at the cross. Nothing in this world will satisfy us like Jesus Christ. These are truths we need to remind ourselves (and each other) of constantly. May this song help us do just that. Pella II Blesses PET IA- Leighton By Pete and Carol Verhey About 40 Pella II members showed up on June 3 rd for the annual PET Build Day. Everything went very smoothly partly The group in the wood shop manufactured 45 sets of boxes, side boards, and kick boards. At exactly 4:00 PM we boxed up the 40 th PET cart for the day. I think that is a record for this group. The sewing area was also very productive. They sewed and finished 107 seat back covers. A lot of painting was also done. It was impressive to see how everyone, young and not so young, hung in there and stayed on task. It was amazing to see what the group was able to accomplish in a day. It is also awesome to think that the Pella II family funded all of these units plus more by having the supper and auction for PET IA- -3-

4 Leighton. The funds that Pella II raises in a single evening cover roughly one third of our annual expenses. Some of these units were part of a shipment of 182 PET Carts that were sent to World Vision last week. Plans are being made to ship another container (125 Units) to Haiti later this year. Many Hands For Haiti is planning another PET Trip in February of 2017 if anyone wants to go on a distribution trip. We are so blessed by what Pella II has done for the PET Project over the last several years. Blessings to all of you. Loving Kids in Sierra Leone By Brenda Hugen On May 21 we left with a team for Sierra Leone, Africa. The 30+ hours of travel didn't seem overwhelming as the excitement of seeing the kids and activities we planned had our adrenaline working overtime. After trying to sleep in uncomfortable positions on the plane, and watching many shows and movies, we landed in Freetown. Several members of the team had been to Sierra Leone before and knew what to expect. We waited in line at Customs in the un-air conditioned airport entryway. We walked right off the airplane onto the tarmac nothing fancy, but nobody minded. We had to wait for everyone s luggage, and then get it to the water taxi van. As we made our way from the airport to the water taxi, the first timers got their first look at the poverty of the country. Those who have been there before felt like we were back at home. Due to Pastor Daniel living in the guest house (which happened during the Ebola lockdown) and the large size of our team, we stayed in a hotel a couple of blocks from the orphanage. We were disappointed we weren't able to see the kids that night, but it is hard for the caretakers when we come in after the kiddos are in bed; they know we re coming so they aren't sleeping. It's chaos, so for their sake, we went straight to the hotel. We had been warned this would not be like a US hotel. Although we love staying on site and being with the kids every waking hour, it was nice to have AC and electricity. No more taking your flashlight with you to shower or to the restroom. And we didn t have to worry that every time you roll over you have to make sure your mosquito net is still tucked into your mattress. In the hotel, if the electricity went out, the generator would kick in, and after a minute or two the lights came back on. We always left the orphanage before dark which was between 6:30 and 7:00pm. We would then shower and eat supper together. We ate at the hotel restaurant. Although suppers were never shorter than 2 hours, we just kept telling ourselves that we were on Africa time and spent the time visiting and reliving the day. We ended each day with devotions in Jen's room. -4-

5 We started the day with a prayer out front. One day a staff worker asked to pray for us. He had noticed our routine and wanted to be a part of it. The manager of the hotel came to the orphanage to see what it was all about. Hearing us talking every day, he wanted to see what would bring people here from half a world away. People noticed what we were doing, whether we noticed it or not. One day we went into the community with Pastor Daniel and talked to people about Christ. The people there were always kind enough to listen. I think they were very curious what the Americans were doing, so that helped. As we traveled the dirt roads, we handed out food and candy. You can really draw a crowd that way! The people of Sierra Leone are amazing. The ones we saw have so little, but are so happy, and always so welcoming. We visited a school that The Raining Season helps support. It made me laugh to myself at the idea of our schools letting out for the heat. These kids sit in a metal building with dirt floors in their uniforms in the sweltering heat and are happy to be able to get an education. We talked to the kids and the teachers, and they came out and sang songs to us and listened to Pastor Daniel give a short message to them. This also drew a crowd of curious kids in the area that all came and gathered around to see what was going on. We shared supplies with the school and candy with the onlookers. We also went to visit Auntie Margaret's orphanage. TRS also supports her and the kids there. She has a missionary couple that is working with her and amazing things have happened since I was there two years ago. They are digging a well for her, they put tin all over her house so she no longer has leaks, and they re working on a shower/restroom facility for them. She has 20 kids that she has taken in since her husband was killed in the civil war. Omar, one of the older boys, shared his testimony with us. He hadn't been a Christian until she had taken him in and shown him Christian love and compassion and shared her faith. He now wants to go to theology school and hopes to become a minister. The people there live by faith every day. We cannot fathom that. We have so much, and they don t have anything. No TV, computer, AC, electricity for the majority of the people, indoor plumbing or kitchen, cement floors, welfare to help out, etc, you get the point. While we were there, Jen got the news that she was able to go to the US Embassy and get the paperwork to bring Grace home, so some of our plans were changed to get her things taken care of. We really wanted to bring Grace home with us! Also, the tribal leader and the mother of the boy her family is trying to adopt came to talk to Jen so we were excited that headway is being made. We took all of the kids and the Aunties and Uncles (caretakers) to the beach. I am not sure who had more fun; the Aunties and Uncles were having a blast too! It has been 2 years since teams have been there so supplies were low, the kids had been missing the attention, and they hadn't had an outing in that time. Needless to say they were super excited to see us and have people -5-

to play with them, talk to them, listen and show they are loved and cared about. While Taryn gravitated toward the younger kids, I spent most of my time with the older ones.

They wanted to know all about our family and quizzed us on Uncle Trey, his wife Renae, Uncle Troy, Ty and Teah.

6 to play with them, talk to them, listen and show they are loved and cared about. While Taryn gravitated toward the younger kids, I spent most of my time with the older ones. I brought UNO cards knowing they play it all the time. Their previous cards were gone, so we played many hands of UNO and they wanted to look at the videos and pictures on my phone and camera. They wanted to know all about our family and quizzed us on Uncle Trey, his wife Renae, Uncle Troy, Ty and Teah. We painted the special needs apartment and swapped out good bunk beds for the not-so-good ones. But mostly we spent time with the kids and loved on them. On Sunday, we worshipped with Pastor Daniel. The center opens up for outsiders to come to church on Sundays. It's so hot that as we stood in the back of the room sweat dripped down our backs and legs, but no one complained, we just took it all in and enjoyed our time with everyone knowing that we were leaving soon. The kids wanted to be held and no one said no, even as hot as it was. At the going away ceremony, the kids spoke, sang and prayed. There were tears from all of us and a lot of them. Strong ties had been made, and much love was shared. We had been a small part of their lives, had been able to see into their world. We saw their classes held on site, played with them after school and sat in with them during devotions each night. I know God was with them each night as they recited verses, sang and prayed. In the girls rooms the singing was some of the most beautiful I have ever heard. A solid 30 minutes every night. How many of our children spend that kind of time before bed worshipping, how many of us adults do? The boys have the same rituals, singing was good, but not like the girls. But no matter who we were with, tears were in my eyes, at the way they worship. Amazing, beyond anything I can compare to here, just so trusting in the Lord. The children who are here for different circumstances, whether their parents were deceased, or just not able to care for them, not bitter, just rejoicing in His love and care. They pray for us! Yes, us. Orphans praying for us. Doesn't that seem a little backwards? Maybe not, they get it. They know. They trust with all of their heart. They love, and they love with all of their hearts. Amazing, resilient children. Showing us also what the Lord's love looks like. We would love to talk to you about The Raining Season, the caretakers and children there, the missionaries there, sponsoring kids there. Just ask us! Our hearts now have 2 homes on this earth. Our hearts will never be the same, and for that I am thankful. God is indeed good, all the time! Maybe you will join us on our next trip, and you can see the amazing power of God's love in the hearts of children in Sierra Leone. God Bless! -6-

Congratulations William and Taylor (nee Van Workom) Vande Voort Married May 14, 2016 Lance and Megan (nee McLellan) Nieuwsma Married May 28, 2016 Mitchell and Lindsey (nee Pierson) Palmer Married

7 Congratulations William and Taylor (nee Van Workom) Vande Voort Married May 14, 2016 Lance and Megan (nee McLellan) Nieuwsma Married May 28, 2016 Mitchell and Lindsey (nee Pierson) Palmer Married June 18, 2016 In Memory of Lauren Vander Molen January 6, 1949 June 25, 2016 Thank you for the pictures provided from Hugen s and PET. Pella II Newsletter invites your contribution. Drop a note in the Newsletter box in the church library or contact one of our editors. Joel Vander Molen joelvan@vmtweb.com Ryan Hoekstra hoekstrateam@iowatelecom.net Ruth Van Hal secretary@pella2crc.org

Meet the Vaverka Family By Ryan Hoekstra

Meet the Vaverka Family By Ryan Hoekstra January-February Pella II Newsletter January 1, 2017 Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. Mark 9:37