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Chaplain Roster

A large number of RCA ministers serve outside of traditional congregations. As of 2023, there are currently 162 active or prospective full-time chaplains and 63 bi-vocational, transitional, or retired chaplains. They are endorsed by the RCA to the specialized ministry of chaplain, and their ministry takes place in various organizations and settings including:

  • Camp
  • College and Educational
  • Continuing Care Retirement Community/Independent & Assisted Living/Memory Care/Skilled Nursing
  • Correctional (Federal, State, and Local)
  • Hospice
  • Hospital
  • Military (Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, and Military Chaplain Candidates)
  • People with Disabilities
  • Public Safety – Law Enforcement, Fire Fighting, Disaster Relief, and First Responder
  • Residential Treatment
  • Veterans Administration (VA)
  • Workforce – Industrial – Corporate – Community
  • Prospective
  • Transitional, Retired, or Bi-vocational

The highly committed and well-trained clergy serving in these unique settings carry out the ministry and mission of the Reformed Church in America in places that often do not have local churches for people who otherwise may never attend a church.

Chaplains minister to persons who represent a broad spectrum of religious preferences, and they facilitate the religious observance of others whose religious needs they cannot meet directly. They almost always work in the context of a multi-faith team.

Reformed Church chaplains are grounded in their own theological tradition and have a joyful and unapologetic faith commitment, a strong pastoral identity, and a sense of mission to those they serve. Their appointment and continuation as chaplains is contingent upon the approval of the denomination through a process called “ecclesiastical endorsement.” This assures that each chaplain is fully qualified to represent his or her faith group.

Every year all who have been endorsed and certified by the RCA’s Supervisor of Chaplain Ministries to exercise the ministry of chaplain are expected to attend an annual RCA Chaplains Conference. This gathering provides a nurturing place of mutual support and accountability as well as renewal and networking possibilities for participants. The conference provides a place to experience a variety of learning models through theological reflection, and participants identify the experiences as transformative and challenging. The chaplains return to their workplace refreshed and better equipped for their various ministries.

Ecclesiastical endorsement, provided for ordained ministers serving in the specialized ministry of chaplaincy, is the denomination’s official certification of a chaplain’s suitability for this specialized ministry.

For more information contact: Rev. Dr. Alan T. Baker, abaker@rca.org

First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
Steven Peterson Camp
Paul Boersma College and Educational
Joe Brummel College and Educational
Trygve Johnson College and Educational
Chris Pieters College and Educational
Ben Post College and Educational
Jennifer Ryden College and Educational
Dianna Smith College and Educational
Roberta Arden Continuing Care Retirement Community
Caryn Baham Continuing Care Retirement Community
Josh Baron Continuing Care Retirement Community
Heino Blaauw Continuing Care Retirement Community
Kathy Jo Blaske Continuing Care Retirement Community
Hank Bylstra Continuing Care Retirement Community
Timothy Dunn Continuing Care Retirement Community
Henry Elgersma Continuing Care Retirement Community
Nancy Hoerner Continuing Care Retirement Community
Tom Larkin Continuing Care Retirement Community
Rebecca McDonnell Continuing Care Retirement Community
Jamie Moyer Continuing Care Retirement Community
Walter Opmeer Continuing Care Retirement Community
Martyn Van Essen Continuing Care Retirement Community
Gary Van Heukelom Continuing Care Retirement Community
Leigh Van Kempen Continuing Care Retirement Community
Andy Bossardet Correctional
Jon Cooper Correctional
Dan Ebbens Correctional
Nicholas Knebl Correctional
Todd Krygsheld Correctional
Sarah Lindstrom Correctional
Edward Lungu Correctional
Jon Nienhuis Correctional
Jason Wiersma Correctional
Fred Arzola Hospice
Lon Bouma Hospice
E.J. Branch Hospice
Lisa Braunius Hospice
Steve Bristol Hospice
Jim Daniels Hospice
Scott DeLeeuw Hospice
Victor Downing Hospice
First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
Brian Dykema Hospice
Scott Eding Hospice
Bonnie Fee Hospice
Myung Han Hospice
Steven Harthorn Hospice
Charles Hesselink Hospice
Faith Hice Hospice
Steve Hielkema Hospice
Mike Hoppe Hospice
Klaire Jameson Hospice
Kristi Kiel Hospice
Sarah Kok Hospice
Dan Kuik Hospice
Steve Luchies Hospice
Lynne McGarrigan Hospice
Jason Medina Hospice
Kate Meyer Hospice
Cory Moss Hospice
David Penning Hospice
Mark Prestriedge Hospice
Susan Sgarlat Hospice
Larry Terlouw Hospice
Tom Vande Berg Hospice
David Veldt Hospice
Janet Vincent Hospice
Mike Weaver Hospice
Steve Wolters Hospice
Art Zewert Hospice
Patricia Allen Hospital
John Arthur Hospital
Katherine Baker Hospital
Jonathan Bassett Hospital
David Blauw Hospital
Eric Bogerd Hospital
Lindsay Bona Hospital
Timothy Bowyer Hospital
Rachel Brownson Hospital
Sandra Cammenga Hospital
Tony Cowans Hospital
Rachel Daley Hospital
Derek DeJager Hospital
Julia Doellman-Brown Hospital
First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
Puguh Paige Hospital
Tim Ehrhardt Hospital
Anne Elzinga Hospital
Ruth Estell Hospital
Andy Fierro Hospital
Paul Fox Hospital
Anna Gordon Hospital
Scarlet Gorton Hospital
Cathy Gumpert Hospital
Wendy Haack Hospital
Denise Hagler Hospital
Donald Heringa Hospital
Janet Holsather Hospital
Susan Huizenga Hospital
Julie Jones Hospital
Sharon Knibbe Hospital
Keith Krebs Hospital
Baktha Kumar Hospital
Ray Larson Hospital
Shirley Lin Hospital
Steve McNary Hospital
Kristen Meyer Hospital
Jennifer Minier Elliott Hospital
Sarah Naber Samson Hospital
Katherine Newendorp Hospital
Phyllis Palsma Hospital
Brad Redeker Hospital
Izzy Rhodes Hospital
Jose Serrano Hospital
Mark Starr Hospital
James Steward Hospital
Mike Van Hamersveld Hospital
Jennifer VanCleve Hospital
Cindi Veldheer DeYoung Hospital
Craig Wagner Hospital
Cathleen Wolff Hospital
Andy Wood Hospital
Samir Youssef Hospital
Jon Austin Military Active US Air Force
John Barry Military Active US Army
John Boyer Military Active US Air Force
Drew Brennan Military Guard US Army
First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
Steve DeHaan Military Guard US Army
Zach DeWitt Military Candidate US Army
Greg Girard Military Active CA
Jordan Helming Military Guard US Army
Timothy Ippolito Military Reserve US Army
David Kahler Military Guard US Airforce
Mike Kim Military Active US Army
Keith Lightner Military Active US Navy
Marianne Lin Military Reserve US Army
Humberto Lopes Military Active CA
Jacob Marvel Military Guard US Airforce
Brent Mulder Military Active US Air Force
Kyle Nesbitt Military Candidate US Air Force
Shelly-Ann Richmond Military Candidate US Air Force
Derek Vande Slunt Military Active US Navy
Jim De Hoog People with Disabilities
Daniel DeVries People with Disabilities
Carson Culp Public Safety
Micheal Edwards Public Safety
Nathan Weller Public Safety
Ruth Hawley-Lowry Residential Treatment
Darcy Lovgren Pavich Residential Treatment
Judy Van Dyke Residential Treatment
Jim Claggett Veterans Administration
Donald Drewett Veterans Administration
Kim Nielsen Veterans Administration
Nancy Claus Workforce, Industrial, Corporate
Tom McCrossan Workforce, Industrial, Corporate
Judy Nelson Workforce, Industrial, Corporate
Joe Wojnarowski Workforce, Industrial, Corporate
Eric Nichols Prospective
Josh Pruis Prospective
Josh Westhouse Prospective
Antonio Aquino Prospective
Kirsty DePree Prospective
Jason Semans Prospective
Carole Aardsma Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Robert Anderson Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Lee Ausema Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Blues Baker Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Navy
David Bassett Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Ronald Bechtel Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
DeWayne Breen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Wendell Brenneman Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Air Force
Paul Burmeister Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Reserve US Navy
Ock Kee Byun Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Juan Carmona Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Jan Claggett Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Bruce Cook Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Dwayne Decker Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
James DeVries Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Kim Donahue Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Navy
Liz Estes Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Douglas Freeman Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Carl Gearhart Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Kaarin Granberg-Michaelson Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Douglas Groen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
David Grooters Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Lisa Hansen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Verlyn Hemmen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Peg Hoekstra Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Richard Huls Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Don Jiskoot Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Erwin Johnson Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Jim Knol Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Kenneth Kolenbrander Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Kate Kooyman Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
William Laigaie Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Army
Robert Laning Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Nyla Lewis Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Mary Lokers Merrill Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Joseph Loux Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Tom Marsden Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Navy
Sandi Masters Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Vern McNear Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Melody Meeter Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Maury Millican Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Timothy Moermond Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Active US Air Force
Darin Namminga Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Mark Nieuwsma Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
John Nodop Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Mara Norden Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Roger Punt Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
First Last RCA Chaplain Type Military Subtype
Harlan Ratmeyer Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Wilfredo Rodriguez Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Ken Sampson Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
David Schwabauer Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Erv Smith Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Phil Somsen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Ronald Stockhoff Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Harry Ter Maat Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational Reserve US Army
Mark Tjepkema Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Calvin Tysen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Harry Tysen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
B.J. Van Kalsbeek Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Wayne Van Kampen Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Frank Villerius Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Regina Wang Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
David White Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Jayne Yonkman Transitional, Retired, Bi-vocational
Chaplains: Specialized Ministry in a Global Setting