I invited our consistory members to prayerfully consider if they would be willing to contribute a letter to the church during the season of Lent. Today’s letter comes from an interview with our beloved deacons, Jessica VanderSlik & Cal VanderSlik…
Dear Rose Park,
I’ve looked over the minutes and records of Rose Park consistories; I’ll be honest, it isn’t the most gripping of reading material but it is informational. In my brief research, I’ve noticed husbands and wives serving together as elders and deacons and certainly relatives, but to my knowledge this is the first time Rose Park has ever had a father and daughter serving at each other’s side. Cal and Jessica VanderSlik are both currently serving as deacons and when I asked them what it was like to serve at each other’s side, they offered these thoughtful responses:
Cal: It is great to see her (Jessica) doing such a great job on consistory; I know she can do anything she puts her mind to.
Jessica: I always thought it would be neat to serve with my parents on consistory at some point…being able to serve our amazing Savior together is so cool to me.
If you know the VanderSlik family well, then this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. The entire family has been deeply involved in the life and health of Rose Park for quite some time; whether it’s volunteering with the youth group, beautifully decorating our bulletin boards, or simply deepening their relationships with you all, the VanderSlik family deeply loves the people of Rose Park.
And like many of you all, they are also deeply committed to the future families of Rose Park. When I asked them each about a hope they have for the future, they both responded with a similar sentiment:
Cal: I hope that Rose Park continues to grow in the neighborhood.
Jessica: I hope to continue being the family of God and to continue growing our Rose Park family.
I am so blessed to serve alongside Jessica and Cal and I think I can safely speak on their behalf when I say, we are so grateful to be invited into your lives as pastors, elders, and deacons. It’s my hope and prayer that each of us can experience that joy of being a member of God’s family here at Rose Park. But I also hope we might be willing to share that same joy with someone else.
During the season of Lent we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and His invitation to everyone to follow Him and receive eternal life; may each of us receive this grace again but also be willing to share it so that the family of God can continue to grow.
On behalf of Jessica and Cal…grace and peace,
Pastor Mark