Women of Influence: Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier
Job Title: Lead Pastor, Pastor of Embracing at Maple Avenue Ministries in HollandCalling: To be a prophetic voice and a missionary to the Church
Denise Grier has many titles. She's called lead pastor, prophet, mission liaison, mom, foster mom, board member, Mama D, and Big Mama. She happily embraces each one, stepping into her many roles that allow her to reach into the church, community, and individual lives.
"My prophetic role in the Holland community has been key to bringing in like-minded partners around the church," said Grier. "And I get to pastor the greatest people in the world. I'm so grateful God trusts me and gives me innovation and inspiration in my roles."
Grier spent her first five years in foster care, a time she remembers as abusive and traumatic on many levels, before being adopted at age seven with her brother. She grew up in New York City, but moved to North Carolina while in high school. There she "connected to a church and gravitated to the God who loves me," she said. She asked herself, "How are you going to live your life according to how God has designed you?'"
Job Title: Lead Pastor of Tribes Church; author, speaker, and life and leadership coach
This is the column in which West Michigan Christian News writer Terry DeBoer surveys the landscape for the area's faith-inspired arts/entertainment/enrichment events in the month of May 2021
West Michigan Cookie Cutters Haircuts has partnered with Lavender Life Company to give back to kids in residential care at Wedgwood Christian Services.
The Office of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of
Senior services provider Holland Home, a nonprofit that's committed to follow Christ's teachings and examples in all that it does, is keeping older adults healthy and connected to their communities throughout the pandemic with exergaming.
Zeeland Christian School teacher Carla Zastrow said a new book is teaching students lessons about forgiveness, joy, and hope during the COVID-19 lockdown. Titled "At Psalms School/En la escuela de los Salmos" and presented in Spanish and English, the book is especially geared to help young people better understand and pray the Psalms.
Generation Spark is an intergenerational ministry strategy that pairs young adults (ages 16–24) with mentors (adults ages 45 and up). Hope College began the mentorship program in 2017. Through a one-on-one relationship, students and mentors work together to identify and solve real-life problems in their church or community. This model allows both partners to learn from each other, to make a difference in their church or community, and to develop skills in leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving. There is also an emphasis on calling, faith, and prayer.
