Here is a recap of some of Calvin University's January Series speakers:

• Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, of their award-winning podcast Pantsuit Politics  dealing with the history of the welfare system in the United States. They are co-authors of the book, " I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening): A Guide to Grace-filled Political Conversations."

As two  Christian  women from opposite sides of the political spectrum and as trained attorneys, their goal is to model how people from opposing political perspectives – as well as members of religious congregations – can have calm, grace-filled conversations  about politics.

Guiding Light has named John C. Harrington chair of its board of directors.

Harrington brings more than 40 years of experience in bank management, executive leadership and business consulting in a number of industries to his new role. As director and principal of Harrington Associates LLC and Harrington & Kieft LLC, his experience in aligning stakeholders, building partnerships and facilitating solutions will be an asset to Guiding Light.

Critter Barn in Zeeland, an educational farm dedicated to teaching about farming and agriculture for people of all ages and all abilities through the miracles in nature found at the farm, was awarded a grant as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center 2021 2nd Cycle Direct Effect Quality of Life grants.

Critter Barn will use the grant award for purchasing seven adaptive tricycles and five activity chairs with trays from the Rifton Equipment Company, who specialize in designing and producing adaptive equipment for persons with disabilities.

Guiding Light Donor Relations Officer Bob Evans has been named one of Senior Neighbors' 16 Over 60 for his engagement in the community and impact on the lives of others. Now in its fourth year, the award program annually selects 16 individuals over the age of 60 in Kent County who have inspired others and positively impacted the community through business excellence and other extraordinary efforts.

For the past five years, Evans' role with Guiding Light has focused on nurturing donor relationships. He helps donors structure their stewardship donations so their contributions can have the greatest impact on individuals who are struggling with homelessness or addiction.

Gary Matthews now works with Celebration Ministry Staffing. Now a retired worship pastor, Gary Matthews has turned his focus to helping bring together worship leaders and churches.

This "matching service" is the mission of Celebration Ministry Staffing, a national organization Matthews joined last year after his retirement from Christ Memorial Church in Holland.

"We help churches find worship pastors and help candidates find what God's plan is for them with churches," said Matthews, 65, from his Holland area home.

The Nashville-based agency is less than three years old but already has an established track record in helping place worship directors and other staff in church leadership.

A few weeks ago Matthews and an associate visited a church north of Grand Rapids. They met with church leaders and pastoral staff, determining what the church was seeking and then looking at possible candidates. "We really do a lot of homework," Matthews said.

Survivor of a grizzly bear attack, Jim VanSteenhouse is also known as “The Bear Man”It's difficult for Jim VanSteenhouse to recall many details from the hours following a grizzly bear attack he endured in the Canadian wilderness.
But he remembers losing a lot of blood.

"There never was a point while I was choppered to base camp and then to the nursing station that I didn't feel blood dripping out of me," said the big game hunter from his Houston area home.

"My clothes were shredded and (the grizzly) tore my head up pretty good."

The attack came seven years ago on one of the mossy ridges stretching down from the Mackenzie Mountain range in the remote Northwest Territories. He and a guide were there bow-hunting moose, and were seated next to each other when a huge grizzly came up behind the hunter's right shoulder "at 4 o'clock."

When the bear lunged he remembers muttering, "Lord, here I come."

Dominican Center at Marywood, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand
Rapids, is moving west down the street from the Marywood Campus at 2025
Fulton Street East to the Aquinas College campus at 1700 Fulton Street East.
Starting Jan. 3, Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College opened its
doors to visitors from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. "Come January 3,
2022, Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas

College will open in what historically was the Bukowski Pastoral Center," said
Prioress Sandra Delgado OP. "This building has been re-formed to house
ministry offices, space for programs and retreat experiences, community gatherings, and prayer."

Cornerstone University announced Alicia Wyant as executive director of the university-owned radio station WCSG. Following a national search, Wyant accepted the position to build on the foundation of the radio station and to expand the impact it has for Christ in a growing community.

Wyant previously was a business owner and previously worked at Cornerstone as a switchboard manager, admissions manager, enrollment counselor and director of development. Her leadership experience, business background, and love for the Lord will help launch WCSG to become a digital multimedia leader that empowers and connects with people around the world, university officials said.

Holland Home president and chief executive officer Mina Breuker has retired after 23 years serving the region's largest and most diverse senior services nonprofit. Current chief operating officer Troy Vugteveen assumes the president/CEO role. Breuker will transition to president emeritus for three months, allowing for a smooth transition within the chief executive office.

Breuker took over as Holland Home's president in November 2014, after longtime leader David Claus announced his retirement. As part of that planned succession, Claus remained CEO until July 2015, at which time Breuker assumed both president and CEO roles. She has been with Holland Home since 1998.

Hope College in Holland associate professor of psychology Daryl Van Tongeren is the recipient of 10 Under 10 alumni Award and the Margaret Gorman Early Career Award for 2022 from the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, a division of the American Psychological Association.

Margaret Gorman Early Career Award is presented to one recipient each year whose innovative research in the psychology of religion is marked by scholarly excellence and has implications for theory, practice or further research, and who completed the doctoral degree within 10 years of the submission deadline.

Base Camp, an urban ministry for kids living in Grand Rapids, has had its offer accepted to purchase the Paragon Bowling Center at 2425 S. Division Ave. for $850,000.

Base Camp is a year-round program that addresses students' educational needs (which includes, but is not limited to, STEM education, literacy education and entry-level vocational training), as well as physical and spiritual needs through Bible studies and worship. Biblical instruction often is fastened with object lessons that keep children engaged, and make the messages relatable.

The ministry reaches out to kids living mainly in the Burton Heights and Roosevelt Park neighborhoods of Grand Rapids. The 30-year ministry has met in several buildings in the Southwest area of Grand Rapids; most recently Solomon's Porch Church in Jenison. It currently temporarily meets at Community Church on near the intersection of 28th St. & Buchanan in Wyoming.