Oak Hills Family,

Kelly Te Slaa just completed a two-year Ministry Residency with us in December. She is now serving full-time with Hope Haven International based out of Sioux Falls. In wrapping up her season with us, we wanted to share some short reflections so that everyone would know what a blessing and gift these past two-years have been!

 

From Pastor Jim:

I am so grateful for the two-years God gave us with Kelly. We asked her to come minister with us and to explore the calling that God had given her to serve Him. She brought faith, curiosity, humility, and a passion to serve, week in and week out. It was a blessing to see her face challenges and bring questions and new ideas to her areas of responsibility. She consistently gave her best and she always prioritized people. She would regularly say, “I just want to do the right thing and for God to get the glory.” We know God will continue to use her heart and gifts for His glory, I am glad for our time together.

          Pastor Jim

 

 

From Kelly:

I wish that I could articulate in words just how thankful I am for my time at Oak Hills. At Oak Hills, I have loved and been loved by so many of you, and I am so grateful that you have shared your lives with me. When I made my move in January 2021, I had no idea what God had in store for me. I am truly in awe of His grandeur and His unwavering faithfulness to me in these last 2 years. Jim and Brandon believed in me, and because of that I was able to explore the calling God has put on my life. Through this opportunity, I was able to grow my knowledge of church ministry in a very unique way. I was given the opportunity to learn how to lead a worship team on Sunday morning, and walk in the trenches with students on Wednesday night. While it wasn’t always easy, God continued to be faithful to the calling I’ve been given. He provided me with an army of people who would love me, pray with me and walk alongside me, people who became family, when mine was so far away.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for welcoming me into your family Oak Hills. This opportunity has been an amazing stepping stone into a lifetime of God’s faithfulness.

          With So Much Love,  Kelly Te Slaa

 

 

From Pastor Brandon:

Having Kelly serve as our Ministry resident these last two years has been a gift and a privilege. Of the many things that Kelly accomplished there's no doubt about the dynamic impact she had on our Student Ministry. She formed deep connections with students, built and trained a student band, lead life groups, and provided leadership in many other events and groups. Her influence wasn’t only felt among students but also among OHSM staff as well. Kelly posed important questions, continually spun out creative ideas, and always did so with a humbleness that we can all learn from. I remain incredibly thankful for her time with us. There's no denying that God will continue to use Kelly in the years ahead to love people deeply and illuminate our community with the goodness of the Gospel.

          Pastor Brandon