Staff and Leadership

Ryan Bajema

Lead Pastor

Ryan is the primary preacher on Sunday mornings and provides leadership to the staff as well as the overall church. He works closely with our worship leaders in the formation of our worship services, and also has a passion to raise up new leaders in ministry at FRC.

He really enjoys running, hiking, and being outside as well as spending time with his family.

Tricia Heeringa

Administrator

Tricia serves as the administrator at FRC. Her role involves keeping accurate financial records, providing staff support, and working alongside different committees to guide the church in operating efficiently. She also volunteers for JAM, FRC’s junior high ministry. Her husband Ryan and her have two amazing kids- Grant (21) and Alena (16). Her hobbies are running, cooking, and being with her family.

Chuck Kleinhesselink

Pastor of Congregational Life

Chuck recently retired from full time pastoral ministry at Nooksack Valley Reformed Church in 2019. Together with his wife Jean, who works part time at Lynden Christian Elementary as a counselor, have three children. Two are married and living in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Their youngest daughter is presently a student at the University of South Dakota.

Kristi Thies

Director of Children's Ministries

Kristi provides leadership and and oversight for our FRC Kidz ministry including The Crib (birth to 2), PreKidz (3yrs through pre-K) and FRC Kidz (K-5th grade). She partners closely with parents to raise up young children of God that can stand firm in their faith connecting with God and their peers, growing steadily in their personal relationship with our Lord Jesus, equipping them to serve both God and others to the extent they can go out and share their faith wherever God leads them in their future.

Lise Jamison

Connections and Care Coordinator 

Lise serves as FRC's Connections & Care Coordinator.  She works in many areas here; keeping the front desk organized (the best she can :), answering phones, greeting  people who come in the office, help with worship, organize and arrange Helping Hands (Meal Ministry); and helps communicate to our church body through email!
She loves coming to work every day, and knowing that she is around people that love the Lord and are doing the best to spread Christ's light in our community!
She loves spending time in the morning drinking a cup of coffee with her husband, and visit her growing kids as much as possible.

Abe Nienhuis

A/V Director

Abe serves as the A/V Director of FRC. His primary focus is making sure the tech in and around the campus is working great, as well as designing the media all over FRC. Abe is married to Hannah, who works locally as a nurse. His hobbies include making art, studying theology, and listening to music.

Dan VanBeek

Treasurer

Dan serves as the Treasurer of First Reformed Church where he assists in overseeing the church’s finances and maintains stewardship of the church’s funds. He is a Partner at Larson Gross CPAs & Consultants where he helps owner operated businesses in the areas of taxation, proactive tax planning, profitability analyses, ownership transition, and various other types of strategic business planning. He is married to Shelli and they have 3 children – Emersyn, Abigail and Rhett. He enjoys hiking, fishing, hunting, archery and camping trips with family.

Debbie Rottier

Congregational Life

Debbie grew up in Lynden and FRC then joined YWAM in 1982. She has served in the hospitality ministry in the mission with training, hosting major events and oversight in different ministry locations around the world. She is an author to A Cup of Cold Water. There is a special spot in her heart for women to reach their full potential and enjoys mentoring and walking alongside them. Debbie is married to Arnold and has 3 adult children and a lovely daughter in law! They still are full time YWAMers bringing on - sight training in the area of community development and hospitality to YWAM ministry locations. In between their international assignments, they get to call Lynden their home.

Maxine Tellefsen

Custodian

Maxine was raised in Everson and moved to Lynden 28 years ago, when she married her dear husband Matt. They have two children; Olivia, and Nicholas, and will be adding a son in law this July.  Maxine loves to serve others, host, quilt, fish, and travel. Her life verse: Ephesians 4:32

Leadership

6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 1:6-9

Elders

Phil Dykstra
Jerry Roetcisoender
Corey Jamison
John VanDalen
Fidelis Eze
Ladd Tjoelker

Deacons

Luke Jacob
Brett VanWeerdhuizen
Scott Smit
Mike Scholten
Dan VanBeek
Jake VanBerkum