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There have been a number of changes in the positions of the pastors at the Netherlands Union Conference (NUC). Pastor Hans Ponte has been called to work for the church in the Dutch Caribbean; accordingly, as of 1 February 2015 Dr Tom de Bruin will assume his duties as departmental director of Youth and Family Ministries. Pastor Bert Nab will be the new Executive Secretary of the NUC.
calling
The Curaçao-Bonaire Conference (CBC) has called Pastor Ponte to be their Executive Secretary. Ponte is currently responsible for Youth and Family Ministries at the NUC. ‘I have thought about this very carefully, and I’ve decided that I would be delighted at the chance to help build the CBC into a union. I consider it an honour to be able to work in the Caribbean again.’ The Caribbean church is growing rapidly, and urgently needs good, experienced leaders like Ponte. The CBC also faces challenging times ahead. As a conference they currently fall directly under the Inter-American Division, and they have plans to become a union conference in the near future.
‘Hans will definitely be missed as youth leader. His energy and adaptability have been a great inspiration to the youth, and to us all. When he leaves it will be a great loss for the Dutch church, but a great gain for the Caribbean one,’ said Dr De Bruin, Executive Secretary for the NUC.
Youth Leader
The Executive Committee appointed De Bruin to take over from Ponte. De Bruin, who is currently the Executive Secretary for the NUC, is very enthusiastic about meeting this new challenge: ‘In the past year we’ve made great strides in organising the NUC secretariat. The job is never finished, but things are currently in order, and I feel I can hand them over to my successor with confidence.’
‘i want to thank Hans and Tom for their substantial contributions’
‘I want to thank both Hans and Tom for their substantial contributions,’ said NUC President Wim Altink. ‘Hans Ponte has strengthened NUC Scouting with new groups, particularly from the Pathfinder tradition, and that has been an important step. Additionally, with the help of Lemuel Comvalius and numerous volunteers Hans organised a wonderful TED-Camporee in Ommen last summer.Tom de Bruin has made valuable contributions to the secretariat: for the first time we have a Working Policy, where all of the NUC’s official policies are recorded. Tom also ensured that our work at the Union Office has become more transparent for the members through the publication of a Year-End Report, as well as through our website and social media.’
De Bruin has been a pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2007. Before his nomination as Executive Secretary he served as the pastor of Huis ter Heide, a church whose membership included a strong youth majority. There De Bruin was able to gain a great deal of experience in youth work. The Executive Committee believes that he is capable of filling Ponte’s shoes, and continuing along the path Ponte has laid out.
‘I look forward to working with youth,’ De Bruin said. ‘Together we can make faith relevant and useful for the younger generations. I hope to stir up the enthusiasm and energy of the youth in the Netherlands, and deploy it to help fulfil our mission here.’
Pastor Bert Nab will fill the vacancy of Executive Secretary left by De Bruin’s move to Youth and Family Ministries. The Executive Committee is very pleased that Nab was willing to accept this calling. He is an excellent organiser, a talented writer, and has a great deal of experience in the church at both local and conference level.
Executive Secretary
Nab was already a member of the Executive Committee, and extremely active in other national committees. He is the president of the ESDA (Voice of Prophecy) board of advisors, a member of the church Committee for Personnel and Social Affairs, editorial board member and regular writer for the magazine Contact, district pastor for the South-West Netherlands district, and is also responsible for the Stewardship department. Through this experience he already has an overview of the various current affairs and policies. Nab has worked as a pastor for the Seventh-day Adventist Church for nearly 25 years, and currently pastors congregations in Heerlen and Eindhoven. ‘After spending 25 years in the local churches, I feel privileged to be able to engage with national policy and church affairs,’ said Nab.
De Bruin and Nab will spend the coming months adjusting to their new roles and taking on new responsibilities, and from 1 February 2015 they will each be fully committed to their new positions. A new pastor will be found for the churches in Heerlen and Eindhoven as swiftly as possible.
‘These changes were unexpected, but I’m glad that Tom de Bruin and Bert Nab are willing to fully commit themselves to this new challenge. I wish them and Hans Ponte, who is leaving shortly for the Dutch Caribbean, all of God’s wisdom and strength,’ said NUC president Wim Altink.
