October 2022 Connections

CONTRIBUTORS

JOAN ENGESETH

The Board of Deaconesses and greeting Sunday worshipers are ideal ways for Joan to serve as she loves to help people. Joan also enjoys good coffee and good conversations.

PHILIP HOSSU

has attended College Church since childhood. He completed a graduate degree in computer science/applied math in 2021 and currently works in financial services. In his spare time, Philip is a self-taught watercolor painter, currently exploring landscapes.

VIRGINIA HUGHES

has served in many ways over the years, mainly those related to children and the deaconess board ministries. She and her husband, Roger, have three grown daughters and often drive to Ann Arbor (MI) to visit their two-year-old grandson.

DEREK JOHANIK

has been involved with College Group since 2020 and plans to graduate from Wheaton College in 2023. In his free time, Derek enjoys being with people and writing.

STEVE KROGH

For over thirty years, Steve served in pastoral ministry in California and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Steve and his wife, Lois, are charter members of College Church’s most recent church plant, Christ Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He currently serves with Training Leaders International.

LINDA MURPHY

Linda’s time at Wheaton Grad School helped rebuild lost memories and prepare her for serving in our kitchens, the Kindergarten Bible school room, and now the church gardens and Repeat Boutique Center. She loves using the beauty of color and textures to encourage people and point them to Jesus.

BARBARA SHOEMAKER

a College church member, lives at Windsor Park in Carol Stream, where she enjoys singing in the choir, playing in the bell choir, playing bridge, reading and crafting. She has four adult children and eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She was married for over 60 years to her husband, Kent, who passed away in October 2021.

MATT SMETHURST

is lead pastor of River City Baptist Church, a new congregation in Richmond, Virginia, and longtime editor for The Gospel Coalition. He’s the author of several books, including Before You Open Your Bible, Before You Share Your Faith and Deacons. Matt and his wife, Maghan, have three young children.

KARA BETH VANCE

currently serves as a mentor with the College Group discipleship team and with our Sanctity of Human Life task force. She works in Wheaton as a financial planner. Kara Beth just finished listening to all the Harry Potter books and made a hard shift to reading a book on strength training philosophy.