Living tiny

I saw in the last issue of Spark the article about tiny houses in “A Smaller Footprint.” I thought it was really interesting and wanted to share that my husband and I just moved into a tiny house this past spring. Thanks for printing the article! I wonder how many other Calvin alum are already doing this or are thinking of pursuing tiny house living.

Sarah Petersen Plummer ’09
Ankeny, Iowa

Heart-in-hand

John Calvin started the Academy in Geneva in 1559. He believed that all the issues of life are from the heart. Church, home and school are the major issues of life. Therefore, we need a Christian expression of them, which will become Light for the City.

This basic belief Calvin passed on to the Reformers in many countries, such as the Netherlands. The Reformed ancestors of these disciples of Calvin thus established Christian schools where they settled in North America. They also believed that every area of study can be integrated with the Christian’s basic beliefs, thus the mission of higher Christian higher learning in all the disciplines. To this work of God we offer our hearts, promptly and sincerely.

That is the tradition of Calvin College and that should be its logo and brand. There’s a real market for this since so few other Christian colleges offer the liberal arts in this way—or as well.

Henry Vander Goot ’68
Grand Rapids, Mich.

I read the fall 2015 issue of Spark with joy and dismay. With joy about the news of $4,000 grants to the offspring of alumni and Christian Reformed Church members and that the issue of mental health is being more openly discussed, an issue with which many of us have struggled for years.

With dismay, however, I read that the words and emblem of John Calvin’s seal—which countless numbers of Calvin alumni have personally appropriated as their response to Jesus’ mandate to “seek first the Kingdom of God”—will now be relegated to “official documents” and replaced by a generic, non-distinct, desacralized “re-branding.” I wonder how many other alumni are as dismayed and disappointed by this action as I am?

I would feel somewhat better if I knew that in their “prelude” course all students would be taught the history and meaning of Calvin’s official seal.

Henry J. Hoeks, ’57
Ada, Mich.

Spread the savings

I recently read in the Spark that the college was excited to offer a $4,000 yearly, renewable scholarship to new students who are descendants of previous Calvin attendees or members of the CRC. I also gathered that the reason for this scholarship was that the percentage of students from those backgrounds at Calvin has been dropping recently.

This is a large, very generous savings of up to $16,000 to many students, if I’m reading this right! But while I applaud the college’s generosity, I would like to suggest that in the future, the college consider general tuition cuts rather than savings to specific students, especially from such specific demographics. While our synod in the CRC is trying to diversify and applauds when a greater percentage of members come from different ethnicities and backgrounds, it seems odd that Calvin would actually be saddened that less and less students are of CRC background or from the same families as before. As long as the college is still reaching its maximum attendance each year, I would not lament that they come from more varied cultures and places. It seems to me that we can more effectively spread the influence of the CRC if we preach to the further community and nation rather than the choir!

Darrin Matter ’06
Birch Bay, Wash.

The epitome of a teacher

I noticed in The Banner that Dr. Steve Van Der Weele celebrated his 95th birthday on Oct. 13. I just wanted to pay tribute to an enthusiastic, loving, humble Calvin professor. He had such influence in my professional life!

I had not learned to study in high school, so when I entered Dr. Van Der Weele’s English class, needless to say I was totally incapable of accomplishing the rigors of study that he demanded. However, in his loving support Dr. Van Der Weele continued to see potential and stuck with me to provide lots of correction. I can still see all of the red marks on my papers, but he assured me that those were only for learning to do things the right way. Sometimes, he permitted me to rewrite a story or an abstract paragraph two or three times. I don’t remember the markings on the papers, as much as I remember his patience with me to encourage me. He certainly was the epitome of what it means to be a teacher!

I have self-published several books, and today I pay him tribute for giving me the courage to venture out with my pen. No doubt, underpaid, unappreciated at times and overworked, Dr. Van Der Weele gained his rewards in secret satisfaction, I’m sure. God is faithful to him even in these later years, as he was faithful to me so many years ago and even now.

George J. Groen ’59
Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Questionable cover art

Although it is exciting that something related to art made the cover of the Spark, I would imagine the cover of the summer issue is an embarrassment to the graphic design/art department. To place a photo on the cover with a simple filter is one of the things we were taught never to do in design. It is not a very good reflection of the program the article is celebrating.

Stacy Wierenga ’00
New York, N.Y.