Sisters and Brothers of East Winds District,
I greet you in the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus.
As you likely are aware, Bishop Bard has appointed me to serve as district superintendent for East Winds in addition to Central Bay for the upcoming appointment year. Perhaps you are wondering just who this new DS is.
I am the eldest of six boys. My mom was elated when I married Debbi nearly 43 years ago and added a female to the immediate family. Debbi and I have five children. Faith and her husband Steve and four grandchildren, Anika, Caleb and his wife Amanda and our fifth grandchild, Amelia, and Gabe.
My ethnicity is Dutch; my father immigrated from the Netherlands in the 50’s. My parents owned and operated a flower shop in Ionia, Michigan, and I was being nurtured to take over the family business from them, but God had another plan for my life. A brother and his wife now run the flower shop.
Having felt God’s call along the way; God finally got my attention by causing me to become allergic to some of the key flowers we worked with. After 15 years of “poking posies” and managing the flower shop, I was appointed as pastor of the Hersey UMC. I also served Galien & Olive Branch UMC’s, Dowagiac: First, and Clare UMC, accepting the Bishop’s appointment to serve as a DS in 2020.
I look forward with great anticipation to meet you and discover the many ways the fine churches of East Winds are living out God’s call to make disciples of Jesus, are worshipping our awesome and loving God, and are ministering into your communities. My understanding of mission as your DS is to partner with you to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus so that as many as possible can know God’s love and be restored in relationship with God for now and for eternity.
I pray God’s blessings and grace be poured out generously in and through you.
DS John Kasper
