Coordinator for the College for Congregational Development

Dear Friends,

With joy, I announce that the Rev. BJ Heyboer will join our bi-diocesan staff, serving as part-time Coordinator of the College for Congregational Development (CCD) in Eastern and Western Michigan. Her new role begins immediately. She continues as rector serving St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Newaygo.

BJ was ordained to the priesthood in 2016 after completing her M.Div. at Sewanee School of Theology. After her ordination, she served as priest-in-charge with St. John’s, Fremont and St. Mark’s, Newaygo, where she was called in 2019 as rector and director of their connected health and wellness center, Vera’s House. Prior to her ordained ministry, BJ worked for more than twenty years in religious book publishing, most recently as cofounder of Brazos Press and senior marketing director at Brazos and Baker Academic. She is a contributor to Common Prayer: Reflections on Episcopal Worship, edited by Joseph S. Pagano and Amy E. Richter. She and her “episcopup,” George Frederick, live in Newaygo.

As Coordinator of CCD, BJ will organize our training weeks, recruit and equip trainers, and recruit and support our participants in the implementation of their new skills and tools within their communities. BJ can be reached by calling either diocesan office and listening for the list of extensions or by emailing ccd@eastmich.org or ccd@edwm.org.

The first offering of our new bi-diocesan CCD program will take place July 23-28, 2023 in Midland, Michigan. The deadline to register your congregation’s team is June 1st (a change from what was previously announced). Click the links to learn more on our websites: Eastern MIchigan and Western Michigan.

Please join me in celebrating BJ’s ministry with us and welcoming her to this new role!

Blessings,

The Rt. Rev. Prince G. Singh
Bishop Provisional
The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan