Student Pastors for 2020-21

Hopewell Presbyterian Church has a rich history of working with Princeton Theological Seminary to facilitate the growth of future church leaders. We are so excited to have two seminary students joining us. The roles that they will fill are as follows:

Katie Rosenson, Student Pastor for Faith Formation: Building our unique model Christian education, Katie will work with us to explore what it means to weave together education and worship, to do institutional reformation, and particularly to grow in the ways we facilitate the leadership of youth and children in our church.

Katie holds a B.A. in Philosophy of Religion and English from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Currently, Katie is pursuing her Masters of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary and is seeking ordination in the PC(USA). She is extremely passionate Intergenerational and Youth ministry, Christian Education, interfaith work, and social justice.

In addition to serving college students in a variety of campus ministry settings during college, Katie has served as a Pastoral Intern at a medium-sized church in Asheville, NC, an Intern for Adult Education at a large Presbyterian church in Nashville, and she spent three consecutive summers serving as Vacation Bible School Director and then Interim Director of Children’s and Youth Ministry at a small church in South Pasadena, CA. Most recently, she spent the summer working at a large PC(USA) church in Scottsdale, AZ doing Children and Family Ministry as well as working for the church’s education and outreach center.

Born and raised in an interfaith family in the Chicago suburbs, Katie loves exploring big questions and learning amongst diverse points of view. One of her favorite parts of ministry is walking alongside people of all ages, but especially young people, as they grapple with the complexities of this beautiful faith and the world at large.

Katie is an avid reader, and as a life-long choir nerd, she loves all things musical. Although Katie will be with us virtually this year, she is so excited to get to work with and learn from our special community and looks forward to getting to know you all!

Ben Kreider, Student Pastor for Hopewell Council of Churches:  We are working with the Hopewell Council of Churches to offer a placement in ecumenical community organizing. While Ben will be "placed with HPC" their responsibility will be to enhance the work of the Council of Churches by growing in areas of: organization leadership, communication, ecumenical worship leadership, and community care.

Ben is a 2nd year M.Div. student at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is originally from central Kansas where he directed prison programs at a restorative justice nonprofit for three years. Ben studied Bible/Religion and Social Work at Bethel College (KS) and has also lived and worked in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and Albuquerque, NM. Ben has worked a variety of jobs - mental health case worker, wilderness trail crew member, student chaplain, camp summer staffer, and in construction. He enjoys gardening, woodworking, cooking/BBQ, soccer, the outdoors, and life in Central Jersey with his wife Alli (a fellow seminary student!). Although Ben comes out of the Anabaptist/Mennonite tradition, he is excited to learn from a variety of churches in Hopewell as they seek to follow Jesus in the context of the local community!