David Van Brakle Email & Phone Number

Currently serve with a multi-staff team committed to resourcing church leaders, assisting in pastoral transitions, facilitating workshops, and leading conflict mediation. Responsibilities during COVID included developing, with supervisor, a communication strategy, including moving programs and events online and content creation that engaged congregation leaders and members through social media, videos, and regular mailings. The American Baptist Churches of New Jersey is a diverse network of congregations seeking to be the hands and feet of Christ through camping, evangelistic ministries, public mission, social action, new church planting, and cross-cultural missions. Part of the American Baptist Churches, USA, one of the most diverse denominations in the United States, ABCNJ includes over 280 churches.

Wilmette, Il

Utilizing community organizing tools, developed a strategic plan with staff on engaging in dialogue with the broader community to identify opportunities and needs. These conversations helped form a new worship model, shaped program development, formed strategic community partnerships, and led to community advocacy around minimum wage, affordable housing, and supporting our building space sharer. With leadership, established a long-term agreement, explored further partnerships with space sharers, and successfully fundraised for immediate facility modernizations and safety regulations updates. Managed and supervised staff members in addition to regular pastoral duties.

Increased pastoral care within a 2,000 member congregation by overseeing the development of a lay visitation team and expansion of the Stephen Ministry program, partnered with community organizations and leaders to increase the church’s participation in community outreach activities, and developed a communication plan for funerals and weddings, including follow-ups that increased community engagement beyond occasional services. Pastoral duties included regular preaching responsibilities and weekly worship leadership for three weekly services, leading 100+ annual community funerals and weddings, and providing training, continuing education, retreats, and small group opportunities within our congregation.

Syracuse, New York

Taught courses in interpersonal communication and public speaking,emphasizing personal reflection, relationship building, conflict management, and intercultural communication.

Saginaw, Michigan Area

With leadership, implemented a team-based governance that streamlined decision-making processes and presented opportunities for new leadership. Facilitated a visioning process, which developed short and long-term goals for programming, community activities, and the formation of new ministries, reframing traditions for the next generation. Expanded the youth and children ministry staff, and together curated age-appropriate programming so that young adults, families, children, and youth could form a meaningful personal faith. Increased congregational engagement in the broader community, leading to opportunities within our congregation, such as community dialogues around racial division in the city.

Macedon, New York

Rochester, New York Area

Served as a chaplain for two units, including a pediatric unit, and the entire hospital during nightly on-call rotation. Earned 1 credit of CPE.

Peoria, Il

Dmin

Received a grant funding a project to create a network of clergy serving within their first ten years of congregational ministry that will.

Executive Scholar, Nonprofit Management

Master Of Divinity (M.Div.)

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Theology/Theological Studies