Meet your faith team
Joe Brummel
Chaplain
Personal Info:
Before going into the ministry, I was in law enforcement for five years. After my call, I graduated from New Brunswick Seminary. Before coming to Central, I was involved in youth group and church growth in two different churches. I am married and have three daughters, two of which are Central grads. Two of my daughters are in education and one is the youth pastor at 2nd Reformed Church. I also recently became a grandfather to two grandsons.
What do you do at Central?
I am the campus pastor. I oversee the programs at campus ministries, the leadership teams, and organize our worship services on Tuesdays and Sunday nights.
What do you do on your personal faith journey?
All summer, my wife and I hold our own Christian camps. Those keep us very busy.
What else do you do in your free time?
I love learning what being a grandpa is all about. I also am colorblind, but I love the fall colors.
Don Efinger
Catholic Campus Services Ministries Coordinator
Personal Info:
I have been married to Marilyn for 44 years. We have two children and three grandchildren in Pella. Before coming to Central, I was a business owner and managed a clothing company. My wife and I came to Pella to be with our grandchildren after living in Peoria, Ill. for 34 years. I became an ordained minister in the Catholic Church in 1988 and am a permanent Deacon at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pella.
What do you do at Central?
I lead the Catholic community here at Central. I hold Mass on campus Tuesday evenings, along with Bible studies, small group discussions and retreat programs for Catholic Central students. I’m also available for counseling on students’ Catholic faith. I also help bring students to St. Mary’s Catholic Church near campus for Sunday Mass.
What else do you do in your personal faith journey?
I am involved in retreat work. I also started WATCH (We are the Church) which is a spiritual Catholic church renewal group. It has started sixty churches in 60 states and Belize with 6,000-8,000 people will go through the program every year.
What do you do in your free time?
Youth activities are very important to me. I enjoy playing all kinds of sports with youth, and I’m just learning the Wii. That’s exciting! My family and grandchildren are incredibly important to my wife and me. I enjoyed coaching my grandson’s basketball team last year, and we love to bring our grandchildren to their activities and just spend as much time as we can with them.
Matt Ploeger
Worship Ministry Team Coordinator
Personal Info:
I got married to Jenny in June 2007. I graduated from Northwestern College in 2004 with a degree in music ministry and came here that summer. I grew up in Ackley, Iowa, and my family’s church, Washington Reformed Church, had a big impact on me there.
What do you do at Central?
I am the worship ministry team coordinator. I run the behind-the-scenes aspects of our worship services, for one, but I’m also part of the team that helps our college students in the process of seeking truth.
What do you do in your personal faith journey?
I have found it very important to be part of a faith community, and the biggest passion God has given me has been to live in and help build up the body of Christ. I also focus on having a consistent prayer and scripture life. I enjoy reading challenging books by authors such as CS Lewis, AW Tozer and others, as combining that with scripture reading challenges me and keeps me grounded in God’s truth. It has shown me that God’s truth is not narrow and suffocating, but rather refreshing and enlightening.
What do you do in your free time?
I love music, the fine arts and all sports. I’m a huge Cubs and Vikings fan, but I also cheer for the Bulls — though that doesn’t fit with my MO since they’ve actually won something in the past 100 years! I also play disc golf and read science fiction.
