Nathan Koontz is from North Newton, Kansas. After graduating Bethel College in 1999 with majors in Art and Psychology, he and his wife, Esther, served for three years with Mennonite Central Committee in Egypt. Upon returning to the U.S., they settled in Kidron, Ohio where Nathan attended Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, OH. From 2006-2011 Nathan served as Associate Pastor at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton. Then he was Director of Prison Ministries at Offender/Victim Ministries until 2013, followed by a six-year term as Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care at First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, KS. He joined the pastoral staff at Bethel College Mennonite Church on Oct. 1, 2019. He serves as Pastor for Community and Worship. He and Esther have three children. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking and poetry.
Elizabeth works with the pastoral staff and the Deacons to coordinate the care and support of the congregation. A large part of that work will include fleshing out a new version of our visitation practices, reactivating and re-energizing visitation after the disruption of Covid, and developing new ways for us to show our care for each other. She will serve as the volunteer coordinator for visitation.
Much of Elizabeth’s inspiration for this new role comes from three Scripture passages.
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35 (English Standard Version)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (as she memorized it, and as exemplified by her mother)
And a song from her high school years: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. They that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. Beloved, let us love one another. First John four, seven and eight.”
Elizabeth’s hope is that we can savor both the old and new wines of caring and compassion, with a lightness that brings joy and fun into our shared lives, at whatever age or stage we find ourselves.
Rev. Joanna Harader can’t believe how lucky she is to have a job that involves prayer, worship, writing, and hanging out with cool people! She believes that the Holy Spirit works through the church to transform our individual lives and to empower us, together, to work with God toward greater love, peace, and justice in the world. What an honor to be part of this holy calling.
Before coming to Bethel College Mennonite Church in August of 2024, Joanna served as pastor of Peace Mennonite Church in Lawrence, Kansas, for 18 years. She grew up in the American Baptist tradition, the child of two pastors. Joanna was drawn to the Mennonite faith while in graduate school when she and her husband became members of Peace Mennonite. It was her experience at this congregation, along with teaching Bible and theology classes at Ottawa University (Ottawa, KS), that solidified her commitment to Anabaptism and led her to pastoral ministry.
In addition to serving as a pastor, Joanna is also a published writer. You can find her writings in various places including: Voices Together, Leader Magazine, Shine Sunday School curriculum, Christian Century, and on her blog, Spacious Faith. She has also published two devotionals with Herald Press: Expecting Emmanuel (Advent) and Prone to Wander (Lent–forthcoming).
Joanna and her husband, Ryan, have three young adult children and one granddaughter. In addition to the creative work of pastoring and writing, Joanna also enjoys paper crafting, playing board games, reading, and eating chocolate.
