Rev. Kyle Delhagen
Biography
Rev. Kyle Delhagen was called to be the pastor at Hamilton Union in May of 2021, along with his wife, Rev. Elena Delhagen, and their two children, Jumah and Atticus, is overjoyed to be serving this community.
Rev. Delhagen grew up the son of a pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Harold Delhagen, in many places, but he calls Pultneyville, New York, along the shores of Lake Ontario outside of Rochester, home.
A graduate of Hope College (Holland, Michigan) and New Brunswick Theological Seminary (New Brunswick, New Jersey), Pastor Kyle has a deep passion for preaching and teaching, and is deeply committed to issues of justice and reconciliation. Part of what drew him to HUPC is its commitment to becoming a Matthew 25 congregation and being a voice for the voiceless. In sermons, Pastor Kyle regularly lifts up marginalized communities like the LGBTQIA+, advocates for dismantling systems of racism and white supremacy, and disrupting oppressive economic patterns.
“I know that the Church has something to say in our nation and our world about the systems that are damaging families and communities around the globe. Jesus calls us to lean into these hard conversations, and to challenge old ways of thinking. I think people are yearning for something deeper and more expansive in their faith, and community is where change begins.”
Pastor Kyle is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Pastoral Care and Counseling through New Brunswick Theological Seminary, focusing on the ways congregations can aid in healing traumas inflicted upon LGBTQIA+ individuals and families, as well as becoming open and affirming spaces for diverse groups. In his free time (which is rare these busy days!), Pastor Kyle enjoys reading, re-watching past seasons of Dr. Who, and spending time outdoors hiking and fishing.
The following is an excerpt from our MIF:
- What is the congregation’s or organization’s vision for ministry? Additionally describe how this vision is lived out.
We strive to be a visible sign of God’s love, demonstrating Christian values through worship, fellowship and service to others.
2020 challenges prompted us to adapt and find new ways to meet and worship, which were surprisingly successful. We continue to evolve and adapt to changing technologies and opportunities. We long to gather for worship, communion and fellowship when it is safe once again.
Mission is a priority. Members participate in many service projects through our active Mission & Social Witness Team and Presbyterian Women. We strive to increase our awareness and support of needs within our church, community, country and world. We would like to expand our participation in both social justice and environmental issues.
We are currently engaged in discussions of our mission study to focus on future actions for our church. We hope this discernment process will fine-tune our mission goals and cultivate ways to expand our congregational capabilities, leadership and stewardship potential.
We want a pastor to challenge and energize us. She/he will help us create activities and opportunities for young adults and families with children. We hope to increase diversity in our congregation. We want someone who will bolster confidence in our abilities to find new ways to live out Christ’s teachings in our world.
- How do you feel called to reach out to address the emerging needs of your community or constituency?
We feel called to address a variety of challenges within our own congregation: aging issues, health concerns, support for young adults and families with children, the need for continued spiritual renewal and education. We routinely share information so that everyone is aware of specific situations involving members, friends and neighbors.
Moving outside our doors, we find challenges within the community and nearby cities: food insecurity, poverty, homelessness, social justice issues and the loss/lack of connection to faith communities. We look to our community leaders in the school system, library, town government and police department to help identify these needs and make suggestions to provide help and support. We have begun to act as a resource for ways to address these. We have been involved in service projects, partnerships (such as a local campus ministry) and volunteerism to address many of the above issues. We would especially like to find new ways to engage those in our community without a current faith relationship.
Beyond our community we see environmental issues, hunger, lack of education and the need for disaster relief. We have a partnership with a congregation in Malawi and participate in many Church World Service projects. We have sought insights through previous mission/study trips to Malawi and the US-Mexican border. We have worked on disaster relief efforts after hurricanes. We look for new opportunities to carry out Christ’s message.
- How will this position help you to reach your vision and mission goals?
The pastor for HUPC is one who can relate to people of all ages, and especially reach younger minds and show them they are an important part of the church. This pastor can deliver insightful and thought-provoking sermons that will motivate all ages to action.
He/she can help us find more ways to reach out to, assist and engage those in our community without a current faith relationship. We would like a pastor who will help us build on our welcoming atmosphere for such people, so that they may experience the openness of our congregation.
We would also like our new pastor to help HUPC act on our need and desire for diversity (age, gender, race, political ideology). We hope diversity stimulates dialog leading to understanding, tolerance, creative problem solving and a sense of belonging.
We value mission and seek a pastor who can continue to educate us on the theological background for mission and stewardship and help us identify why we are drawn to mission support, experiences and projects. This individual can encourage us to identify our own reasons for wanting to help others and can promote a passion for mission work within our community and beyond. We look forward to a person who will provide leadership and structure for our various ministry teams to create a multi-pronged approach to mission projects.
- Provide a description of the characteristics needed by the person who is open to being called to this congregation and/or organization.
Our next pastor will
- have a rich theological foundation and be able to relate scripture to modern societal challenges be spiritually grounded
- be a good communicator, collaborator and delegator
- effectively communicate with Session, mission teams, Deacons and staff plus meet with them regularly
- offer our ministry teams guidance and support and help them coordinate their goals and activities
- be empathetic and able to offer comfort to the congregation and assist the Deacons in providing pastoral care, as needed, to shut-ins, those with medical issues and members in distress.
- be responsible, reliable and organized
- be able to lead us toward our vision of being a mission-focused church within our abilities and opportunities
- share our respect for work/life balance and the importance of self-care
- be a creative thinker who can bring fresh ideas to the table
- be a warm, flexible person with an aptitude for building bridges across generations and differences
- be able to relate to congregation members of all ages and with diverse points of view and backgrounds
- be able to work effectively with technology and help us incorporate it into our programs walk on water (checking to see if you have a sense of humor!)
- For what specific tasks, assignments, and program areas will this person have responsibility?
Worship
- Work with Worship Team and staff to organize, prepare and lead weekly, seasonal and special worship services
- Work with Worship Team to explore options for new, alternative or additional worship services
- Serve or arrange for monthly communion at regular and special services, including home communion for those unable to attend the monthly communion
- Officiate at baptisms, weddings and funerals
Pastoral Care
- Teach us how best to conduct hospital, nursing home and shut-in home visits
- Provide spiritual care and counseling
Administration
- Moderate Session meetings and support the work of the Deacons
- Support and work with church ministry teams
- Serve as head of staff
- Schedule open office hours at various times
Christian Education
- Work with Christian Ed Team to develop a variety of programs to help us grow in our faith
- Lead confirmation preparation as needed
- Help us identify, nurture and develop leadership potential and provide opportunities among members for the work of Christian service
Community relations
- Build relationships in the neighborhood and community to help us engage the community around us, share our faith and serve others
- Work with all HUPC Teams to create activities and programs that will bring neighbors into our church and/or take the church into the neighborhood
Connectional church relations
- Actively engage in the Presbytery