Resource Authors

John van de Laar founded Sacredise in 2004. John is a liturgist with 40 years of experience in a wide variety of church, community, and musical settings. Since leaving the Methodist ministry in October 2019 John has devoted his time to helping churches navigate the new and growing reality of...

Christoph Weigel (the Elder), aka Johann Christoph Weigel (1654-1725), was a German engraver, art dealer, and publisher active in Nuremberg in the early 1700s. During his lifetime he published 70 books and series of engravings. (Source: wikipedia.org, vintage-maps.com; photo: public domain)

Joan Stott (d. July 2025) was a writer at The Timeless Psalms and former leader in various church outreach and missions programs. She has also served in leadership positions in the World Methodist Council and Australian Church Women, Australia's national women's ecumenical organization. (Source and photo: http://www.thetimelesspsalms.net/)

Rev. Bosco Peters served as a priest in the Anglican Church in rural and urban parishes in Australia and New Zealand, and retired after twenty-four years serving as Chaplain at Christ's College, Canterbury (New Zealand), an Anglican secondary school for boys. He is a graduate of Melbourne College of Divinity,...

Rev. Dr. Marvin C. Griffin (1923-2014) was a Baptist pastor and denominational statesman known for his efforts to improve economic and educational opportunities for African-Americans in Austin, TX. He was the first black president of the Austin school board, served as the pastor for Ebenezer Baptist Church for forty-two years, and...

Thom Shuman has served as head pastor at Galloway Presbyterian Church, in Galloway, OH since 2010. Shuman is also a poet, and blogger who has written many collections of prayers, liturgies, and poems, often in collaboration with the Iona Community and Wild Goose Publications. (Source: gallowaypresbyterian.org)

Rev. Doug Bratt retired in 2024 after serving churches in Iowa, Michigan, and Maryland. He has been an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church for nearly 33 years. (Source: thebanner.org; photo: sscrc.org)

Dr. Craig R. Koester is professor emertius and the Asher O. and Carrie Nasby chair of New Testament Studies at Luther Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of Saint Olaf College, Luther Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminar. He served as a parish pastor for several years in Princeton, Minnesota,...

Margaret Mowczko is a writer and teacher based in Sydney, Australia. Her writing interests focus on Christian egalitarianism, discussions about women in ministry, and the equality and mutuality of men and women in Christian marriage and ministry. She graduated from the Australian College of Ministries and Macquarie University. (Source and...

David Bast is one of Groundwork's original, founding co-hosts, and retired from Groundwork in May 2021. He also served as the President and Broadcast Minister of Words of Hope for 23 years until he retired in January 2017. Prior to his ministry and work at Words of Hope, Dave served...