Grand Rapids Christian High has an active alumni base of nearly 20,000 graduates located around the world. Among our graduates are leaders in every walk of life—women and men who use their Christian education to make a positive contribution to their communities and professions.

Alumni Profile – Amy Ruis

The name for Amy Ruis’ business, Art of the Table, refers to multiple forms of art: the art of setting a beautiful table, the art of preparing a wonderful meal, and—most importantly—the art of drawing people together.

“I love to entertain, and I’ve always loved hosting people in my home,” Ruis says. “I love helping people in their quest to have good gatherings.”

A former Sylvan Christian student and a 1989 graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High, Ruis got her first taste of the retail world while a student at Calvin College. Her job in a store selling kitchenwares evolved into a managerial buyer position, and she discovered she loved both the business and the work. Her dream of establishing a shop of her own began to take hold.

She was on the lookout for a suitable location when fellow Calvin grads and church friends suggested the space next to their new venture, Wealthy Bakery. Just four blocks from her home, the boarded-up storefront featured ample square footage, adjacent parking, and perfect neighbors.

“Several Wealthy Bakery customers had said they’d like to see a wine and cheese shop next door,” says Ruis. “It was the perfect site…it all just came together.”

That was in 2003. Today, Ruis finds great satisfaction in juggling the demands of the store, her church (Eastern Avenue CRC), charity auctions and community causes. She’s inspired by her Christian education, which she credits with teaching the heart as well as the head—instilling a firm foundation of faith and a genuine spirit of fellowship.

That may be why when she talks about her customers, she first expresses gratitude for the friendship they bring. “It’s important to keep putting energy back in to the store,” she says. “That’s easy because I’m renewed by the people who come in—they have become my friends.”

Given Ruis’ love of entertaining, it’s not surprising that her specialty food, beverage and tabletop store would itself become a lively gathering space. She is enthusiastic about the Wednesday night wine tastings and charity auction kickoffs she hosts in the store’s warm and welcoming environment, and the strong base of customers who continue to patronize Art of the Table with their presence and their purchases.

“It’s not always about buying,” Ruis notes. “Sometimes it’s just having a comfortable place to gather.” Either way, it’s fun for her. “I’m having a blast,” she says. “And the friends I’ve made through the business are the best part.”

 

Donor Profile – Peter Jonker

Peter Jonker learned the meaning of sacrifice at an early age. His parents modeled it every day.

“My parents lived in smaller homes, drove older cars, and took simpler vacations,” Jonker recalls. “Supporting church and schools were at the top of their priorities.”

Jonker believes that many parents today still value the benefits of a Christian education, but something has changed. “We are less wiling to make sacrifices,” he says. The pastor of Woodlawn CRC, Jonker thinks it is time to re-establish the traditional triangle of church, home and school that has provided a solid foundation of faith for generations.

“It’s the church’s job to hold up the vision of Christian schools and remind people why we have to make those sacrifices at home,” Jonker said. As the father of three children ages 7, 8 and 10, Jonker is a passionate supporter of Christian education in general and Grand Rapids Christian Schools in particular. His children started school at Seymour Christian, then shifted to Sylvan Christian, and this year are enrolled at Oakdale Christian. He admits the last wave of school consolidations has presented challenges in the Jonker household, but still believes the benefits of learning in faith far exceed the costs.

“The thing I love about Christian schools is that there’s always been the understanding that Jesus is Lord of all things,” he says. For his family, that’s the key. “We call on our kids to deepen their faith and commitment to Jesus, to live the kinds of lives that model Jesus in the world, to be the kind of people who have passion for Christianity.”

That means modeling that kind of life as a parent first. As a minister, Jonker is quick to admit that his vocation will never put him in the same financial league as captains of business and industry. Still, he believes it’s important to make the sacrifices his parents did to fully support both church and school.

That conviction is anchored in his own faith, and fanned by his hopes for the developing faith of his children.

“I hope my children will grow up to have a lively love of God and a deep, authentic faith that fills their hearts, souls and minds,” he says. “I hope the works of their hands, the thoughts of their minds and the passions of their hearts are all tied up with the love of Jesus and following God.”

A foundation that strong, he believes, is built on a solid tradition of learning in faith—at home, at church, and at school.