Spiritual Care
Our Faith Integration into Our resident’s Lives
As a faith-based organization, Baruch Senior Ministries integrates residents’ physical care with emotional and spiritual care: recognizing both as an essential aspect of a resident’s life. For this reason, the Spiritual Care Team offers compassionate, personalized spiritual care in accordance with each resident’s spiritual beliefs and practices.
The Baruch Spiritual Care Team
A Team Solely Dedicated to the Care of Your Loved One’s Spiritual Life
Spiritual Care Integrated Into Everyday Life
Baruch’s faith focus leads our team to integrate spiritual care into the everyday lives of our residents. We partner with churches and chaplains to provide regular prayer, worship, and community of faith.
If you would like to become a Spiritual Care Partner, please fill out this application and return it to Joan Cornelison at joan.cornelison@baruchsls.org.
Prayer & Chaplain Services
At Baruch, there’s always someone to pray with your loved one. We work with chaplains to provide regular prayer and spiritual guidance.
Church & Worship
We provide regular church services and worship opportunities for our residents, including music, prayer, and encouraging sermons.
Church Partnerships
Each of our communities works with local churches to keep our residents plugged in to their local faith community and thriving in fellowship.
Worship & Fellowship At Baruch
Beyond Just Physical Care
Monday Morning Meditations
Spiritual Care Team Members
We care about our resident’s spiritual lives so much we have a team dedicated to ensuring they receive every opportunity for prayer and connection. Meet the members of our Spiritual Care Team below.
Joan Cornelison
Vice President of Spiritual Care and Church Partnerships
Joan Cornelison
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6
Joan graduated from Kenyatta University-Nairobi, Kenya (B. Ed.; MA-World Literature); Reformed Bible College-Grand Rapids, MI (Christian Ministry/Major-Administration); United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH (M.Div.) and spent her Clinical Pastoral Education at Residency-Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI.
Joan lives in Grand Rapids, MI and enjoys gardening, writing devotions and short stories, and cooking authentic Kenyan dishes to share with friends. Joan has worked with Baruch Senior Ministries since September 2020 and currently serves in our Corporate Office.
Joan says, “It is such a privilege to walk alongside people at this stage in their lives and be part of a team that is committed to honoring God by serving people as they age. Even as I serve, my own life is enriched by the kindness, wisdom, humor, and experiences of our residents. The best thing about this role is that no one takes the journey alone. Chaplains bring the presence of the sacred into every situation.”
Val Vandehaar
Chaplain
Val Vandehaar
"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me." John 15:5
Val graduated from Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, MI in 2010 and Calvin Theological Seminary in 2012.
She lives in Lansing, MI with her husband and they have 5 adult sons, 4 daughters-in-law, 4 grandsons and two granddaughters. Val loves spending time with family, gardening, Lake Michigan, the beach and eating ice cream! She has been working with Baruch Senior Ministries since June 2014 and currently serves in our Freeland, Flushing, Lowell, Rockford, Walker, and Grandville homes.
Val loves walking alongside not only the residents, but also the staff and families. Listening to their stories, praying with them, laughing with them, crying with them, and joining them in their walk with the Lord.
Karen Henderlong
Chaplain
Karen Henderlong
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
Karen graduated from Hope College – Holland, MI with a B.A.,Psych/Math double major; Colgate Rochester Divinity School – Rochester NY with a M.Div. and spent her Clinical Pastoral Education residency in Evansville, IN for Board Certification as Chaplain.
Karen lives in Roscommon right in the center of beautiful northern Michigan. Her hobbies include hiking, swimming, cross country skiing, and helping her church with leading worship. She loves to read and listen to audio books while driving. She especially enjoys listening to audio books about topics from the Bible to growing as a person, science and nature.
Karen has worked with Baruch Senior Ministries since August 2021 and currently serves the northern Michigan facilities from the northernmost place at Cedarville, MI in the UP to the southern edge of the northern territory at Hale and Cadillac.
Karen journeys alongside people of all backgrounds during both joyful and difficult life moments. She believes it is a privilege to hear their stories, be present to support, and to remember we share the Light of God with one another.
Jeff Meyers
Chaplain
Jeff Meyers
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Jeff graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO Masters and University of Wisconsin—Whitewater with a Bachelors. Jeff lives in Vicksburg, MI with his wife, Becky.
Through the years Jeff has enjoyed several hobbies; such as, rowing, duck decoy carving, and collecting antiquarian books. He currently enjoys traveling with his family. He has walked the Great Wall of China with his son, hiked the Inca Trail with his daughter, and toured Israel with his wife. Jeff and his wife enjoy exploring Michigan.
Jeff has worked with Baruch Senior Ministries since January, 2021 and currently serves as Chaplain at seven Baruch communities.
Jeff enjoys encouraging people to draw near to God through prayer, worship, and personal conversation.
David Price
Chaplain
David Price
Bio coming soon!
Spiritual Care Updates
Find our latest encouraging words, written by our Spiritual Care Team here.
The Satisfied Soul – November Spiritual Care Blog
Fall is beautiful. The trees are full of color. The geese are flying overhead. The bluebirds are flocking to make the trip south. It is
Love Thy Neighbor – October Spiritual Care Blog
I am grateful for my neighbors. One day while power washing my porch, the power washer quit working. So I called my neighbor to borrow
God’s Immeasurable Love – September Spiritual Care Blog
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and