Remembering Ted

Jim Alblas
Seminary Friend

I just found out yesterday about the loss of my friend, Ted Vellenga, a greatly saddening thing to hear. I knew Ted during our days together at Calvin Seminary and it was primarily in the school’s Computer Lab that our friendship developed. Some people just bring a smile to us when they enter the room and Ted was one of those people. While toiling over writing papers I conversed with Ted and learned a lot about Him. He was passionate about the environment and being a good steward of God’s creation. He found other students discarded print offs and would manually feed them into the printer using the clean side to print his homework on. He convinced me to use more energy efficient light bulbs in my part time position as a maintenance worker at the school. Late at night I would even see Ted wandering the halls turning of lights in unused rooms. Ted had a heart for fighting against injustice in the world. I remember one December in the computer lab I was pondering what Christmas Gifts to buy and Ted introduced me to the world of fair trade and advised me on some of the downsides to shopping at certain larger stores. Most importantly I learned that Ted was a dedicated Christian man who loved the Lord strongly and served Him well. He was a great listener and encourager, often taking the time to listen to my concerns that I would share with him and never making me feel guilty that my sharing was delaying his paper writing. He was an excellent worship leader and great communicator of God’s word; I appreciated witnessing the few school chapel services that he led and marveled that this soft spoken fellow embodied such confidence and authority from the pulpit.

I remember often voicing my respect for Ted and sharing how I hoped I could be more like him, but he would never allow me to put him on a pedestal and instead always reminded me of my own good qualities. One time he even told me that he thought I would be a good minister, to which I will always be thankful for his compliment.

When Ted told me that he was going on a one-year internship to do ministry in a hospital, I was saddened knowing that I would not be able to enjoy his presence in the computer lab for my final year. But I knew that Ted would be a blessing to all those he would come in contact with, just as he was a blessing to me.

While I will miss Ted, my comfort is in knowing that he is with the Lord and that one day, I will see my friend again.