Vice President
Herb Buwalda joined the Horizons team after serving 43 years in pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church, including 15 years as Lead Pastor of Clay Church, South Bend, Indiana. During Herb’s tenure at Clay, the congregation experienced a time of growth in membership, worship participation, mission, small group life, and stewardship. This period also included the construction of a second ministry campus and the renovation of the original campus as a youth center.
Herb also served as a consultant and ministry coach for Church Development in the Indiana Conference.
Those fortunate to work with him will immediately recognize his heart for ministry and passion to accomplish God-sized goals. His approach to consulting is pastoral in nature, as he encourages pastors and lay leaders through the stewardship process by the use of careful listening and coaching.
Herb graduated from Taylor University (BA in Philosophy), United Theological Seminary (M. Div., Theology), and McCormick Theological Seminary (D. Min., Parish Revitalization).
He enjoys many outdoor activities, especially those that take place on or around a lake. Herb’s deepest joys come from time spent with his family—his wife, LeeAnne; two grown daughters, Gina and Kelly; a son-in-law, Jason; and two grandchildren, Matilda and Shepard.