Feb. 1, 2022
Cheryl Sjaarda, our Finance Administrator, will be retiring at the end of February after serving faithfully at St. Philip the Deacon for more than 12 years.
During her tenure, the finances of the congregation—including the multiple financial instruments our generous members use to support our mission and ministry—has expanded and become much more complex. In response to that dynamic, Cheryl has helped us create robust systems and processes that leave our finance office in wonderful shape.
“I say regularly that St. Philip the Deacon is a healthy congregation,” said Pastor Tim Westermeyer, “and one of the measures of that is our financial health. Cheryl has supported that health in all kinds of ways during her tenure, and I am grateful to her for being such a blessing to the congregation. We will miss her attention to detail, her conscientiousness and her warm presence, and we send her off with our profound gratitude and God’s richest blessings.”
In her retirement, Cheryl and her husband Marlin will be pursuing a long-time dream to move back to the town they both grew up in—Paullina, Iowa—which they plan to do later this year.
Her last day will be Sunday, February 27, when we will have a chance to thank her publicly. We are pleased to announce that Moe Hagestuen, who has been working alongside Cheryl for the last four years, will be assuming Cheryl’s role as Finance Administrator.
Thank you, Cheryl—good and faithful servant!