Melvin Hugen

So sorry to read about your loss celebrating Mel's life of service Well done thou good and faithful servant He will be enjoying a blessed Easter. Love Ken and Pat sevensma Diekevers

Dr Hagen: my favorite seminary prof, competent, knowledgable, compassionate - the whole package of graciousness.

Dr. Hagen was my pastor when I was in my early teen years at Richton Park Church in Illinois. It was during one of his sermons that God made his salvation clear to me! I remember thinking that it was too bad that our church didn´t have alter calls because I wanted to make a declaration that Christ had just claimed my heart. In all the years of my relationship with Christ I remember often of when it all started for me and I am so thankful for how God used Dr. Hugen in my life!

Good old Mel was a friend of our family ( my dad was a CRC Pastor & knew him from pastoral care circles). I also remember visiting the "hospitality house" in Honolulu after Mel had left there (while I attended School at chaminade University) . When I was at Calvin college in the 80's and then also the Seminary myself (in the 90's) I remember seeing Mel around campus many times. Also often in the exercise room of the gym ( the old exercise room not the fancy new one). He always had a positive...

Our sympathies

Mel was a great professor of pastoral care as well as a strong leader of the church in matters of justice and inclusion. Together with his wonderful wife Sylvia, they were the cool couple around town. They threw great parties that combined extravagant hospitality and deep purpose. It was hard to imagine Mel and Sylvia ever getting old, much less dying. I am deeply grateful to have had Mel as my seminary professor in the 70's. I'm equally grateful for the extravagant hospitality Mel and...

Mel's passing is to me the passing of an era. He was my pastor at Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church, my mentor at Calvin Theological Seminary, and my faculty advisor for my major research paper. Mel shaped many of my ideas about ministry from the get go. His pulpit ministry at Eastern was marked by scholarship, caring faith, and relevance. I especially appreciated the creation of the Baxter Center at Eastern which was a huge, positive, and courageous step in the church's changing...