It is always exciting to welcome a new family to the Northwestern College family and the Orange City area. This fall the Williams family of four joined the Raider family.
Jeremy Williams, the head of the family, is an assistant professor of Biblical Studies with a specialty in the Old Testament here at NW. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College, Master of Arts in Teaching from George Fox Evangelical Seminar, and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles. Jeremy’s wife, Amy Williams, is also a professor at NW. She is an Adjunct Professor for Ceramics and First Year Seminar, and the Community Outreach Director for the Art Department. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, Christian Formation, and Ministry from Wheaton College, her Post Baccalaureate in Ceramics from Oregon College of Art and Craft, and her Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from California State University, Long Beach.
The Williamses have two adorable children. Their oldest, Junia, is three years old. Mrs. Williams described her as, “Adventurous, kind, an amazing big sister, and a big fan of sushi!” Their younger child, Silas, is nine and a half months old. As Mrs. Williams put it, “He’s at a stage where he loves to crawl, climb, and investigate anything new in his environment.”
As you can imagine, there is never a dull moment in the Williams’ house. There is also never a dull moment in the Williams’ backyard, as the whole family loves to be outdoors. They love to hike, cruise on boat rides, and go for mountain bike adventures. One thing that really surprised Mrs. Williams about this area was the scenery. “There are a lot more beautiful hilly areas filled with trees than I was expecting,” she said.
The beautiful environment of Sioux County did not disappoint its new, nature-loving residents. In fact, Mrs. Williams has enjoyed nature so much, that she hopes to bring some into her home. She has always wanted to take care of potted plants as a hobby but has so far been unsuccessful. Maybe Orange City can be the magical place where she finds her green thumb. Hopefully, in time, she’ll have a whole garden of potted plants thriving in her home that can serve as a splash of green when winter comes.
The Williams will also be prepared for winter with their brand-new roaster for making coffee. Jeremy is a big fan of drinking coffee, a trait you must acquire while living in the Pacific Northwest. Since getting the roaster, Mr. Williams has enjoyed making his own roasted coffee. He’s enjoyed it so much that it’s become a hobby of sorts for him.
The Williams have lived in many different towns. “We can honestly say that out of all the places we have lived, and we have moved a lot, this has been the most welcoming place we have been,” Mr. Williams said. They love the kindness that the folks of Orange City have shown their whole family. They were brought to this community through God’s calling on both their lives to teach at a Christian undergraduate institution. NW was the perfect place for them to land.
The students of NW have appreciated having the Williams teaching courses. One student in particular, Breanne Van Genderen, a senior psychology major, has enjoyed being in Jeremy’s Old Testament Topics class. One thing she really appreciates about his class is that he encourages questions. He wants his students to know why they study the Bible, not just how to study the Bible. He makes his class personal, not just vague facts that you have to memorize for a test.
The Orange City community and the Raider family gained a huge blessing this fall when the Williams moved to town. They are an adventurous family following the call of the Lord to spread His name to students at NW. If you see them around, make sure to wave, say hello, and thank them for following God’s call on their lives.
