Distinguished Alumni: Allen & Lynn Likkel

For many years, Allen and Lynn Likkel have worked in communities all over North America, planting churches, nurturing these churches, and developing new church leaders. It all started with a summer internship in Mt. Rainier National Park and a full-year internship in Anchorage, Alaska, where their passion was awakened for serving as missionaries among seekers. They then served churches in Waterloo, Iowa, East Islip, New York, and Nanaimo, BC.

Allen worked formally for Christian Reformed Home Missions for nearly 40 years. Allen and Lynn always worked as a ministry team, helping build leaders and new congregations. Following 20 years of church planting ministry, Allen served in New Church Development and as Director of Regional Ministry Teams for CRHM. This work involved recruiting, training, coaching, and connecting leaders throughout Canada and the USA.

Ordained as a Minister of the Word and serving initially in the Mill Creek CRC in Mill Creek, WA, Lynn has served on staff at Madison Sq. CRC and Sherman St. CRC. She completed Clinical Pastoral Education while in a residency at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI. She recently served as a Parish Chaplain through the ministry of Mosaic Church in Bellingham, ministering in the church and the community.

At the end of November 2010, Allen retired from his position with Christian Reformed Home Missions. Allen and Lynn moved back to the Pacific Northwest. Allen has continued to coach church planters and provides leadership and team development for organizations and churches as a Gallup Inc. StrengthsFinder Coach. Allen also began serving as a part-time Development Associate for Calvin Theological Seminary, focusing on the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.

Allen and Lynn serve as Calling Pastors for the older members of Third Christian Reformed Church in Lynden. They are engaged in a community project called Racial Unity Now, promoting racial unity and understanding through book studies, films, and relationship building. They are members of Mosaic Church, a church plant in Bellingham, WA, which began in 2010.

The Likkels have four children. Eric is the pastor of Emmaus Road, a CRC church plant in Seattle, and a jazz musician. Brett is a UX Engineer at T-Mobile in Seattle. Dana is a special education teacher in Spring Lake, MI. Natasha is an adoption counselor and children’s book author living in Dublin, CA. Allen and Lynn have 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild to keep them busy.