BILL KASPER Grew up in Ionia, Mich. • Celebrating 24 years as a pastor • Has an Alaskan husky named Chena • Enjoys golf • Sometimes accompanies his sermons on guitar • He and Wife Vania have one son, jonathan
Since becoming a pastor nearly a quarter of a century ago, Bill Kasper has led churches all over the country. He worked in New Mexico, Texas, Alaska and Washington before accepting his current position at the Hinsdale Seventh-day Adventist Church late last year.
“It’s good to be back,” Kasper said of his return to the Midwest, where he grew up and later attended seminary school before embarking on his career.
Church ministry wasn’t Kasper’s first choice of careers.
“I tried to be a doctor,” Kasper said.
But as he took courses in chemistry and biology, the pull toward the church that helped to shape him since childhood continued.
“I fought God for probably about three years,” said Kasper, who earned a degree in theology from Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. That’s where he met Vânia, his wife of 25 years. Kasper then went on to seminary school in Berrien Springs, Mich.
After arriving in Hinsdale in December, Kasper said he’s still getting to know his new community, the people of his church and the best way to minister to their unique needs.
“Every community is different,” Kasper said.
His role as pastor, however, remains unchanged: to help people build a relationship with Jesus.
Kasper said preparation for the return of Jesus to Earth is at the core of the Seventh-day Adventist faith.
“We believe that Jesus is coming very soon,” Kasper said. When He does, Kasper said, He will take the faithful to heaven. Along with preparing for their own journey, Kasper said Seventh-day Adventists believe in telling others about Jesus’ pending arrival and helping them to ready themselves.
Unlike other mainstream Christian religions, Seventh-day Adventists regard Saturday as the Sabbath and gather for worship on that day. On Sundays, the church shares its space with Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Hinsdale Hospital, now known as UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale, has been tied to the church since its beginning, when all hospital employees were members of the church and worship took place within the hospital’s walls. Located across the street from the hospital at 201 N. Oak St., the church’s connection to the hospital continues today, Kasper said.
“We try to do as much as we can to support the staff, their community projects and things like that,” Kasper said.
Kasper said he prayed about whether to answer the call that would return him and his family to the Midwest, which is still home to his mother and sister. He said God’s answer was clear.
“I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God has called me here to Hinsdale. Throughout the whole process, God opened doors and answered any questions or doubts we had,” Kasper said.
As is the case for so many churches, attendance has suffered since the pandemic of 2020.
“People got used to not coming to church,” he said.
One of his goals as pastor is to get his 850 members back in the pews for worship at 10:45 a.m. each Saturday. Members also can attend virtually via Facebook or YouTube.
“If church is relevant, people will come,” he said.
— story by Sandy Illian Bosch, photo by Jim Slonoff
