Rev. Nick Orange was born and raised in Lowell, IN, and grew up in a local Evangelical congregation, Faith Bible Church, that his grandfather founded. According to Orange, the congregation was a very conservative one, but, he said, it included “some of the kindest and most considerate people I’ve ever known.” After being active in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship as a student at Purdue University, Orange moved to Indianapolis to attend Law School. Orange had planned to build a career as a prosecutor, which were upended by a fortuitous encounter.
Orange explained that he was driving through the city one day in the summer of 2003 when he drove by CTS and became intrigued, set upon by “the most intense and enduring interest in the place.” He contacted the Admissions Office for more information, and, a few weeks later, he was enrolled and ready to start his MDiv.
According to Orange, studying at CTS involved “a total reorientation of my theological, social, and personal (internal) view.” Growing up in a conservative context, he found CTS to be a welcoming yet challenging experience. Nevertheless, he said, “I blossomed as a student and went on to discover my capacity as a student, pastor, and, eventually counselor.”
In January 2010, Orange graduated from CTS with a MDiv/MA in Counseling. After three years serving juvenile sex offenders and their victims for the Indiana Department of Child Services and the Marion County Family Court, he set out on a new journey. In 2013, Orange joined with two other CTS alumni, Dwight Holland and Sandra Donaldson, in founding Family and Community Partners, LLC. The agency specializes in sexual violence, complex trauma, and family preservation services for the Department of Child Services, serving nearly 750 families across central Indiana.
Orange has also served in numerous pastoral ministry roles. He was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and has served congregations at Centenary Christian Church, Olive Branch Christian Church, and First Christian Church Beech Grove. Along with his work at Family and Community Partners, he now also serves as the Associate Pastor and Minister of Pastoral Care at First Christian Church Noblesville.
Orange remains closely connected to CTS as an active member of the alumni. He said he is compelled to remain involved with the seminary because of what CTS means to him and to the larger community. He explained, “CTS means hope in a fractured world, a feeder for many of the finest clinicians (MA & MFT) in the region, cutting-edge efforts to address racial inequity, and, most importantly, a place that celebrates and proclaims the transformative work of Christ in the world.”
Having been a part of the CTS community for nearly 20 years and now a member of the Alumni Board and Board of Trustees, Orange said he is excited about the future: “Quite honestly, I believe that the seminary’s best days are in front of us. It’s an honor serving with the Faculty & Administration of CTS and I look forward to many more years, in the future.”
Learn more about what Orange and other CTS alumni are doing at Family and Community Partners, LLC, here.
Learn more about the ministry and counseling degrees at CTS here.
