April 24, 2016 North KentPresbyterian News

 
Special Congregational Meeting Session has called a special congregational meeting after worship on Sunday, May 8 to vote on calling the Rev. Karen Fitz La Barge to be North Kent Presbyterian Church’s Designated Pastor; to vote on the Terms of Call for her, and to vote on the possible dismissal of the Pastor Nominating Committee.  These are the only actions to be taken at this special meeting.
 
OPEN HOUSE FOR PASTOR CANDIDATE
 
The Pastor Nominating Committee would like to invite the congregation to meet and greet our candidate for our new pastor, Pastor Karen Fitz La Barge.  An open house will be held at the church on Saturday, May 7 from 2 pm to 4 pm.  We hope to see you there.  Pastor Karen will be preaching on Sunday, May 8th.
 
 
Candidate for Designated Pastor of North Kent Presbyterian Church

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ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Sunday Rev. Darrin Compagner and a member of the congregation, from the  Blythefield Christian Reformed Church, will be with us following worship. They will talk with us about how their congregation has moved from a mostly older congregation to one that is now multi-generational.  Please get a cup of coffee and a snack from Fellowship Hall following worship and quickly return to the sanctuary for that conversation.  

 
Sunday May 8 The PNC has chosen a candidate for our next Pastor.   We unanimously, and with great enthusiasm, submit for your consideration Karen Fitz La Barge. On May 8th Karen will Candidate and the Session has scheduled a Congregational Meeting for everyone to vote on her.  In the meantime, we hope you will read the biography and take the time to go to her webpage and read some of her sermons and writings.  The members of your PNC believe that you will be as convinced as we are that she is a wonderful choice to lead, and love, NKPC into our future. We will discuss in detail our selection process during the meeting on May 8th.  If you have any questions between now and then, please ask members of the PNC. 
 
 
Sunday, May 15 will be a joyful day to thank our choir and musicians for music which has enhanced our worship all year long, and to recognize our Sunday School teachers and students.  We will also be thanking our Pastoral Nominating Committee for their work on behalf of all of us. We have invited the Moms and Munchkins group to be with us in worship that day. The Membership Committee will host our coffee hour. 
 
 
Please note that on Sunday, May 29 we will begin our summer worship schedule with our service at 10:00 a.m. 
 
 
2016 J.O.Y. Bicycle Ministry Group 
                                                       
The next event is on Saturday, May 14 at 9:00 a.m. Pere Marquette State Trail, Reed City.  
See full schedule on NKPC website:  northkentpresbyterianchurch.com
 
Students NKPC will be sending five of our children to Camp Greenwood on full scholarships this summer!  The session approved tapping into several dormant funds and the Youth Fund to make this possible. Now we want to remind the congregation to keep bringing your RINSED recyclable bottles and cans and place them in the barrels in the Fellowship Hall.  The refunds will enable us to help our youth again next year.
 
Graduate Gifts NKPC will honor any graduates we have this spring.  If  you know of any graduates from  high school, college, technical school, etc. please notify the church office.
 
Concert Support your neighbors by attending the Rockford Community Band and Orchestra in concert today at Rockford High School at 3 pm.
 
 

Karen Fitz La Barge Grandville, MichiganKaren served as Solo Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Allegan from 2010 until 2016. Prior to that she served as the Minister of Lifelong Learning at Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, the Interim Youth Director at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, the Executive Director of WITNESS, a Non Profit at Hope College, and the substitute Chaplain and Worship Leader at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Karen has worked for the American Red Cross and is on the Board of Directors for Machine Guard & Cover Co of Holland, Michigan, a family owned Plastic Thermoforming business.  She has a long list of other training and service to the Presbytery, particularly at Camp Greenwood.  With Session approval, Karen plans to serve as Chaplain at Camp Greenwood for a week this summer (the same week some of the NKPC kids will be there).
Karen grew up on a family farm where she learned to love horses.  Her Dad taught her to fish when she was 8, putting on her own worm and taking off her own fish.  She enjoys board games, best selling novels, growing 125 varieties of roses, collecting Brighton jewelry, poetry, photography, and milk chocolate caramels.
Karen, husband Bill, and 15 year old daughter, Elisa, reside in Grandville.  Elisa is heavily involved in her Robotics team, #288 The RoboDawgs. The family just returned from Alberta, Canada, where the Dawgs competed. The entire family loves Star Wars and the British TV show Dr Who.  Karen was gifted by the youth group at Allegan with their joint project, a full size wooden Tardis (now residing at Bills factory but longing for a new home). Karen maintains that the family is currently owned by three cats.
In addition to doing Website creation and tech consulting for Presbytery of Lake Michigan and Camp Greenwood, Karen is the Website Owner of thoughtfulboldness.com.  The PNC encourages you to visit and explore the website to get a more complete picture of Karen.
Formal Education:
McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago Illinois
Masters of Divinity, 2002
Western Theological Seminary, Holland Michigan
Hope College, Holland Michigan
Bachelors of Arts, 1992 (Double Major: Psychology and Philosophy)

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