 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Co-Pastor The Reverend Kathleen Splitt |
My journey to Adrian .
. .
by Rev. Kathleen Splitt
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for
harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV)
God started me out on a farm in York County, Nebraska. Our family lived on and worked
the Allen family farm, 80 acres that lie adjacent to what is now Interstate 80. I have one
sister who is 15 months older than me. Peg currently lives in McCook Nebraska. When I
was four years old our family moved to another farm near McCool Jct., Nebraska. We
continued to farm the Allen family “80,” but we now had an additional 160 acres that we
rented.
In 4-H I learned to raise beef cattle, sew and cook, among other things. I have always felt
that there is something about being near the earth that gives an advantage over those
raised in a concrete, urban environment. Watching storms roll in, over, and away above
the flat fields of Nebraska, and being dependent upon the earth for provision, offers a
powerful lesson in dependence upon the Creator of it all.
Our family was active in First Presbyterian Church in York Nebraska, a larger community
(and county seat) eight miles North of McCool. We were the “givens.” Whenever the
church doors were open for any reason, it was a “given” that we were there. My parents
both served as deacons and elders, and my mother was often my Sunday morning
teacher. I sang in the children’s choir and remember singing “Raindrops on roses and
whiskers on kittens . . .”, “Doe a deer, a female deer, Re a drop of golden sun . . .”, “I love
to tell the stories . . .” and others. I’m told that my parents were amazed to hear me sing
since I had a “froggy” voice when I first began to talk.
I attended school in a class of 15 who remained together for all 13 years of school, K-12.
We were more like siblings than classmates. Because some of us were also in 4-H
together, we became even more like family, spending not only the school year together,
but also the summers: training our calves, preparing entries for the county fair, practicing
demos for both county fair and state fair, learning songs for the County Fair song contest,
etc.
Upon graduation from McCool Jct. Public School in 1971, I attended the University of
Nebraska Lincoln for one year, and was introduced to the fellowship of avid Cornhusker
fans. There is nothing quite like Lincoln, Nebraska on a home football game day. Any
Cornhusker fans in Adrian?
After marrying, giving birth to three sons (one two years older than twins), and moving to
the presbytery church camp (Calvin Crest) near Fremont, Nebraska, I reentered the world
of academia. I finished my college degree at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont with a
major in English and minors in Spanish and Music. While in college I became a single
mother. When I graduated from college, Jeff and Josh graduated from Jr. high school, and
we all moved to Louisville, Kentucky where I enrolled in seminary and Jeff and Josh
enrolled in high school. We all graduated three years later. My older son, Bill, also moved
to Louisville, and worked most of our time at Papa John’s, tossing and selling pizza.
Throughout the years of raising a family, attending college, and seminary, I was active in
the churches we attended. I taught confirmation classes, directed Logos youth choirs,
helped with VBS, taught adult Bible studies, directed and counseled camps, served on
session committees and as an ordained deacon, planned and led a mission trip, etc., etc.
Church was always central in my sons’ lives just as it was for me while growing up.
While in seminary, I met Jim, who was taking doctoral classes in pastoral counseling. We
began dating and soon discovered we had many things in common, and enjoyed being
together. Upon graduation, because Jim lived near Cincinnati, I applied for a Clinical
Pastoral Education residency at Cincinnati’s Children’s Medical Center and was accepted
into their yearlong resident chaplaincy program.
We were married in July following my graduation in 1997. Our honeymoon was the Habitat
500, (www.habitat500.org) riding and raising money and awareness for Habitat for
Humanity. This summer I will complete my tenth Habitat ride. Jim and I enjoy time together
biking, hiking, and making music (or dancing to it). We especially enjoy “spoiling” three
great-nephews and two great nieces. In addition to our six sons, we are the proud parents
of Ammy (Ashley Amariah), a Birman kitten, and Frodo (Star Shire’s Frodo Waggins) a
Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.
After finishing the residency at Children’s Hospital I accepted a call and was ordained as
interim minister in Clifton, Ohio. Jim and I have served as Co-pastors in Kimberling City,
Missouri; Hibbing and Keewatin, Minnesota; and Greensburg Indiana.
We are excited that our journey is leading us to partner with you in ministry at Adrian First
Presbyterian Church, and we look forward to meeting all of you.
. .
by Rev. Kathleen Splitt
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for
harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV)
God started me out on a farm in York County, Nebraska. Our family lived on and worked
the Allen family farm, 80 acres that lie adjacent to what is now Interstate 80. I have one
sister who is 15 months older than me. Peg currently lives in McCook Nebraska. When I
was four years old our family moved to another farm near McCool Jct., Nebraska. We
continued to farm the Allen family “80,” but we now had an additional 160 acres that we
rented.
In 4-H I learned to raise beef cattle, sew and cook, among other things. I have always felt
that there is something about being near the earth that gives an advantage over those
raised in a concrete, urban environment. Watching storms roll in, over, and away above
the flat fields of Nebraska, and being dependent upon the earth for provision, offers a
powerful lesson in dependence upon the Creator of it all.
Our family was active in First Presbyterian Church in York Nebraska, a larger community
(and county seat) eight miles North of McCool. We were the “givens.” Whenever the
church doors were open for any reason, it was a “given” that we were there. My parents
both served as deacons and elders, and my mother was often my Sunday morning
teacher. I sang in the children’s choir and remember singing “Raindrops on roses and
whiskers on kittens . . .”, “Doe a deer, a female deer, Re a drop of golden sun . . .”, “I love
to tell the stories . . .” and others. I’m told that my parents were amazed to hear me sing
since I had a “froggy” voice when I first began to talk.
I attended school in a class of 15 who remained together for all 13 years of school, K-12.
We were more like siblings than classmates. Because some of us were also in 4-H
together, we became even more like family, spending not only the school year together,
but also the summers: training our calves, preparing entries for the county fair, practicing
demos for both county fair and state fair, learning songs for the County Fair song contest,
etc.
Upon graduation from McCool Jct. Public School in 1971, I attended the University of
Nebraska Lincoln for one year, and was introduced to the fellowship of avid Cornhusker
fans. There is nothing quite like Lincoln, Nebraska on a home football game day. Any
Cornhusker fans in Adrian?
After marrying, giving birth to three sons (one two years older than twins), and moving to
the presbytery church camp (Calvin Crest) near Fremont, Nebraska, I reentered the world
of academia. I finished my college degree at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont with a
major in English and minors in Spanish and Music. While in college I became a single
mother. When I graduated from college, Jeff and Josh graduated from Jr. high school, and
we all moved to Louisville, Kentucky where I enrolled in seminary and Jeff and Josh
enrolled in high school. We all graduated three years later. My older son, Bill, also moved
to Louisville, and worked most of our time at Papa John’s, tossing and selling pizza.
Throughout the years of raising a family, attending college, and seminary, I was active in
the churches we attended. I taught confirmation classes, directed Logos youth choirs,
helped with VBS, taught adult Bible studies, directed and counseled camps, served on
session committees and as an ordained deacon, planned and led a mission trip, etc., etc.
Church was always central in my sons’ lives just as it was for me while growing up.
While in seminary, I met Jim, who was taking doctoral classes in pastoral counseling. We
began dating and soon discovered we had many things in common, and enjoyed being
together. Upon graduation, because Jim lived near Cincinnati, I applied for a Clinical
Pastoral Education residency at Cincinnati’s Children’s Medical Center and was accepted
into their yearlong resident chaplaincy program.
We were married in July following my graduation in 1997. Our honeymoon was the Habitat
500, (www.habitat500.org) riding and raising money and awareness for Habitat for
Humanity. This summer I will complete my tenth Habitat ride. Jim and I enjoy time together
biking, hiking, and making music (or dancing to it). We especially enjoy “spoiling” three
great-nephews and two great nieces. In addition to our six sons, we are the proud parents
of Ammy (Ashley Amariah), a Birman kitten, and Frodo (Star Shire’s Frodo Waggins) a
Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.
After finishing the residency at Children’s Hospital I accepted a call and was ordained as
interim minister in Clifton, Ohio. Jim and I have served as Co-pastors in Kimberling City,
Missouri; Hibbing and Keewatin, Minnesota; and Greensburg Indiana.
We are excited that our journey is leading us to partner with you in ministry at Adrian First
Presbyterian Church, and we look forward to meeting all of you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
