Rev. Karen Hunter, Vicar

Karen Hunter grew up on a dry land ranch in Montana.  She is the oldest of eight children and has a love and understanding of the demands and blessings of the land.  She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota in 1974 and taught school for about ten years in various locations including Bethel, Alaska.  After creating and sustaining and alternative school for several years in Toston, Montana, she went to Arizona and began a master’s program in religious education.  Intending to work in the Episcopal church as a lay person, she returned to Montana and served as the chaplain at the University of Montana in Missoula for five years.  During that time she also worked as the director of religious education at Church of the Holy Spirit.  She and Randy married in 1991 and moved to Deerlodge, Montana.  About a year later, Karen became the lay vicar of St. Mark’s Church, Anaconda where she served for two years.  While she was there she began the process toward ordination to the priesthood, but moved to Idaho where she was ordained two years later.  She served at the vicar of Church of the Redeemer , Salmon and as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Salmon for many years before moving to Nampa to serve Grace Church.  She has also served as the Canon for Christian Education and Formation for the Diocese of Idaho and was the editor of the diocesan monthly newspaper, The Messenger.  She loves Randy, children, art, and quilting and is passionate about the place and possibilities of the church in our world.  Reach Karen by email at gracechurchnampa@gmail.com