Karen Dial is an
Associate in Mission
Service (AIMS) with the General Board
of Global
Ministries serving
in the Red Bird
Missionary Conference. Karen
serves as
a full-time local pastor at the Beverly UMC.
Her husband,
Craig, is Director of
Economic Development
for Red Bird
Mission
(one of Red Bird
Missionary
Conference’s four mission
institutions).
Karen and Craig
first came to the Red Bird
Missionary Conference in 1987 seeking to
enter “full time Christian Service.” They say
their
work at Red Bird has been a “natural marriage of our backgrounds and
our desire to serve the Lord.” When they first arrived, the couple
worked together to manage the craft program and retail operations at the
Red Bird Mission – work with which Craig is still involved.
In 1995, Karen became the Development Associate for the Mission, handling inquiries about its programs and acknowledging gifts and donations. In 1998, she became a Candidate for the Ministry and in July 1999, she was licensed as a local pastor. She attended the Appalachian Local Pastors School in 1999-2000, and in June 2000, she was appointed to her first church.
A native of Petaluma, CA, Karen grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and also lived for a time in Salt Lake City, UT. She attended Santa Rosa Junior college in Santa Rosa, CA. Before coming to Red Bird, she worked in retail, served in many areas of the local churches in which she was a member. While at Trinity UMC in Kearns, UT, she held the position of Sub-District Mission Secretary in the Grand Junction District.
Karen has served in many church positions through the years, including as treasurer for the Red Bird Missionary Conference United Methodist Women. She just completed four years as a board member of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist church.
Karen and Craig have two married children, Stacia and Craig, Jr., who are both graduates of the Red Bird Mission School. Craig is now in the U.S. Navy; a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Stacia is continuing the family tradition of working at Red Bird Mission.
Missionary Advance #773906
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