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One of many names given to Jesus is servant leader. A servant leader focuses on the
growth and well-being of people, organizations and communities. They act as loving
stewards of resources, understand the perspective of others, behave with integrity and
possess a strong moral compass. Karmen Carter exemplifies every one of those
characteristics of a servant leader.
Karmen serves St. Thomas in so many ways. You can find her greeting you on Sunday
mornings as an usher or listen to her reverently reading scripture. One of her favorite
ministries is serving on the altar guild, particularly when she arrives at church early to
quietly set the altar table alone with God. Karmen also helps host coffee hour and is
part of the team that counts the offering, often making sure the offering is
deposited in a timely fashion.
One of the critical roles Karmen plays at St. Thomas is co-warden with Angela
Pleasants. For those not familiar with this term in the Episcopal Church, wardens are
the lay leaders of a parish. They serve on the Vestry, the governing body of the parish.
They act as the primary liaison between the parish and the rector, are sounding boards
for the rector, carry out specific duties as needed for the successful functioning of a
parish and in the absence of the rector, as when Rev Terri was on sabbatical, the
wardens become the authority for the parish. Karmen has served as a co-warden at St.
Thomas for 3 years.
Karmen has been at St. Thomas for 8 years. She came when she was seeking a faith
setting that was inclusive and welcoming. She was raised and practiced her faith in the
Lutheran church prior to becoming a member of St. Thomas. As she explored new
churches, she attended All Sinners & Saints who was worshipping at St. Thomas on
Saturday nights. Then decided to give St. Thomas a try. She immediately felt
welcomed, appreciated St. Thomas’s openness to all and their commitment to social
justice work. Being a doer, she quickly became involved in helping to address the
challenges St. Thomas was facing during a difficult time, including serving on the
search committee that called Rev. Terri to St. Thomas. She actively participated in the
process of resetting the mission of St. Thomas, articulating the parish’s core values
and communication covenant we now practice.
Karmen was born and raised in Indiana with 3 brothers. Forty years ago, she came with
some friends to Colorado on what she thought would be short term adventure. The
regular sunshine and beauty of the state along with meaningful work kept her here.
Karmen has a large multigenerational family in Indiana that she visits regularly. Her
Mom will turn 90 this year and 19 members of the family will be celebrating that
milestone together on the Gulf Shores of Alabama in June.
Karmen’s professional training is in social work, having received her bachelor’s in social
work from Ball State University. For the past 5 years, Karmen has served as the
Executive Director of the Three Bird Alliance, an organization dedicated to the healing
of those who have experienced intimate partner violence. Last year, the organization
provided 7888 nights of safe shelter for 262 survivors of domestic violence, their
children and their pets. and responded to 3025 crisis line calls. The renaming of the
organization to the Three Bird Alliance inspires those in the healing process to move on
from their past, find respite and hope in the present before soaring into the future for a
life without violence. During her 40 years in Colorado, Karmen has led several
nonprofits as their Executive Director.
When she was 3 years old, Karmen was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Struggling for
independence when her condition required much attention, she became sensitive to
those “outside the norm.” This developed a deep compassion for others who face
challenges that set them apart from others, eventually guiding her to her professional
work and the lay ministries she’s taken on.
Recognizing her natural leadership abilities many years ago, one of her brothers said
she was a “born boss” (probably not a compliment at the time 😊). Her professional and
volunteer work reflects that early insight. St. Thomas is blessed to have Karmen in the
St. Thomas community and as part of the leadership of the parish.
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