The King United Methodist Church of Great Bend, located at 1608 Odell Street, will welcome its new pastor, Laurie White, along with her husband Phillip, with a reception on Sunday, Sept. 29, after the morning worship.
Mrs. White began her ministry at King UMC on July 1 as a Certified Lay Minister, serving as a quarter-time pastor. She comes from the Little River United Methodist Church. She began her basic Lay Speaker training in 2007, the following year became a Certified Lay Speaker for the Hutchinson District of the United Methodist Church, and continued her training. She was accepted into the Certified Lay Minister Program in June 2012, and was assigned to King UMC in Great Bend by the Hutchinson District Superintendent.
She is also the director of the 20th Judicial District Juvenile Services in Great Bend, which covers the counties of Barton, Rice, Russell, Ellsworth and Stafford. She has been with the Juvenile Services 15 years.
Phillip and Laurie White farm in the Little River area. They have six adult children, four daughters and two sons, and have five grandsons and one granddaughter.
King United Methodist members invite the public to visit the church and welcome the Whites. Classes begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, praise and fellowship is at 10:50 a.m. and the morning worship starts at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome.