Our pastor, Doug Darnold, and his wife Leanna began their service at
First Presbyterian Church August 1, 2006. The Darnolds have two adult
children, Todd and Katie. Todd is a doctoral candidate at the University
of Iowa, and lives with his wife Stacy and their infant son Drew in
Williamsburg, Iowa. Katie is a graduate of the University of Iowa. She
has enjoyed traveling and working in England and is now doing the same
in New Zealand.
Doug and Leanna both grew up in small towns in Iowa - Doug in Villisca
and Leanna on a farm near Gladbrook. Leanna is a graduate of Coe
College, a Presbyterian-related college in Cedar Rapids. Iowa. She is a
registered medical technologist and certified infection control
practitioner. Leanna is busy leading the choir at First Presbyterian,
which has been singing regularly during worship services. The Darnolds
live in New Castle, Colorado.
On October 17, 2007, Pastor Doug will celebrate the thirtieth
anniversary of his ordination to the Ministry of the Word and
Sacraments. He was ordained by the Missouri River Valley Presbytery
after receiving his bachelor's and master's of divinity degrees at the
University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa. On July 27, 1974, the Darnolds
were married while Doug was still in seminary. His first call was to an
internship with the Southfield Presbyterian Church in Southfield,
Michigan. They then moved across the state to Ludington as he was called
to be their assistant pastor. It was while in Ludington that Pastor Doug
was introduced to the Bethel Bible Series, training their first class of
teachers. The Darnolds' children were born while the family lived in
Ludington.
Before coming to Glenwood Springs, Pastor Doug served as pastor in Ft.
Calhoun, Nebraska; Aplington, Iowa; Sibley, Iowa; and Hannibal,
Missouri. It was while in Aplington that Pastor Doug and Leanna became
involved in Walk to Emmaus/Cusillo and Chrysalis/T.E.C. events and Lay
Witness Renewals. They carried these opportunities for Christian renewal
for both adults and teens to their churches in Sibley and Hannibal.
While in Hannibal, through Presbyterians for Renewal, they became
involved in Prayer Power Summits and encouraged the congregation to seek
out and embrace Alpha, a 14-week outreach evangelism event.
The Darnolds are pleased to be a part of the Christian family that has
met at 1016 Cooper Avenue in Glenwood Springs since 1886. First
Presbyterian Church - "Old in Service, New in Spirit" - welcomes you to
our worship service and other church events.
