Rev. Kathy Saxbury is the new pastor at First Presbyterian in Onida. Check out our interview with her and be sure to welcome her to our presbytery!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and raised in Northern Colorado, east of Fort Collins. Both sets of grandparentswere dairy farmers, and my parents worked outside the home, my dad as a firefighter and my mom as a bookkeeper. I have two older brothers: Scott works as a janitor, Mike as a firefighter. I am also blessed that Mike has brought his long-term girlfriend Devon (also a firefighter) and her beautiful 11-year-old daughter Gentry (G Bug) into our lives. I am a widow, my husband Myke passed away in June of 2009. We had three fur babies at the time, whom we lovingly referred to as his, mine, and ours. His was a boxer rescue named Karley, mine was a Border Collie Mix rescue named Comit, and ours was a boxer rescue named Shilo. They have all crossed the rainbow bridge now, but they brought a lot of love and laughter into our home and are deeply missed.
What drew you to explore and accept the call to serve in Onida?
What first drew me in to the desire to explore a call to Onida was its proximity to my family. With all of my immediate family still in Colorado and most of my extended family in the west, the past four years in the southeast were a little too far away for me. I missed spending time with my brothers, watching younger relatives growing up, etc. Therefore, to be close enough to drive there in one day rather than two and a half was very exciting to me. However, it was when I first arrived to visit and I was welcomed by complete strangers with hugs and was included as if we had known each other for years, that’s when I knew God was calling me to serve this congregation. I had made visits to other congregations in other areas before I visited Onida, and it felt as if something had been missing. When standing in their pulpits I could tell I wasn’t meant to serve those churches. Onida was different. I’ve learned over the years to trust the feeling of calmness that comes over me when I have followed where God is calling me, and I’m blessed that God called me to serve here.
What are you most excited about as you begin your ministry?
I’m excited to learn and grow with my congregation and with the community as a whole. I’m excited to help grow the excitement to attend camp, to go on mission trips, to watch our families grow and thrive as they live and learn in community together.
How can we be praying for you?
As my first called position, as well as my first time as a solo pastor, I would love prayers as I discover all the ways I can serve Onida, as well as how I can be helpful to our session, deacons, and trustees. I still feel out of my element not having a head of staff to answer to, but I know with prayer and time, I will be able to settle in and serve Onida to the best of my ability.