This morning we welcome our guest speaker, Karen Plater. Karen has worked the past 30 years for the Presbyterian Church in Canada, eleven years doing relief and development work and nine years helping congregations develop effective stewardship programs, encourages them in mission outreach. She has just begun a new position helping congregations explore ways to best utilize their property and building, in some cases adding housing and/or community space.

Karen grew up in Peterborough Ontario. She graduated from the International Development Program at the University of Toronto in 1996. While working with the church Karen has visited partners around the world.

Karen Plater moved to Grey Highlands in 2002 with her husband John. They had bought a small farm in the Beaver Valley where raised sheep and horses. A few years after moving in, they built an addition onto the farm so John’s parents could join them. Unfortunately, his father’s progressing Rheumatoid Arthritis meant he was never able to join them and settled into long-term care in Meaford. But his mother Margaret moved in the winter of 2006 and was able to visit his father daily until he passed away in 2008.

When John passed away in 2012, Karen and Margaret were faced with the massive decision: do we love it or list it?  They decided to take it a year at a time – and with the help of an amazing community and family – they have continued to live there since. In October 2023, David Harvey officially joined the family when Karen and David were married.

David Karen and Margaret continue to live on the farm with three cats, five horses and seven chickens.