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Darla Blatnik
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Meet Darla Blatnik
Darla Jodine Blatnik was born in Palisade, Colorado,
where she lived until first grade. Her father, Charles, worked for a large
farm equipment manufacturer (Massey Harris). Due to her father's
employment, throughout her childhood years Darla, her younger sister,
Karen, and her mother, Earlla, moved frequently. During high school home
was in Dallas, Texas, where Darla continued to live when she attended
Southern Methodist University. In 1970 Darla graduated from SMU with a BA
in Sociology/ Psychology.
| In her years in the business world, Darla says that she "learned
through my own joys and struggles and witnessing those of others
that there is a 'God place' in each of us. Saint Augustine spoke of
this 'God place' by saying 'Our hearts are restless until they find
their rest in Thee.' We may try to fill it with other things such as
work, relationships, food, etc. But, until we fill it with God, we
can't really begin to know ourselves and to understand our
relationship to others." |
Following graduation Darla worked for nine months as a manager with
Nieman-Marcus before taking a position as a Case Worker with the Texas
Department of Public Welfare. Following marriage, Darla moved with her
husband to Virginia where she worked in college administration at Radford
College, returning to Texas in 1976 to pursue a degree in law at the
University of Texas. During her legal studies, Darla clerked for the
Attorney General's office. She graduated with distinction in 1979,
receiving, with others at the top of her class, the "order of the
Coif."
The call to return to Virginia came in 1979 through a large
international corporate law firm in Richmond, Hunton & Williams. In
1983, Darla and her husband were divorced, and in 1985 Darla made a
temporary career change, taking employment with Virginia Power as a
manager in insurance and loss prevention. Darla worked with Virginia Power
until 1990, when she returned to school, completing the first year of the
Master of Social Work degree.
In 1991, however, Darla returned to the law, establishing her own
practice in Richmond, specializing in family law. She pursued this
practice until 1999 when the strong sense of God's call to the ministry
led her to enter Union Seminary and PSCE in Virginia.
| In speaking of her call to seminary, Darla says, "I
ended a lifelong search for my true vocation. Frederick Buechner, in
his book Wishful Thinking describes this true vocation as
'the place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need.' I
have found my deep gladness and pray for the guidance of Christ's
Spirit in meeting the world's deep need by serving His church as a
Minister of Word and Sacrament." |
Darla graduated from Union this May, receiving the Patrick D. Miller
Award for Excellence in the Study of Scripture.
Darla's home congregation, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond (the
new church home of our former pastor, Ron Byars, and his wife, Susan), has
played a critical part in Darla's spiritual pilgrimage. After a period of
time when she had not been active in a local church, Darla began attending
church again in 1985, through the invitation of a friend to come to Sunday
School. At Second, Richmond, Darla learned "how to be a
Presbyterian!" (Darla was raised Methodist). With a renewed
commitment to Christ in the years that followed, Darla served her church
in many different capacities.
In Christian Education, she has taught third to fifth grade
church school, and coordinated the adult Forum Sunday school class.
In Mission, she has been a volunteer in a walk-in lunch
program, and has helped in a city-wide program to provide housing for
the homeless in church facilities throughout Richmond.
With the Board of Deacons, Darla has served as secretary and
chair of the congregational care committee.
And in her spare time? Darla enjoys, floral arrangement,
animals, her dog Rawley, taking walks, cooking, refinishing old furniture,
and gardening.
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From those who know Darla...
Dr. Joseph McCutcheon,
Farmville Presbyterian Church.
"Being a second career person, Darla comes
out of Seminary with a wealth of experience and perspective for
ministry. She is a reserved person with a quiet passion for her
ministry and her faith.
Sylvia Clute,
Legal Colleague.
"Darla is brilliant, both in law and in
general. In family law Darla handled some of the most sensitive
cases imaginable. Clients knew they had excellent legal help, but
they also knew they had a compassionate lawyer."
Carson Evans,
Chair, Pastor Nominating Committee.
"In addition to her considerable
administrative skills, Darla has gifts that will quietly touch and
strengthen the spiritual lives of many people in our
congregation."
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Rev. Tim Limburg,
Beulah Presbyterian Church, Virginia.
"Darla is a remarkable person -- wise,
perceptive, pastoral -- and a deeply caring person. Her background
in law combined with her maturity in general make her well suited
for working with people. In the few weeks she was among us, she
built strong and healthy relationships with our congregation --
both young and older. Darla preaches with conviction and gentle
passion for the task. Darla came to Beulah Church as an intern and
stayed to become a valued colleague."
Ron Byars,
Professor of Preaching and Worship, Union/PSCE (former pastor,
Second Presbyterian Church).
"As you get to know Darla, you'll find that
she has many qualities that Second Church has valued over the
years. She's a person of intellect, pastoral sensitivity, and pays
attention to details while not losing the big picture. In
particular, she has fallen in love with the delights of preaching
and worship, and shows great promise in both. I'm delighted that
you and she have found each other!"
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