The APNC began its work in November 2025 — meeting weekly, receiving training from the Presbytery, creating the necessary position-related documents, and preparing for interviews. In February, the APNC began reviewing candidates — first round interviews led to second round interviews and two candidates came for in-person interviews in June. The call was extended to Kari Swanson in late June and accepted shortly thereafter.
Kari (pronounced, CAR-E) has provided you with a brief introduction which can be found below.
As you will read, although a recent seminary graduate, Kari brings excellent experience with her — experience in developing and conducting church programs, preaching, and pastoral care. She has worked with families and people of all ages.
Kari was attracted to our position because of our aspirations for being a welcoming community as shown in being a Matthew 25 church and a member of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. Central to her approach to ministry is personal relationships alongside a warm, outgoing personality. Kari is someone you will enjoy getting to know as much as she will enjoy getting to know you.
We thank you for your prayers and support during this search process. Feel free to ask us any questions you might have prior to the congregational meeting.
I am a proud Iowan, cat mother, owner of too many books, doer of meditative spiritual practices, amateur crafter, singer, daughter, sister, and soon to be wife. Born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, I’ve relished magical Midwest summers with my family at Lake Okoboji, eating carrots and rhubarb out of my grandparent’s garden, and participating in every form of music I could. I attended Wheaton College for my Bachelor’s of Music in Voice with a Minor in Bible and Theology. It was there that I discovered my love of the Bible, seeking God’s presence in daily life, and “weeping with those who weep, and rejoicing with those who rejoice” in community.
I graduated with my Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2025 while interning at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City and Penn Medicine Princeton Health as a hospital chaplain. After a summer pastoral residency with Park Ridge Presbyterian Church in Chicagoland, I moved to Central Texas to complete a year-long hospital chaplaincy residency at a Level 1 Trauma Center. This experience continues to shape me into a better listener, a better pastor, and a better advocate for those who are suffering and at the margins.
I love the church and believe in the power of eating bread and drinking wine with friends — that is where Jesus is known. Yet even more, I see God at work in gyms with folding chairs, holding the hands of cancer patients in the infusion center, singing songs with friends, hiking the Sawtooth Mountains, dancing out of pews in Kenya, and hearing the stories of God from immigrant and refugee neighbors. I am inspired by theologians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dirk Smit, Julian of Norwich, James Cone, Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail, my dad, and old church ladies.
First Presbyterian Church of Davenport is entering a season of hopeful discernment as we seek the person God is calling to serve as our next Associate Pastor or Director of Adult Ministries. This search is not simply about filling a position; it is about discovering a partner in ministry who will walk with us as we continue to grow in faith, deepen our love for God and neighbor, and expand our witness in the Quad Cities community.
To those who may feel drawn to explore this call: we invite you to prayerfully consider whether your gifts, passions, and sense of vocation might resonate with the ministry God is shaping here. To our congregation: we invite your prayers, encouragement, and openness as we listen together for the Spirit’s leading.
Throughout this process, we trust that God is already at work—preparing both our congregation and the right person to join us in this next chapter of our shared ministry. We look forward to the ways Christ will guide us as we discern, together, who is being called to join us in this joyful and meaningful work.
We encourage potential candidates to explore this page and our full website to learn more about who we are and how we are partnering with God in the Quad Cities.
Strategic Discernment Task Force formed; Congregational Survey and Conversations held to determine future direction of the church; SDT discerned need for more pastoral/program staff;
Anonymous donor fully funded 5-year position for Adult Ministries; Session approved job description(s); Nominating Committee curated members for APNC; Congregational Meeting held to elect APNC members
COMV trained APNC; APNC created MDP; Session and COMV approved MDP; MDP posted on CLC
Review candidates; Hold Initial Zoom interviews; Hold In Person Interviews w/ candidate(s) to include preaching at neutral pulpit
COMV fitness interview and background check; APNC extends call to candidate of choice; Session calls congregational meeting to elect new AP
AP candidate preaches at FPC; Congregational meeting held to elect Assoc Pastor and approve Terms of Call; Presbytery conducts ordination and/or installation service
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