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PASTOR BARKSDALE PULLEN

Pastor

Barksdale is originally from Hattiesburg, MS and his wife Bo is from Amory, MS.  They have three grown children, Bob who is a High School math teacher in Jacksonville, FL,

Katie who is married and is a missionary in Nicaragua, and Maddie who recently returned from a yearlong internship in France with France pour Christ. 

Barksdale and Bo met and married while at the University of Mississippi, and then attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA where he received his M.Div. and then later, he received his PHD from Trinity International University in Chicago, IL.

He has served at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN; The Kirk of the Hills in St. Louis, MO; and the last fourteen years at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, FL. He enjoys archery, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and some of his favorite authors are

RC Sproul, Ed Stetzer and Tim Keller.

DEBBIE ROSTAD

Office Manager

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Debbie joins us from Atlanta where she worked for 19 years at Ivy Creek Presbyterian Church (PCA). She is originally from Eau Claire, WI and has worked as a financial administrator as well as a church administrator. Her husband Pete and she have two children, Erik and his wife Stephanie and Kristi and her husband Chris. They also are the proud grandparents of Scotlyn, Jack, Lilia and June. Debbie was a voice major in college and loves to sing. She is a member of Key Chorale and the Key Chorale Chamber Singers in Sarasota.  In Atlanta she sang with The Michael O'Neal Singers.  

Debbie has sung in her church choirs wherever God has called her to live.

GAIL THORNTON

Secretary / Treasurer

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Gail moved here in 1997 from Montgomery, IL and joined the church in that same year. She has been a volunteer office assistant since September of 2002. Gail has 4 children, 16 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 7 great, great-grandchildren. She enjoys reading, designing posters, etc. on the computer, and helping others when needed.

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STEPHANIE SMITH

Organist

Stephanie started piano lessons at age seven and began playing piano for Sunday night services at 11 years old.  After graduating high school in Hollywood, FL,

she studied piano and played saxophone in the Marching Chiefs at FSU.

In 2009 she received her Master of Music from UF in Sacred Music,

with Emphasis in Pipe Organ.  She studied there with Laura Ellis, DMA.  Stephanie is treasurer of the Gainesville Chapter of the AGO (American Guild of Organists).  

She served Abiding Savior LCMS in Gainesville for eight years.

Stephanie loves horses, gardening, swimming and crochet.  

God has placed it in her heart to encourage the Body of Christ through music.  

One granddaughter has said, "Nana is a church keeper and a church piper."  

Another granddaughter has said it is her job to "Make God's people sing."

Donald, her husband of 33 years, is a retired civil engineer.  They have a son in Tampa,

a son in Ft. Myers, a daughter in State College, PA and six grandchildren.

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JOAN BYRON

Choir Director

Music has always been a part of my life.  Both of my parents were musical and I started piano lessons at a young age.  I was inspired by my high school choral director to continue my musical education.  I earned my Bachelor of Music Education from Hartt College of Music.  I taught music at the elementary and middle school levels for five years, then returned to college to earn my Masters Degree in Early Childhood.  However, there were life changes and I spent the next 35 years in Human Resources.  During that time, I kept up with music by singing in various chorales and choirs and teaching piano lessons.

My husband and I moved to Port Charlotte in 2002 where we joined various music groups.  I was President of Phantoms of the Orchestra, the fundraising arm of the Charlotte Symphony; President of Suncoast Chorale and Co-Founder of and singer in Bion Cantorum, which has found its new home here in Punta Gorda.  I served as Choir Director for First Presbyterian Church of Port Charlotte for the past three years.

I became Choir Director at FPCPG in September 2018 and am excited about being able to present God's music to the congregation.

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