Catskill Hudson District
Superintendent
Rev. Karen A. Monk
The Reverend Dr. Karen A. Monk is the superintendent of the Catskill Hudson District of the New York Conference of the United Methodist Church. A native Texan, Karen graduated from Southwestern University before migrating east to attend Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she earned the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Karen celebrates the unique nature of life in rural settings and brings expertise in representing mountain life and the people who make up the Catskill Hudson region. Ordained in 1989, she has spent most of her pastoral career serving within the bounds of the Catskill Hudson District, most recently serving as the pastor of the Kaaterskill/East Jewett Charge for 16 years. She also served at Clinton Avenue and St. James, both in Kingston, and at Olivebridge and Samsonville. Having had lifegiving experiences of spiritual formation through youth ministry and camping, she has volunteered in the NYAC camps and served as the director of the former Epworth Camp and Retreat Center. Karen has also served on Volunteer in Mission teams to Bolivia and Ecuador. Trained through the UMCOR Academy, she has worked in a variety of disaster relief and recovery efforts as an early response team member and in disaster spiritual care.
Karen excels in mentoring, and has served for many years on the Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Committee on Ministry. An engaging teacher, she has taught lay servant courses, in the certified lay minister series, and at the Northeastern Jurisdiction’s local pastor’s licensing school, as well as teaching in district leader-to-leaders training days.
Beyond her theological education, Karen completed clinical training in psychotherapy with the Harlem Family Institute, working with children in an East Harlem school. While serving in rural communities, she was an emergency medical technician for 20 years. A country preacher who loves jazz, dogs, and football, Karen is blessed to share life with her spouse, Shannon, and her 11-year-old stepdaughter.
Churches
Andes
Ashland: Community
Athens Federated
Blenheim Hill: Brimstone
Bloomville
Bullville
Cairo
Callicoon: Riverside
Catskill
Centerville
Chatham
Coeymans Hollow: Trinity
Conesville Chapel
Copake: Community
Coxsackie: First
Delhi: United Ministry
Dormansville: First
Downsville: Colchester Community
Durham-Oak Hill
East Branch/Harvard
East Chatham
East Jewett
Ellenville
Fosterdale
Gilboa
Glenco Mills
Goshen
Grahamsville
Grand Gorge
Greenville: Asbury
Halcott Center
Harpersfield
High Hill
Highland: First
Hillsdale: First
Hobart
Hudson: Trinity
Hurleyville
Jefferson
Jeffersonville
Kenoza Lake
Kerhonkson
Kingston: Clinton Ave
Kingston: St. James
Kripplebush
Lanesville
Lexington-Westkill
Liberty
Livingston Manor
Lloyd
Margaretville
Maybrook
Middletown, NY: St. Paul's
Milton-Marlboro
Modena: Memorial
Mongaup Valley
Monticello
Napanoch: St. Mark's
Narrowsburg
New Milford-Edenville
New Paltz
North Blenheim
North Branch
North Hillsdale
Olivebridge
Palenville: Simpson Memorial
Philmont
Phoenicia
Plutarch
Port Ewen: Town of Esopus
Prattsville: Community
Quarryville
Ridgebury: Grace
Rock Hill
Roscoe: United Church
Roxbury
Samsonville
Saugerties
Shady
Shandaken: Memorial
Shokan: Reservoir
South Cairo: Sandy Plains
Stamford, NY
Stone Ridge: Rondout Valley
Sugar Loaf
Summit
Sundown
Tannersville: Kaaterskill
Township
Ulster Heights
Walden
Walker Valley: Mountain View
Walton: First
Warwick
West Fulton
Westbrookville
White Sulphur Springs
Windham-Hensonville
Woodridge
Woodstock: Overlook
District News>>
Events
6/9/2023 12:00:00 AM - Annual Conference
6/14/2023 12:00:00 AM - 9:00am - 1:00pm CCORR Dominating White Ways
6/17/2023 10:00:00 AM - United Women in Faith Conference Team Meeting (virtual)
9/9/2023 3:00:00 PM - Black Methodists for Church Renewal Retiree Celebration
9/16/2023 10:00:00 AM - United Women in Faith Conference Team Meeting (virtual)
9/19/2023 5:30:00 PM - Camping & Retreat Ministry Board Meeting
9/23/2023 10:00:00 AM - Sexual Ethics and Professional Boundaries Training - LC, NYAC
9/30/2023 1:00:00 PM - BMCR Black College Fund Luncheon
10/17/2023 6:30:00 PM - Sexual Ethics & Boundaries Training (Zoom)
10/21/2023 12:00:00 AM - Conference UWFaith Annual Meeting
11/21/2023 5:30:00 PM - Camping & Retreat Ministry Board Meeting