Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe hosts U.S. Navy admiral July 19

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Margaret G. Kibben, Chaplain Corps, will be the guest Sunday, July 19, for lunch and discussion at the Village Church, 6225 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe.

She will be bringing the message “Benedictions: Gracious Words for an Ungracious World: Doing Everything” based on Colossians 3: 12-17 at the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.

A no-host luncheon will be held in the Fellowship Center after services at 11:45 a.m., for a Question and Answer discussion with RADM Kibben. Lunch reservations are required and can be made online at villagechurch.org, by calling 858-756-2441 or via email to maryc@villagechurch.org. Cost is $15.

Margaret Grun Kibben was born and raised in Warrington, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. She entered active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1986 and has enjoyed assignments with the Marines at Quantico and Camp Lejeune, and Navy assignments at the Naval Academy, the USS San Diego (AFS-6), the Chaplain Resource Board in Norfolk, Va., and the U.S. Third Fleet in San Diego. She deployed as the Command Chaplain, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan. Upon her return, Chaplain Kibben reported to the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains, first serving as the director for force structure and community management, then as the executive assistant to the chief of Navy chaplains, and subsequently as the chaplain of the Marine Corps/deputy chief of Navy chaplains. In 2014, Rear Adm. Kibben assumed her duties as the 26th Chief of Navy Chaplains.

A graduate of Goucher College in Towson, Md., Kibben also received her master’s of divinity and her doctorate of ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J. She was a Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace and holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), and the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards).

Kibben is married to retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Timothy J. Kibben. They live in Alexandria, Va., with their daughter, Lindsay Elizabeth.