wfn.org | Re: TITLE: AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR JUNE 13, 1996

[LEAH_MCCARTER.parti@ecunet.org]

To: wfn-editors@wfn.org

American Baptist News Service_____________________
Office of Communication / American Baptist Churches USA
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
E-mail: RICH_SCHRAMM.PARTI@ECUNET.ORG
Richard W. Schramm, Director

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________

UPDATE: JULY 26, 1996
_________________________________________________________
____________________

o  In a recent action, the Board of Directors of Kodiak
Baptist Mission (KBM), Kodiak, Alaska, voted not to
accept state funding for residential treatment of
troubled youth and to explore new and expanded directions
for fulfilling its longstanding mission.  According to
the Rev. Evan Jones, director of Alaska Ministries for
American Baptist National Ministries, funds from the
State of Alaska carried attendant restrictions on the
religious dimensions of KBM's mission.  In addition, the
state was choosing to refer more emergency-placement
young people for shorter periods of time.  Budget
reductions related to the loss of funding have led to the
need to reduce paid staff.  On July 10 the Rev. Richard
Thomas concluded a nearly three-year term as KBM
executive director.  Several former staff members
continue to work at the Mission in a volunteer capacity. 
The Board's action and reduced staffing have raised
concerns among supporters about the future of KBM, said
Jones, who began serving as interim director on July 10. 
"We want people to know that Kodiak Baptist Mission has
no plans to close," he noted.  "We will retain our
residential treatment license and hope to use some of our
facilities for private placement."   In addition, Jones
said, KBM will launch out in new ministries to address
the needs of the whole community.  He explained that as a
result of KBM's strategic planning process the Board
believes prevention should be the key element as the
Mission provides supportive intervention for children and
their families.  Jones said the Mission will concentrate
on four goal areas: family life, educational support and
enhancement, spiritual life, and social interaction in a
safe environment.  At present KBM's Christian Activity
Center provides a range of year-round activities for
preschool children through high school youth.  Heather
Norton will continue as director of the Center.  In
addition the KBM Sale House is open to the community two
days a week, offering used clothing and small household
items.  National Ministries Executive Director Dr.
Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III and the Rev. David Laubach,
NM's associate executive director of Evangelism and
Church Renewal, will travel to Kodiak to meet with Alaska
Ministries leaders.  "This is a moment of opportunity as
Kodiak Baptist Mission expands its historic mission of
service to Christ and the children and youth of Kodiak,"
said Laubach.  Kodiak Baptist Mission has its roots in a
children's orphanage founded by American Baptists in 1893
on Woody Island near Kodiak.

o  Dr. Craig A. Collemer, executive director of the
American Baptist Ministerial Leadership Commission, 
resigned, effective July 19, in order to join the
pastoral team of First Baptist Church, Beverly, Mass.  In
his new position Collemer will oversee a community
ministry outreach program which will include two senior
citizen retirement facilities, group homes for delinquent
teenagers, and a congregate living home for low-income
elderly persons.  Collemer joined the Ministerial
Leadership Commission in January 1991.  He has been
responsible for the development and support of well-
trained leaders for all American Baptist churches and
related ministries, working for improved delivery and
quality of theological education, career development, and
the pastoral search process.  He has also had oversight
of the Ministers-at-Large program, a network of supply
pastors, and has maintained the Directory of Ministerial
Leaders of American Baptist churches.  Collemer s major
accomplishments have included the development and
implementation of policies and procedures for American
Baptist regions to respond to allegations of clergy
misconduct.  Also under his leadership a four-year
project to revise and update national ordination
standards was completed.  Collemer was responsible for
the development of a bivocational training program
through the Midwest Ministerial Leadership Commission. 
He also completed a consultation on theological education
for the Western Ministerial Leadership Commission.  He
directed Ministers Orientation Conferences, held for
pastors new to American Baptist churches, in 1991 and
1994, and supervised planning for the 1996 Conference. 
In addition, he served as Educational Ministries  staff
representative to the three American Baptist-related
career development centers, located in Newton Centre,
Mass., West Chester, Ill., and Oakland, Calif.  Prior to
his work with the Ministerial Leadership Commission
Collemer held three pastorates in New England, the last
being at First Baptist Church, Nashua, N.H.  "Craig
Collemer has served as an important ministry partner in
helping prepare effective ministerial leaders for the
church, and through his work has earned a great degree of
respect from his colleagues," said Dr. Jean B. Kim,
executive director of Educational Ministries.  The
Ministerial Leadership Commission is an administrative
entity of American Baptist Educational Ministries. 
                             
o  The Rev. Robert F. DeLano, former American Baptist
missionary in Northeast India and administrative
associate with the Public Relations Division of American
Baptist International Ministries, died July 11.  DeLano
served with International Ministries Public Relations
from 1972-1979, and was instrumental in the design and
production of the World Fellowship Offering.  In addition
to his work in India he also previously had been a World
Mission Support field counselor and a staff member of the
American Baptist Home Mission Societies, as well as a
pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania.  Memorial
contributions may be made to the Rev. Robert F. DeLano
Memorial Fund, 837 S. Trappe Rd., Collegeville, PA 19426.

o  Ruth P. Tegenfeldt, former American Baptist
International Ministries missionary in Burma, died June
20 at age 82.  Along with her husband, Herman, she served
in educational and evangelical ministries there from 1941
(evacuating to India during World War II) until 1966,
when the Burmese government asked all missionaries to
leave the country.

o  Dr. William Bryan Martin, president of American
Baptist-related Franklin College in Franklin, Ind., since
1983, will leave that position June 15, 1997 to become
the school's first chancellor.  In that new position he
will hold responsibility for Franklin's capital planning
and for external relations that support the college and
its fundraising.  In announcing the appointment, David A.
Hicks, chair of Franklin's Board of Trustees, noted that
during Martin's presidency "We have virtually
reconstructed the campus, nearly doubled
enrollment...begun innovative programs [and] have made
major strides in productivity and efficiency."  A
presidential search process is underway to identify
Martin's successor.

96U726
_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________
"Update" currently is available in print form (mailed
first class at $40/year subscription cost); as document
#111 on Fax Vault, a fax-on-
demand service at (610)337-7439; as "American Baptist
News Service" on ABNET, the American Baptist Churches'
computer network (a
branch of ECUNET); and on the Internet Web sites for
American Baptist Churches USA (http://www.abc-usa.org)
and for World-Wide Faith
News (http://www.wfn.org/wfn).                            
 

                             
                             
                             
                             
 -0-