wfn.org | Woman, First to Chair Council

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3128 notes).

Note 3125 by UMNS on Aug. 14, 1996 at 16:19 Eastern (4130 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

SEARCH: Alguire, World Methodist Council, election, chairperson,
woman, officers

CONTACT:  Thomas S. McAnally                   411(10-21-71){3125}
          Nashville, Tenn.  (615) 742-5470           Aug. 14, 1996

First woman, lay person elected
chairperson of World Methodist Council

by Thomas McAnally*

     RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Frances M. Alguire, New Buffalo,
Mich., was elected chairwoman of the World Methodist Council here
Aug. 13, the first time a lay person or woman has headed the 115-
year-old organization.
     Alguire, a United Methodist, is a retired registered nurse.
She has been closely associated with the council since 1976,
serving on its executive committee since 1981 and its presidium
since 1991. She also served as president of the council's North
American section from 1986 to 1991.
     Elected vice president was His Eminence Sunday Mbang of the
Methodist Church of Nigeria.
     Nine individuals were elected to the council's presidium: Mrs
Sunema Auvaa, the Methodist Church of Samoa; Bishop Paulo
Lockmann, Methodist Church of Brazil; John C.A. Barrett, British
Methodist Church; Bishop Sundo Kim, Korean Methodist Church; Olav
Parnaments, United Methodist Church of Estonia; Bishop Donald G.
K. Ming, African Methodist Episcopal Church, United States; the
Rev. Maxie D. Dunnam, United Methodist Church, United States;
Carlos Amarillo, the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina,
representing youth; and Mrs. Khushnud Azariah, president of the
World Federation of Methodist Women.
     The officers will serve five-year terms. The Rev. Donald
English of the British Methodist Church, concluding his five-year
term as chairman, was elected by the council as honorary
president. Officers and the presidium members meet annually; an
executive committee of about 500 members meets every other year;
the full council meets every five years.
     Elected as operational officers were: treasurer, James W.
Holsinger Jr. of Lexington, Ky.; assistant treasurer, Edna Alsdurf
and general secretary, the Rev. Joe Hale, both of Lake Junaluska,
N.C.; and Geneva secretary, Ralph C. Young. Headquarters of the
council are located at Lake Junaluska. Hale has been chief staff
executive for 21 years.
     During sessions here Aug. 13 two more denominations were
admitted to membership in the council: the Church of South India
with 2.2 million members and 9,800 congregations and the Methodist
Church of Paraguay with 1,400 members in 17 congregations. The
latest additions bring to 73 the number of member denominations,
representing about 32 million members and 108 countries.
     In her own denomination, Alguire has served as a governing
member of the churchwide Board of Global Ministries for eight
years, president of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference United
Methodist Women, chairperson of the United Methodist Commission on
the General Conference for four years, and a delegate to four
general and jurisdictional conferences. She and her husband Don
have two daughters and four grandchildren.
     The last United Methodist to head the council was Bishop
William R. Cannon who completed a five-year term in 1986.
     At a press conference here, Alguire, a life-long Methodist,
said she was a product of summer camp meetings and was baptized
when she answered an altar call at age seven or eight.
     She described her leadership style as "people oriented."
     "I believe in working as a team," she said. "No matter how
good your idea is, it is perfected by group participation. I hope
to help others identify and use their own gifts and graces."
     Among critical issues facing the council, she said, is how to
accomplish a growing amount of work with a very limited staff and
budget.
                              #  #  #

     * McAnally is director of United Methodist News Service,
headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

EDITORS NOTE: Photos are available by calling (615) 742-5470.

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