wfn.org | Reconciling Congregations names interim director

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 6, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom**(212) 870-3803**New York
10-28-71B{407}

By United Methodist News Service

Marilyn Alexander of Denton, Texas, has been named interim director for the
Reconciling Congregations Program.

Alexander, who will serve for about a year, was introduced during the July
29-Aug. 1 convocation of the unofficial United Methodist organization. The
event occurred at the University of North Texas in Denton.

She replaces Mark Bowman, a founder of Reconciling Congregations and its
executive director for 15 years. He was honored for his leadership in a
movement aimed at bringing full inclusion for all in the church, including
gays and lesbians.

Alexander served for six years as the executive director of development,
alumni relations and public relations at Perkins School of Theology in
Dallas. For the last three years, she has been a consultant in the areas of
development and public relations to various nonprofit groups. She has a
bachelor's degree in business administration from Texas A&M and a master of
divinity degree from Perkins.

More than 400 lay and clergy leaders - representing the organization's 160
congregations, 25 campus ministries and 15,000 individual members - attended
the 15th anniversary convocation, according to organizers.

In addition to worship, daily Bible study and small group reflection,
participants continued to prepare for the program's General Conference
campaign, "Wide is the Welcome - Extend the Table." Those involved in a
parents' forum before the event announced at closing worship that they would
identify and recruit 100 parents to visit General Conference next May in
Cleveland to protest the United Methodist Church's treatment of their
lesbian and gay children.

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