wfn.org | NCCCUSA Appoints New MCE Director

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web: www.ncccusa.org
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227

91NCC8/23/99   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC APPOINTS THE REV. PATRICE ROSNER OF ST. LOUIS, MO.,
NEW MINISTRIES IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR

 NEW YORK, Aug. 23 ---- The Rev. Patrice Rosner of St. 
Louis, Mo., a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 
publishing executive, has been named of Director of 
Ministries in Christian Education (MCE) for the National 
Council of Churches (NCC), the Rev. Dr. Staccato Powell 
announced today.

 "We are fortunate to be able to attract someone with 
the kind of experience and background in Christian education 
that Patrice has, not only in her previous job but also with 
NCC committees," said Dr. Powell, who serves as the NCC's 
Deputy General Secretary for National Ministries.  MCE is 
part of the NCC's National Ministries Unit.  "She brings a 
wealth of knowledge and the capacity to build on what her 
predecessor had started."

"Because of her many years working with the NCC, she 
knows what she is getting into," said the Rev. Joe Leonard, 
the NCC's Director of Family Ministries and Human Sexuality 
who also has served as acting MCE director since September 
1998.  "With her experience, creativity and an ever-
important sense of humor, I know she will rise to the 
challenge of leading a ministry which encompasses such 
diverse issues and areas."

 Rev. Rosner will begin her service as Director of MCE 
on January 1, 2000, the beginning of the NCC's new 
Quadrennium and will be based in the NCC's New York office.  
Ministries in Christian Education embraces some fifteen 
ministries touching a wide range of educational and advocacy 
issues, including public education, justice for children and 
their families, Black Congregational Ministry, ministry with 
persons who have disabilities, outreach to the deaf 
community and a new program exploring how congregations can 
nurture the spiritual development of their members. 

Rev. Rosner has served the Christian Board of 
Publication (CBP), the Christian Church (Disciples) 
publishing arm headquartered in St. Louis, for 22 years, 
most recently as the Vice President and as Director of the 
Congregational Ministries Department.  During her tenure at 
CBP, Rosner has been instrumental in the development of 
curriculum and congregational program resources for CBP and 
its partners including: Bible Discovery, Journey Through the 
Bible, Discipleship Alive, Living the Word, Children's Bible 
Series, Vacation Venture Series, and The StoryTeller Series.  
She also authored the book Consider the Children: Planning 
for Young Children during Worship.

 Rev. Rosner likens the expertise she has developed in 
publishing to the circus act where the performer keeps 
several plates spinning on poles.  "It seems to me that this 
is what the MCE Director needs to be able to do - to keep 
the plates spinning," Rev. Rosner said.  "Yet while I need 
to keep the processes going so the ministries can run 
effectively, I also want to be able to have enough vision 
and creativity to identify plates that need to be removed so 
that new ones can be put in the air.  I have learned that 
one thing congregations do is to continue programs because 
they have always done it, but sometimes you need to 
celebrate that program for what it provided while 
acknowledging that the present moment calls for something 
new."

 Rev. Rosner has been actively involved on the National 
Ministries Unit Committee and the MCE Program and 
Administrative Boards.  "I have been affiliated with MCE for 
over 20 years, the last four years with the administrative 
board," Rev. Rosner explained.  "One of the things that 
excites me is that MCE is very viable, in terms of both 
budget and program, because of the kinds of things it does 
on behalf of member communions and congregations.  There is 
a lot of long-time loyalty related to MCE."

 "One of the visions I have for MCE is to see how we can 
enlarge the participation of all the 35 member communions of 
the NCC in MCE opportunities," Rev. Rosner said.  "How can 
we begin to facilitate dialogue across all denominational 
lines?  That's one direction I want to pursue."

 Rev. Rosner said that she believes the timing of her 
appointment couldn't be better.  "I am excited to accept 
this position at this particular time, as the Council is 
poised to do new things in other areas, not just in MCE," 
Rev. Rosner said.  "We will be calling a new General 
Secretary and beginning a new four-year quadrennium as well 
as entering the new millennium.  This is a great time to 
join the NCC staff."

 She also commented that she is honored to fill a 
position formerly held by others she so admired.  "To be 
able to serve in a department formerly staffed by people 
like Dot Savage and Ima Jean Kidd is rather awesome," she 
said.  "I consider Dot Savage to be a mentor in several ways 
so I consider it a unique opportunity to serve in the same 
capacity that she did."

 Rev. Rosner is an ordained minister in the Christian 
Church (Disciples of Christ) and has served as a deacon in 
her St. Louis congregation, Overland Christian Church.  She 
has also been elected to three three-year terms with the 
Pattonville Board of Education.

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