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American Baptist Executive Ministers to Retire

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 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

Four ABC/USA Executive Ministers
To Finish Regional Service in 2000

 Executive ministers in four American Baptist regions 
recently have announced their intentions to either retire or 
resign in 2000.
 The Rev. Mildred A. Myren, executive minister of 
American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago for the past five 
years, will retire March 31.  Myren previously had served as 
interim executive, and has been a staff member of ABC of 
Metro Chicago since 1978.  In announcing her retirement 
Myren noted, "I deeply cherish the experiences that this 
position has afforded me.  Most of all I cherish the people 
and the churches of this region....  The experiences in the 
wider denominational family have...opened doors for 
challenging and rewarding opportunities of service."  The 
ABC of Metro Chicago, one of 34 regional organizations 
within the American Baptist Churches USA, includes 
approximately 60 churches and 15,000 resident members.
 The Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Cowles, executive minister of 
the American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas since 1991, 
will retire July 31.  Prior to his present responsibilities 
Cowles served the region as associate executive minister and 
as World Mission Support staff.  He also was pastor of First 
Baptist Church in Pella, Ia., for 13 years and served four 
other pastorates in Kansas and Iowa.  The ABC of the Dakotas 
includes approximately 51 churches and  5,200 resident 
members.
 The Rev. Dr. Louis A. George, executive minister of 
the American Baptist Churches of Vermont and New Hampshire 
since 1992, will retire Dec. 31.  George previously was a 
staff member of the American Baptist Churches of Maine and 
held several pastorates in Maine and Pennsylvania.  In Maine 
he also staffed the Institute for Ministry, a state-wide 
endeavor for training lay pastors and church leaders 
sponsored by the Commission on the Ministry.  In addition he 
served in faculty positions at Bangor Theological Seminary, 
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Boston University 
School of Theology.   In announcing his retirement George 
noted, "Never...could I have ever wished for a more loving, 
cooperative people with whom to work than the staff, pastors 
and lay people who make up the ABC of Vermont and New 
Hampshire family."  The ABC of Vermont and New Hampshire 
includes approximately 156 churches and 15,600 resident 
members.
 The Rev. Dr. Paul D. Aita, who has served the American 
Baptist Churches of the Northwest as executive minister 
since 1994, has announced his intention to resign that 
position no later than Dec. 31, 2000.  Aita has held pastorates 
at First Baptist Church in Billings, Mont.; First Baptist 
Church in Danvers, Mass.; and Immanuel Baptist Church 
in Tacoma, Wash.  "I took this action with great sadness, 
as I have considered it a real honor to have 
served...in this capacity," Aita said.  The ABC of the 
Northwest, which encompasses the states of Montana, 
Washington and Idaho as well as churches in Nevada, Oregon 
and Utah, includes approximately 200 churches and 36,000 
resident members.
 The abovementioned join two other executives whose 
retirements in 2000 previously were announced in the 
American Baptist News Service: the Rev. Dr. J. David 
Mallgren, executive minister of the American Baptist 
Churches of Nebraska, on April 30, and the Rev. Dr. George 
E. Daniels, executive minister of the American Baptist 
Churches of Wisconsin, on Aug. 31.

1/19/00
WFN119A.TXT

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