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Note #6153 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

16-August-2000
00290

Notes about people

by Jerry L. Van Marter

	Kimberly Ewalt of Louisville, Ky., is one of 12 U.S. Christians chosen by
the National Council of Churches to serve for two years as an English
teacher in China with the Amity Teachers Program. Sponsored by the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Ewalt has been assigned to Shangrao Teachers'
College.
	Established in 1985, Amity was created by Chinese Christians who continue
to
serve on its board.  As a Chinese organization, Amity offers a genuine
partnership with Chinese Christians in the areas of education, rural
development, social welfare and Bible printing. Christians in more than a
dozen countries support Amity's work in China.
	Ewalt and the other volunteer English teachers headed to China on Aug. 3.

	# # #

	The Congregational Ministries Division has announced the appointment of the
Rev. Sharon K. Youngs as coordinator for mission interpretation and
promotion (MIP), effective Sept.15, 2000. She succeeds Sandra Moak Sorem,
who is now the division's publisher
	Youngs, who received her M.Div. from Columbia Seminary, was ordained by the
Presbytery of West Virginia where she is a minister member-at-large. She is
a certified social worker holding the M.S.S.W. degree from the University of
Louisville. Currently, she serves on the Mission Interpretation and
Promotion staff team as associate for promotion.
	Resources developed by MIP include the "Mission Yearbook for Prayer and
Study," the Presbyterian Planning Calendar, and promotional materials for
the denomination's four churchwide special offerings. Youngs will continue
to direct the promotional efforts of the Pentecost Offering, the newest of
the four offerings.

	# # #

	"Monday Morning" and "Presbyterians Today" magazines have announced the
hiring of Sharon Kutz-Mellem, an elder at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church
in Louisville as promotion manager for the two magazines.
	Kutz-Mellem has done quite a bit of freelance work for the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), especially in the area of disabilities concerns.  She has
also worked in various areas of publications work, including circulation
promotion. She begins her new work Aug. 28.

	# # #

	The PC(USA)'s Washington Office has announced the appointment of Catherine
S. Gordon as the new associate for international issues, succeeding the Rev.
Walter Owensby, who has retired.  She began her new work Aug. 1.
	Gordon, a candidate for the ministry in Arkansas Presbytery, is a graduate
of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia and comes to the Washington Office
from a position as advisor to international students at Emory University in
Atlanta.  She has also taught overseas in Jerusalem and in Slovakia and as a
community organizer in Mexico.

	# # #

	The Rev. Charles E. Shields, 56, pastor of Brentwood Presbyterian Church in
Los Angeles from 1981 until his retirement for health reasons last year,
died July 15 of prostate cancer.
	Born in Mount Ayr, Iowa and raised in Corvallis, Ore., Shields graduated
from Northwest Christian College and San Francisco Theological Seminary. 
During his years at Brentwood, the church tripled in membership and became
renowned up and down the West Coast for its pioneering interfaith,
ecumenical and humanitarian outreach nationally and internationally.  Prior
to that he was associate pastor at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church
near Oakland, Calif.
	Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1994, Shields continued his duties as
pastor as his health permitted, and co-authored, along with long-time friend
Cynthia Ferrell, the book "Spiritual Survival Guide," being published by
Doubleday. In October 1999, he resigned as pastor of the Brentwood Church to
focus on maintaining his health and founding the Institute of Faith and
Health, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to helping patients
draw upon spiritual resources in response to catastrophic illness.
	Shields is survived by his wife, Nadia; his daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth;
his parents, Pauline and Carroll Shields; his sister and brother-in-law Anna
and Tom Chase, and his niece and nephew, Ivy and John Chase. A memorial
service was held July 23 at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.

	# # #

	The Rev. Donald K. McKim, theological teacher and author of more than 20
books, has joined the staff of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation as
editor of academic and reference books for Westminster John Knox Press.
	McKim, a graduate of Westminster (Pa.) College and Pittsburgh Theological
Seminary, has served as academic dean and professor of theology at Memphis
Theological Seminary and as professor of theology at the University of
Dubuque Theological Seminary.  He is married to the Rev. Linda Jo McKim,
pastor of Cordova (Tenn.) Presbyterian Church.

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