wfn.org | ROBERTS BEGINS AS ABC/USA INTERIM GENERAL SECRETARY

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

To: wfn-editors@wfn.org

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

ROBERTS TO ASSUME DUTIES 
AS INTERIM GENERAL SECRETARY
 With the retirement of American Baptist Churches USA 
General Secretary Daniel E. Weiss today, Dr. Robert H. 
Roberts is set to assume his new duties as interim general 
secretary.
 Roberts' first day in the offices of the American 
Baptist Churches Mission Center here will be Tuesday, Sept. 
5.
 Roberts retired in January after ten years as 
associate general secretary for World Mission Support of 
American Baptist Churches USA.  In that position he was 
responsible for providing leadership in raising 
approximately $40 million annually for American Baptist 
missions and programs through American Baptist Mission 
Support.  He was involved in more than 100 tithing seminars 
across the U.S. in 1993 and produced numerous resources for 
that focus and other areas of mission giving.  
 Previously Roberts served from 1982-1990 as executive 
minister of the American Baptist Churches of Connecticut.  
Prior to that (1979-1982) he was executive minister of the 
American Baptist Churches of the Central Region (which 
includes Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas).
 His wide experience has included service as pastor of 
Braemar Baptist Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (1959-
1962); First Baptist Church, Ridgefield Park, N.J. (1962-
1966); and Flemington Baptist Church, Flemington, N.J. 
(1966-1979).
 An active leader in the Evangelistic Life Style 
denominational emphasis in the 1970s at both the national 
and regional levels, Roberts also chaired the American 
Baptist Evangelism Team.  He was a well-known spokesperson 
for the denomination' Grow By Caring program in the 1980s.
 A native of Western Canada, he holds the B.A. degree 
in philosophy from the University of Alberta, the B.D. 
degree in theology from McMaster Divinity School, the S.T.M. 
degree in homiletics from Union Theological Seminary (New 
York), and Ph.D. degree in theology from New York 
University.
 He and his wife, Joan, are parents of three adult 
children and have five grandchildren.

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