wfn.org | ABCUSA: Woods Named Associate General Secretary for Regional

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

Ministries	

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/6/06)--The Rev. Dr. C.
Jeff Woods, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Ohio
since 1996, has been named associate general secretary for Regional
Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA.  Woods, who assumes his new
responsibilities July 1, will work from his home in Ohio.  

The Rev. Dr. Robert H. Roberts has been serving as interim associate general
secretary for Regional Ministries since the retirement of the Rev. Dr. Fred
W.Thompson earlier this year.

In announcing the appointment of Woods, American Baptist Churches USA
General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley said, "His love for American
Baptist Churches USA is not uncritical and he constantly pushes us to think
outside the box.  He has a vibrant spiritual life.  He is appreciative of
and gifted in working with our diversity.... This is a wonderful opportunity
for the ministries of ABCUSA.  I look forward to the energy, ability and
spiritual presence Jeff will bring to this position."

Medley said that in his new role Woods "will link us to a wide range of
resources for building the capacity of our regions for ministry with a
sensitivity to the realities within which we work."

Woods formerly served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Rushville
for nine years.  He previously held pastorates in Indiana at Bethel Baptist
Church in Bethel and at First Baptist Church in Milan, and was associate
pastor of youth and evangelism at First Baptist Church in Madison.

During his service at Rushville First Baptist he was a member of the
American Baptist Churches USA General Board and the General Board Executive
Committee.  He chaired the Board's Committee on American Baptist Policy
Statements and Resolutions and served on the Board of National Ministries'
Division of Program Services Committee and Violence Task Force, among other
positions.

Prior to his current responsibilities in Ohio Woods was a member of the team
which was charged with implementing a major restructuring process, chaired
the region's Bylaws Revision Task Force, and served on the Region Nominating
Committee, Ministers Council Board of Directors and Commission for Review of
Ministerial Standing.

Woods holds the B.S. degree from Purdue University, the M.Div. from Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary and the D.Phil. from Indiana University. He is
the author of numerous articles and several books published by the Alban
Institute, among other works.

K/2003ABNS/03ABN36

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org