wfn.org | ABCUSA: Gleason to Retire as Assistant General Secretary

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

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 11/19/03)--Marie Gleason,
assistant general secretary for administrative services for American Baptist
Churches USA, has announced her retirement effective Jan. 31, 2004.

Gleason has served in that role and similar ones within the Office of the
General Secretary since 1989.  She has held the positions of assistant to
the general secretary, administrative secretary to the deputy general
secretary for Cooperative Christianity and administrative assistant to the
associate general secretary/treasurer.	She began her work here in 1988 on
the staff of the Ministers-at-Large program.  

She has provided staffing for the General Board and its Executive Committee,
as well as the Review Commission on Denominational Structure and Process,
among other responsibilities.

Her husband, the Rev. Dr. John Gleason, served from 1987 to 1996 as director
of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Services for American Baptist National
Ministries.

Catherine Brubaker, administrative assistant for the executive offices of
American Baptist Educational Ministries since 1989, has accepted the
position of administrative assistant to the general secretary, beginning
Jan. 20, 2004.	In her current position she has provided support for both
the executive director and deputy executive director/treasurer.  An
Educational Ministries staff member since 1984, she previously worked as an
editorial assistant, editorial secretary and secretary in Christian Higher
Education.	

General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley expressed his appreciation for
the work of Marie Gleason:  "Marie has handled with admirable skill and true
grace the tasks of coordinating the countless details of scheduling and
appointments related to the general secretary's work. She also has brought
expertise and insight into her work with the General Board, its committees
and other groups.  All who know Marie and have worked with her have been
blessed by her commitment to excellence, her timely responsiveness and her
wonderful spirit.  Her work has indeed been a ministry, and a very special
one.  We wish Marie and Jack God's every blessing for a rewarding
retirement."

Medley also commended Cathy Brubaker and expressed enthusiasm for her new
work with the Office of the General Secretary:	"Cathy Brubaker brings years
of administrative and organizational skills to her new responsibilities.
She is known throughout the denomination as an unconditionally friendly,
accessible and enthusiastic colleague who has skillfully facilitated much of
the important work of Educational Ministries.  It is with great satisfaction
that I anticipate her continuing ministry with us here."

K/2003ABNS/03ABN149

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