wfn.org | AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR APRIL 12, 1996

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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 
E-mail: RICH_SCHRAMM.PARTI@ECUNET.ORG
Richard W. Schramm, Director

______________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE: APRIL 12, 1996
______________________________________________________________________________

o  Dr. Richard K. Gladden, deputy general secretary for Research and Planning
fo
r American Baptist Churches
USA, will retire June 30 after a denominational career of  34 years.  For more
t
han a quarter century Gladden
has been a strategic resource person for the American Baptist Office of the
Gene
ral Secretary, General Board and
other American Baptist boards and agencies.  He has researched, written on,
and 
provided expert advice in such
matters as the denomination's polity, bylaws and standing rules, policy
planning
, evaluation and assessment of
programming.  He has served as staff to the denomination's Standing Rules
Commit
tee, Planning and Evaluation
Committee and Reference Committee.  He also is a charter member of the
American 
Baptist Computer Center
Board of Directors, which he has served as corporate secretary since 1985. 
Glad
den, who joined the staff of
American Baptist Educational Ministries in 1962, was engaged as the first
person
 to head an office of research
and planning for the denomination in 1969.  He became a staff member of the
Offi
ce of the General Secretary in
1973.  He previously had held positions in curriculum development and research
f
or Educational Ministries,
where he was involved in the development of the Christian Faith and Work Plan
cu
rriculum that was introduced
in 1969.   Gladden was ordained in 1950.  From 1952-1961 he served as pastor
of 
Mountain Plain Baptist
Church, Mechum's River, Va.   He is a longtime member of the Baptist Church in
t
he Great Valley, Devon, Pa. 
Gladden also held academic positions in Virginia, where he was a faculty
member 
at the University of Virginia
School of Education and in the Religion Department of Frederick College.  In
add
ition he was a consultant to the
Department of Educational Research/Board of Christian Education of the
Presbyter
ian Church, U.S.  The author
of numerous articles, Gladden also is the co-author of the Local Church
Planning
 Manual (1977) and Key Steps
in Local Church Planning (1980), both published by Judson Press.  He holds the
B
 .S., M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees
from the University of Virginia.  Commenting on Gladden's career, American
Bapti
st Churches General Secretary
Daniel E. Weiss said: "Dick Gladden's unique ministry has helped to guide the
wo
rk of American Baptist
Churches USA across four decades.  His knowledge of American Baptist history,
an
d his astounding
comprehension both of the denomination's structure and that structure's
applicat
ion for our churches and
organizations, have provided innumerable reference points for planning and
progr
amming.  We who have worked
closely with Dick readily have sought his counsel and advice.  He is
irreplaceab
le, but his legacy will inform our
work for years to come.  We wish him God's blessings as he retires."          
 
                        

o  Patricia Schlosser, administrative coordinator in the American Baptist
Church
es Office of the General
Secretary, will retire April 30 after 37 years of denominational service. 
Among
 many other responsibilities,
Schlosser has been instrumental in staffing meetings of the denomination's
Gener
al Board and its Biennial
Meetings.  The November 1995 General Board sessions marked the fortieth
meeting 
of that body for which she
has served as staff.  She joined the American Baptist Churches staff in 1959
wit
h the Board of Education and
Publication, serving as secretary to Dr. Joseph Hanson of the Department of
Adul
t Work and Family Life.       
In 1970 she became part of the staff of General Program and Administration, as
s
ecretary to Dr. Hubert Porter. 
"Pat Schlosser 's commitment to the work of American Baptist Churches USA is
rea
dily apparent both in the
day-to-day operation of the Office of the General Secretary and at such
importan
t gatherings as our General
Board meetings," said American Baptist Churches General Secretary Daniel E.
Weis
s.  He added: "Her
commendable skills in so many important areas of administration and her good
spi
rit have added much to
denominational life.  Pat's work, indeed, has been a special ministry that has
t
ouched countless American
Baptists.  We certainly will miss her, but wish her the very best in
retirement.
"

o  Dr. George Kelsey, well-known American Baptist ethicist, educator and
scholar
, died April 3.  Kelsey, who
held a number of faculty positions over a long career, taught at Morehouse
Schoo
l of Religion and at Drew
Theological Seminary.

o  The Rev. Garnett Russi, pastor of Brown Indian American Baptist Church,
Walte
rs, Okla., 46, died March
18 from medical complications related to several illnesses. Contributions in
mem
ory of Russi may be sent to
Brown Indian American Baptist Church, Route 1, Box 61, Walters, OK 73572, c/o
Ma
rlene Fodder. 

  
________________________________________________________________________________
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