wfn.org | Re: AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR NOV. 15, 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 
Richard W. Schramm, Director (E-mail:
RICH_SCHRAMM.PARTI@ECUNET.ORG)

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UPDATE: NOVEMBER 15, 1996
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o  Dr. Conrad Lowe, senior pastor of North Parkersburg
Baptist Church in Parkersburg, W.V., has been named
executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of
the West, effective in February.  Lowe, who has led
the North Parkersburg Church for 23 years, succeeds Dr.
Robert D. Rasmussen, whose 25-year tenure leading
the region is the longest of any current American Baptist
executive minister.  Rasmussen announced last year his
intention to retire on his sixty-fifth birthday in
February 1997.  The unanimous choice of the region's
search
committee chaired by Dr. Curtis Mitchell, Lowe was
elected by the region's Board of Managers at its recent
meeting.  Under Lowe's leadership membership in the North
Parkersburg church has grown from 100 to the
present membership of 2,400.  The church recently built a
1,200-seat sanctuary and a $2-million building for
education.  Lowe is a graduate of Wheaton College and
Southern Baptist Seminary.  He previously was pastor of
Mountainview Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio.  Conrad
and Sherry Lowe, a teacher, are parents of three
grown children.  Responding to his appointment, Lowe
said, "As executive minister I would like to give
encouragement, training and support to pastors and their
congregations.  I believe the best years for building the
Kingdom of God will be the next decade."  The American
Baptist Churches of the West, one of 34 regions
within American Baptist Churches USA, includes
approximately 225 churches and 47,000 resident members.

o  David Chandler, a media consultant and producer from
West Chester, Pa., has been named
associate director of the Office of Communication/Office
of the General Secretary, American
Baptist Churches USA.  Chandler has extensive experience
in both the technical and creative
components of a wide variety of electronic media,
including video, Internet/Web and other
interactive computer-based technologies.   He has been an
independent media consultant/producer
since 1989; from 1984-1989 he served as director of Media
Services for American Baptist-related
Eastern College in St. Davids, Pa.  Chandler holds the
bachelor of Social Work degree from Eastern
College.  In the newly created position of associate
director Chandler will give specific direction to
the development and utilization of non-print
communications for the Office of Communication.  He
will coordinate and supervise the maintenance of the
Office's Web Site; act as producer and
contractor for outside media services; and work with
other American Baptist and ecumenical
agencies for cooperative development of electronic media
strategies that best serve the
denomination, among other responsibilities.  Richard
Schramm, director of the Office of
Communication, noted in announcing Chandler's
appointment, "His technical skills, his ability to
oversee effectively all phases of electronic production,
his strong sense of denominational identity
and his vision of communicating that identity to our
local churches all commend him highly."

o  Carol Chaney, director of Special Events for American
Baptist International Ministries for
the past four and a half years, has been promoted to
director of Missionary Recruitment, effective
Jan. 1, 1997.  In her past position Chaney has been
responsible for coordinating and promoting
special events, including the World Mission Conference,
World Servants work tours and missionary
deputation within regions.  Her duties also include
serving on cooperative committees responsible
for planning events such as the American Baptist
Churches' Biennial Meetings, Seminarians'
Conferences and Ministers' Orientations.  She is a board
member of the American Baptist
Assembly.  Chaney will be moving into the position held
by Judith Mayes, who will serve for six
months as program development officer for American
Baptist Churches of the South prior to her
retirement in June 1997. As the recruitment director
Chaney will be placing up to 34 commissioned
missionaries and 300 volunteers overseas in 1997.  "Carol
s congenial spirit and natural intuition
regarding people will make her an excellent director of
missionary recruitment," said Dr. John
Sundquist, executive director of International
Ministries.  "She already is well respected among our
constituency, is well known and trusted by our current
missionary team, and has a firm grasp of
International Ministries  missiology and policies
regarding volunteer and missionary placement."

o  In response to a request from American Baptist
Churches of the South for American Baptist
national program board staff persons to work for six
months in establishing the programming for its
new conference center, Judith Mayes has been appointed to
serve as the International Ministries
program development officer to that region.  While still
an International Ministries employee,
Mayes' responsibilities will include helping American
Baptist Churches of the South establish its
new facility as a place that can be utilized as a center
for cross-cultural education.  She will work
within the area clusters to identify and develop strong,
viable programs that will best serve the
churches.  "There is tremendous potential for us to use
the center as a site for mission education for
our churches as well as a retreat center for missionaries
and pastors who need an opportunity to
study in an informal setting,"  Mayes said.  "In my
position as director of Missionary Recruitment I
have worked with key groups of people to foster their
interest in global mission.  American Baptist
Churches of the South is giving us an opportunity to
network with these key populations in the
South who are interested in furthering their mission
vision.  Through the conference center we will
bring global mission education closer to home.  I am
excited about this next step in my ministry." 
"We are pleased to respond to the initiative from the
American Baptist Churches of the South,"
noted Dr. John Sundquist, executive director of
International Ministries.  "I see this appointment as
a natural progression in fulfilling our Passion for
Mission statement.  We are committed to
developing greater partnerships within the denomination." 
Mayes will serve Jan. 1-June 30, 1997. 
Upon completion of this assignment Mayes will take early
retirement and will be available to
International Ministries for special projects.

o  The Rev. Dr. Alonzo B. Patterson Jr., pastor of Shiloh
Missionary Baptist Church, Anchorage,
Alaska, has been appointed to coordinate Alaska
Ministries for American Baptist National
Ministries.  He began Nov. 1 in the part-time position. 
Patterson replaces the Rev. Evan Jones,
who directed Alaska Ministries until his retirement
earlier this year.  Patterson has served in
Christian ministry for 46 years and has been pastor of
Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for 26
years.  While continuing to pastor the church he will
serve on the boards of Alaska institutions and
share available resources for churches from National
Ministries.  He also will be involved in
procuring volunteers and leadership for local churches in
Alaska and relate to and represent
American Baptist Churches USA with the National Baptist
Convention in the state.  Through
evangelistic outreach efforts Patterson has been
instrumental in organizing ten missions in various
parts of the U.S. and one in Germany.  Several of the
missions are in the state of Alaska and three
have now obtained church status.  Patterson serves as the
chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Foundation of Alaska, the Alaska Black Leadership
Conference and The Greatland State Baptist
Convention.  Since 1984 he has been chair of the Alaska
State Board of Parole. 
In announcing the appointment National Ministries
Executive Director Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-
Riggins III said: "Alonzo Patterson's caring nature and
competent ministry have made him a well-
known and respected pastor and community leader.  He will
continue to move among American
Baptists in Alaska with vision and energy."

o  American Baptist Men USA is encouraging American
Baptists in every region to organize
prayer breakfasts on Feb. 22, 1997.  ABMen USA President
John Ford of Columbus, Ohio, said
"We believe a nationwide concert of prayer is needed to
continue the revival God is bringing about
through ministries to men and boys."  Ford recently
contacted all regional ABMen presidents,
urging the organizing of prayer breakfasts across their
respective regions.  The result, he said, would
be a multitude of men and boys seeking God together. 
Ford, president of ABMen USA since 1995,
will be succeeded by David Gnirk of South Dakota on Jan.
1, 1997.
ABMen USA is offering a 1997 Prayer Breakfast Video Kit
to aid in planning these events,
available from ABMen USA for $29.99 by calling
1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2286.

96U1115
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