wfn.org | AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS FOR JAN. 10, 1997

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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: JANUARY 10, 1997
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o  Judson Press of American Baptist Educational
Ministries has officially opened its World Wide Web site:
http://www.judsonpress.com.  The site includes a number
of sections, including "What's New"; "Guest Book"
(for Web readers to sign in); "Top Ten Bestsellers";
ordering information; and "About Us," which notes the
history of Judson Press and its relationship to American
Baptist Churches USA.

o  The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (M&M) of
American Baptist Churches has announced that
on Jan. 15, 1997 James F. Keegan of Brooklyn, N.Y., will
become coordinator of Member Assistance, a unit of
M&M s Member Service Team.  Keegan will coordinate the
work of Member Service representatives in the field
and in M&M s offices.  He will be located in the New York
office.  Keegan succeeds Richard A. Huber, who
was promoted to associate executive director on Jan. 1,
1997.  Keegan most recently was employed as vice
president and director of Customer Service of the
National Westminster Bank.  From 1974-1992 he held
customer service and financial positions with Merrill
Lynch & Co., Inc., and White Weld & Co., Inc.  Keegan is
a cum laude graduate of St. Francis College, Brooklyn
Heights, N.Y., where he majored in accounting/
management.  In announcing this appointment, Dr. Gordon
Smith, M&M executive director, said, "Jim Keegan s
considerable experience in customer service will be of
great value to us in our efforts to provide M&M members
with efficient and timely service.  We are pleased to
have been able to secure a person of his caliber to serve
in
this important position."

o  Bo Standifer, vice president of finance for the Green
Lake Conference Center/American Baptist
Assembly, Green Lake, Wis., will retire Jan. 31.  An ABA
staff member since 1972, Standifer has been
responsible for accounting, human resources, the
bookstore, food service, the country store, the print
shop and
the Courses of Lawsonia during those 25 years.  He also
oversaw computer operations, insurance programs,
investments, purchasing and development of the operating
budget.  Commenting on Standifer's years of service,
ABA President Ken Giacoletto said, "Bo has seen Green
Lake through many good times and some bad and
through it all he has remained faithful to the ministry
to which God has called him."

o  Dr. John Eustace Lenox, an International Ministries
missionary to China from 1930-1945, died Dec. 23
at age 92.  Lenox and his wife, Cora, served at West
China Union University College of Medicine and Dentistry
at Chengtu.  Communist activity prevented their return to
China following a furlough in 1945, and they resigned
from missionary service in 1948.  Lenox subsequently
taught at Alderson-Broaddus College and the University of
Pittsburgh.    

o  Another retired International Ministries missionary,
Ruth V. Thurmond, died Dec. 25 at age 84.  She
served in South India for 40 years--1938-1978--in women's
work, evangelization outreach, administration and
other ministries.  Among the institutions she served were
the Girls' High School in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh; the
Middle School in Kavali; and the Ramapatnam Baptist
Theological Seminary.  She became both the first woman
appointed field secretary in South India and, in 1977,
the first woman ordained by the Telugu Baptist Church in
Ramapatnam.

o  The second anonymous $1,000,000 gift in recent months
has been received by Kalamazoo College,
Kalamazoo, Mich.  The American Baptist-related school
will use the gifts to renovate Dewing Hall, which
houses classrooms, computer services, media and mail
centers.  The refurbished building will be home to the
school's centers for International Programs and
Experiential Education.

o  A recent report from the Glendale, Calif.-based Barna
Research Group notes that church attendance has
declined for the fifth consecutive year.  A Barna survey
revealed that 37 percent of Americans acknowledge
attending church regularly.
    
97U110
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