wfn.org | Spleth leaves Homeland Ministries post

[wshuffit@oc.disciples.org]

 From nobody@wfn.org  Fri Sep  1 00:00:00 2000
Disciples News Service
Date: September 1, 2000
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
E-mail: CWillis@oc.disciples.org

00a-46

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) – The president of the Division of Homeland Ministries 
of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) left that post Aug. 31.  The 
Rev. Ann Updegraff Spleth, called to the presidency in January 1990, was 
the first woman chief executive of a Disciples general unit. 

	The Rev. Raymond E. Brown has been called to serve as interim president 
starting Sept. 1, according to the Rev. Rex Horne, HM board chair. Brown, 
a retired Board of Church Extension senior vice president, has served a 
number of congregational and general church interim positions since his 
retirement in 1991. These include appointments as interim vice president 
of each of the three Homeland Ministries centers.

	The immediate goal during the interim period, according to Horne, is to 
provide continuous service to Disciples. Before the search process for a 
new president begins, members of the board and staff plan to participate 
in a joint anti-racism training session in November. After the training, 
Homeland Ministries will undergo a comprehensive study to guide the future 
of the division.

	In her first year as president, Spleth led the development of a new 
structure for Homeland Ministries. Reorganization took place in January 
1991, replacing a 50-year-old "department structure" with one designed to 
foster staff wholeness and flexibility.  On her last day in the office, 
Spleth observed that Homeland Ministries is again in need of 
organizational change.  

	"We are now a program staff of 23 instead of 45. So the structure that 
was created at that time (1991) doesn't fit again," Spleth said.  But the 
seeds of change are already sown, she said,  in the way people are working 
together.  "There's a lot of informal teamwork going on.  There are a lot 
of people partnering both within Homeland Ministries with other staff and 
with partner groups in other units and regions – working toward the 
ministries that are most effective.  I think you can gaze at who we are 
now and see the outline of what the next step is," she said.  

	In 1992, Spleth directed the creation of a Homeland Ministries office and 
program for American Asian Disciples.  More recently, she called for a 
two-year process of moving North American/Pacific Asian Disciples toward 
autonomy.  

	Horne praised Spleth for other accomplishments, including recruiting a 
highly creative and talented staff and initiating a strategy for public 
witness and advocacy that is congregationally-based, involving countless 
Disciples in volunteer ministries.

	"On behalf of the Board of Homeland Ministries, I want to express our 
thanks to Ann for 15 years of gifted and devoted service. Hers has been a 
most demanding position. We are grateful for the ways in which she has 
served this church and wish her the greatest happiness and health for her 
every endeavor in the future," said Horne.

	Asked "what will you do now?"  Spleth said, "I don't know. I'll listen 
for a call from the Lord.  I'll have some time to rest – and find the 
bottom of the laundry basket."  She said she'd like to be remembered as "a 
person who fought for the strength of our congregations."  

	Spleth served as executive vice president of Homeland Ministries from 
1985 to 1989.  She is married to the Rev. Randy Spleth, pastor, Geist 
Christian Church, Indianapolis. The couple has two children – Andrew, 10, 
and Claire, five. 

	According to Horne, the guidelines for executive searches affirmed at the 
July 2000 Disciples General Board meeting will be presented to the 
Homeland Ministries board prior to appointing a search committee to seek a 
new president. Those guidelines call for, among other things, an open 
search, and the initial screening of applicants by a personnel specialist 
from outside the hiring organization.  "It is imperative that Homeland 
Ministries be a model in the selection process of its leadership and in 
the way in which it ministers to and serves within the whole church," said 
Horne.

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