wfn.org | Agency commissions missionaries, deaconesses

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Oct. 29, 2001  News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212)870-38037New York
10-71B{498}

NOTE: For related coverage of the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries' meeting, see UMNS stories #493, #494 and #497

STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) -- The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries
recently commissioned or recognized 21 missionaries and deaconesses.

Recognized as missionaries at the Oct. 24 commissioning service during the
board's annual meeting were the Rev. Dennis and Carolyn (Dee Dee) Heffner,
West Ohio Conference. She will serve as a teacher at McCurdy School in
Espanola Valley, N.M., and he will be executive director of the Northern New
Mexico Group Ministry in Espanola.
	
Six new missionaries will serve as church and community workers. They are
the Rev. David Draggoo, West Michigan Conference, assigned as director of
Looking Glass Community Services in the Detroit area; the Rev. Dwala J.
Ferrell, Virginia Conference, assigned as executive director of Petersburg
(Va.) Urban Ministries; and Randy J. Hildebrandt, Holston Conference,
assigned as director of youth ministries, Jubilee Project, Sneedsville,
Texas.

Also, Nancy Tomlinson Hobbs, Holston Conference, assigned to Big Stone Gap
District Church and Community Renewal Project in Virginia; Lynn Miles, North
Alabama Conference, assigned to Shepherd's Center, Birmingham, Ala.; and the
Rev. P. Michael Watts, Virginia Conference, assigned to work with youth
rebuilding housing in Petersburg, Va. 
	
Assigned to a broad range of ministries were 10 people commissioned to the
office of deaconess, one person reinstated as deaconess, and two people
transferred to the office of deaconess.

They are Juliet H. Choi, New York Conference, assigned as a medical
missionary and nurse, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City;
A. Kay Clifton, West Ohio Conference, assigned to various mission programs
in Cincinnati; Elsie Cyrus, Louisiana Conference, assigned to Jordan United
Methodist Church Community Service Outreach Ministry, Baton Rouge, La.; and
Alice Lee, Greater New Jersey Conference, assigned to work with Korean
immigrant women and children at New Jersey Community Church Hospital
Ministries in Leonia.

Also, Marcia L. Florkey, West Ohio Conference, assigned as coordinator,
Church Without Walls Ministry, Cross Point United Methodist Church,
Trotwood, Ohio; Bong Jo Lee, California-Pacific Conference, assigned to the
Methodist Theological Seminary in America, Los Angeles; Teresa Mee Sue Park,
California-Pacific Conference, assigned as teacher, proposal writer, and
workshop leader for the conference; and Kathleen Ellen Peterson, Memphis
Conference, assigned as director of church and community ministries, Fayette
County Cluster of United Methodist Churches, Memphis Conference.

Also, Lou Ann Staggs, Mississippi Conference, assigned to children's
programs, New Albany District Ministry in Mississippi; and Sook Hee Yoo,
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, assigned as teacher, Educare Learning
Center, Philadelphia.
	
Reinstated to the office of deaconess was Nancy Faine, Florida Conference,
assigned as teacher, Mineola Elementary School, Mineola, Fla. Transferred to
the office of deaconess were Liwliwa T. Robledo, Rocky Mountain Conference,
assigned to Akron Elementary School, and Shanti Samuel, Wisconsin
Conference, assignment to be determined.  
	
The board supports 2,546 missionaries serving in 71 countries.

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