wfn.org | ABCUSA: Interim Leadership Named for Educational Ministries

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/31/03)--The Rev. Daniel
J. Rawleigh, acting executive director of American Baptist Educational
Ministries since October 2001, has resigned that position and his
responsibilities as Educational Ministries' treasurer and chief operating
officer, effective today.

The Executive Committee of the Board of Educational Ministries has named
Arthur J. Munson to serve as interim executive director and Cornelius C.
Jones to serve as interim treasurer.

Rawleigh joined the Educational Ministries staff in 1999 as treasurer and
chief operating officer.  He was named acting executive director following
the resignation of Dr. Jean B. Kim.  He previously served as manager and
treasurer of the ABCON Credit Union.

Munson most recently has been staff to the ABC Discipleship Task Force,
formed to propose the future placement of ministries of education and
discipleship within American Baptist Churches USA.  At its meeting earlier
this month the task force decided to focus its ongoing work on a plan to
"dissolve the corporate structure of Educational Ministries and explore with
National Ministries bringing into their structure the programmatic functions
and publishing functions outlined in EM's Strategic Ministries Plan."  The
task force will present its final recommendations to the American Baptist
Churches USA General Board for action this June.

Munson was on the staff of Educational Ministries for 35 years, holding
numerous significant positions, including business manager and later
director of the Division of Publishing.   For almost 20 years Munson was
Educational Ministries' Affirmative Action officer as well as the
denomination's chief Affirmative Action officer part of that time.  In the
early 1980s Munson chaired a task force that established a personnel
director's position for Educational Ministries.  In 1985 he was appointed
Educational Ministries' first fulltime personnel director.  He later was
associate director for Human Resource Development for the Office of the
General Secretary.

Jones served as treasurer of American Baptist International Ministries from
1987 to 1996.  He previously was an International Ministries missionary in
North East India from 1957 to 1972 and Thailand from 1973 to 1980.  Jones
joined the Estate Planning Service staff of International Ministries in 1981
as Eastern representative.  He later served as director of Estate Planning,
assistant to the treasurer and director of the Business and Finance
Division. 

In announcing the staffing changes, Medley noted: "I am profoundly
appreciative of the leadership and dedication of Daniel Rawleigh during a
very challenging period of transition in Educational Ministries.  It has
been a difficult time in many ways, but I believe Daniel has helped bring
clarity in identifying the priority of ongoing ministries of discipleship
within American Baptist Churches USA.  The work of Educational Ministries
over the next months will require skilled and sensitive leadership.  Art
Munson and Neil Jones, longtime denominational servants, will bring the
stability and vision for such a task."	

K/2003ABNS/03ABN49

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org