wfn.org | ABCUSA: Ruiz Appointed New Area Director for International Ministries

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

by Eleanor P. Lundy, American Baptist International Ministries

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 12/1/03)--The Rev. Raul
Ruiz has been named International Ministries' area director for Mexico, the
Caribbean, Spain and Portugal, a new position to be effective Jan. 1, 2004.
The appointment was announced today by the Rev. Hictor Cortez, executive
director of International Ministries. 

The new area director position will be part of International Ministries'
expanded Global Mission Team.  Ruiz will assume responsibilities with
national partners and International Ministries missionaries serving Mexico,
the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. Josi Norat-Rodriguez, currently
International Ministries' area director for Iberoamerica and the Caribbean,
will supervise missionaries and build relationships with partner
organizations in South and Central America. Together, Ruiz and
Norat-Rodriguez will form a team to develop relationships and strategies for
greater mission involvement by Hispanic congregations in the United States
and Puerto Rico.  

Ruiz has served for the past five years as area minister for Latino
Ministries for ABC of New Jersey. He is also senior pastor of the Spanish
American Baptist Church of Union City, N.J., a congregation that has grown
during his tenure from four members into a congregation of 300. In more than
20 years of pastoral experience, Ruiz was instrumental in planting several
Hispanic churches and two Portuguese churches. He served on numerous
denominational boards and committees, began a Lay Institute for Hispanic
Churches in New Jersey, and helped to develop a Spanish-language curriculum
for ABCUSA's New Church Planting Institute, where he is a faculty member. He
has been a speaker and workshop leader at regional and national events
throughout the United States as well as in Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Costa
Rica, Mexico and Spain.

Born in Argentina, Ruiz became an American Baptist as a young boy after his
family came to the United States and visited an ABCUSA church. A graduate of
Northeastern Bible College, he holds a Master of Divinity degree from New
Brunswick Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Raquel Sabatier, a
Cuban-born teacher, are the parents of two daughters, Rebecca and Raquel,
and also have two grandchildren. 

"Raul Ruiz is a gifted, experienced preacher and pastor who is full of
energy and creativity," Cortez said in announcing the appointment. "His
thirst for innovative ways to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to a new
generation of seekers will contribute to International Ministries' emerging,
learning and adaptive strategies for greater global mission impact."	 

K/2003ABNS/03ABN152

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