VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/17/07) - Rev. John Williams was voted in as the new Executive Minister for American Baptist Churches of the Central Region (ABCCR) Dec. 8 and will officially begin his duties in that post Jan. 1, 2008. Rev. Jim Autry had been serving as interim executive minister since May 2007. Before that, Dr. Steve Van Ostran served as acting executive minister following the retirement of Dr. Fred Ansell.
Despite icy weather and treacherous roads, the ABCCR Board of Directors gathered in McPherson, Kan. to take the vote.
Williams has been involved in the Central Region since 1974, pastoring three churches in Leavenworth, Wichita and Garden City before joining Regional staff as Western Area Minister in 1999.
Williams earned his B.A. from Fresno Pacific College and his M.Div. from Central Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Connie, were ordained in 1978.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/