VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS – 7/17/09)—At the Saturday afternoon gathering of the American Baptist Churches USA Biennial meeting in Pasadena, CA, June 27, delegates elected new officers for ABCUSA, for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2010.
Frank Christine, Jr. was elected president of the ABC. Christine, who is currently serving as vice president, is a civil engineer and currently serves as a senior information systems manager for Applications Development of Business and Engineering Systems in the Department of Water and Power for the City of Los Angeles.
A Sunday School teacher and deacon in his local church, Second Baptist Church of Los Angeles, he has been a representative to the General Board of American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, as well as serving as president of the region.
Christine has also served three terms as a trustee on the board of the American Baptist Seminary of the West, and continues on the board of Atherton Baptist Homes.
At the national level, Christine has been the chairperson of the ABC Statements of Concern Committee, and president of International Ministries.
Patricia Stratton, the National Coordinator of Personal Development Ministries for AB Women’s Ministries, was elected vice president of the denomination.
She has been president as well as regional coordinator of Church and Community Ministries of AB Women’s Ministries in Maine. The school nurse for Bowdoinham Community School, Stratton is a member of Bowdoinham Second Baptist Church, and has served as a Sunday school teacher, worship leader, choir member, and small group facilitator.
As a representative to the AB General Board from ABC of Maine, Stratton was president of the Women’s Caucus, and served on the Board of National Ministries.
She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of City Gate Ministries in Washington, DC, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Maine Adoption Placement Service.
James Ratliffe, who was re-elected as Budget Review Officer, has been the Board representative from ABC of Metro New York, where he has served as the region’s president.
During his terms as representative, Ratliff was a member of the Board of International Ministries, where he served on the Finance Committee.
A retired professor, Ratliffe has served as treasurer, as well as chairperson of the board of Deacons and Trustees for First Baptist Church, Riverhead, NY.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.