VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/21/11)—Rev. Hopeton A. Scott and Rev. Reginald Sewell Mills were elected president and vice president respectively of the Board of Directors for American Baptist International Ministries (IM) at its meeting on November 16, 2011, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rev. Scott is Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, CT. He served on the General Board of the American Baptist Churches USA representing the American Baptist Churches of Connecticut and on IM’s Board since 2007.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Rev. Scott volunteers as a member of a statewide organization that provides funding, technical assistance and advocacy for low-income energy consumers. He also serves as a consultant and finance director for an entrepreneurial healthcare service provider, and he enjoys being a reader to elementary school scholars.

He and his wife, Clover May Hughie, have one daughter and raised nine foster children. Of his new position with IM, Rev. Scott says, “This opportunity for ministry will be a wonderful experience, allowing me to serve our IM missionaries, staff and overseas partner organizations in a significant way. I feel blessed by the choice the board made.”

Rev. Mills is senior pastor of the Central Baptist Church of Springfield and New Berlin, IL. He served on the General Board of the American Baptist Churches USA representing the American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region and on IM’s Board since 2007.

Rev. Mills explains, “God long ago created in me a deep interest in International Ministries. I was part of a crew in 1986 that built a home for an agricultural center worker in Haiti. I traveled to Nicaragua in 2001 to construct a health clinic building in La Consulta, and again in 2009 to complete work on a church/school facility for Bethel Kukra Hill Church (established 2007).”

Rev. Mills and his wife, Judi, have three children and three grandchildren. His favorite avocations include spending time with his grandchildren and sport fishing. Among his volunteer activities are his work on the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, his efforts with a residential shelter for women and children and his dedication to a local elementary school where 92% of the students live in households below the national poverty level.

Ruth Clark, president of IM’s Board of Directors from 2010 to 2011 and now president-elect of the American Baptist Churches USA, says: “Hopeton Scott and Reg Mills will serve well in their new roles leading International Ministries into our third century of mission. Both have a passion for seeing people come to Christ, grow in Christ and change their worlds with Christ, evidenced in the way their congregations are involved in mission both locally and internationally. They have been instrumental in the conversations we have been having as we seek to move forward in supporting our missionaries and partner organizations in their work around the world.”

American Baptist International Ministries, organized in 1814, is the first Baptist Mission organization formed in North America. We serve more than 1,800 long-term and short-term missionaries annually, bringing U.S. and Puerto Rico churches together with partners in more than 70 countries to help people come to Christ, grow in Christ and change their worlds with Christ. See more at www.internationalministries.org.

American Baptist Churches USA 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.