VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 1/15/21)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) announces staffing transitions that will help the organization to cultivate leaders, equip disciples, and heal and transform communities for the 21st century and beyond.
“I am truly humbled that, even as we celebrate the long-term contributions of dedicated staff members who are retiring, God continues to send a new generation of staff members with the requisite gifts of courage, commitment and sense of call to serve in national ministries with the goal of impacting America and Puerto Rico,” says Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, ABHMS executive director. “Each of these persons is uniquely gifted to advance ABHMS and Judson Press mission in remarkable ways.”
The Rev. Dr. Brenda Halliburton-Williams, senior strategist of Cultural Competency & Education, will retire this month after more than 28 years of loyal service to ABHMS. She helps congregations work toward a just and inclusive church through cultural awareness and sensitivity-skill development, racial-reconciliation training and dialogue, intercultural-development tools and coaching, and coordination of activities that promote cross-cultural learning opportunities.
The Rev. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl, who recently completed her Ph.D. course work in Christian Spirituality and Ethics at Villanova University, has been named director of the Center for Continuous Learning (CCL). Her new vocation in mission education is rooted in action-reflection and is committed to having a real-world impact on individuals, congregations and other faith-based organizations. The ABHMS CCL is an ambitious undertaking—one that seeks to curate the rich archives of ABHMS programming while also creating new learning experiences that will cultivate leaders, equip disciples, and heal and transform communities.
The Rev. Erica Van Brakle, who most recently completed her D.Min. course work in Creative Leadership at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, has been named director of ministrElife and American Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS); and the Rev. Megan Biddle has been named national coordinator of ministrElife and ABPS. MinistrElife is ABHMS’ social networking platform that supports American Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS). Their work and ministry is instrumental in connecting ministry professionals—both clergy and lay leaders—to this vibrant online community. For more information, visit ministrElife.org.
ABHMS’ Leadership Empowerment Ministries expanded as Ouleye Ndoye has been hired as national coordinator for Emerging Leaders and Scholarship Programs. She facilitates provision of scholarship and grant opportunities to young scholars as well as more seasoned leaders, thereby broadening their scope of experience and providing them with a network of peers across disciplines and geographies. Additionally, Carolyn Majeed has been named Scholarships, Grants and Special Programs associate. As such, she supports the full scope of ABHMS scholarships and continuing education grant opportunities and assists in special programs initiated by the Leadership Empowerment unit.
Fabian Valenzuela has been hired as Information Technology operations associate. His primary responsibilities are to focus on technology maintenance and performance as well as on innovative ideas to improve.
The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Price has been hired as editor for Judson Press. In this role, she cultivates author relationships and supervises book acquisitions, including manuscript development and all phases of editorial production for Judson Press.
Megan Sizemore has been hired as Communications associate. In this role, she creates cohesive and creative content for the organization’s website and social media.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.