wfn.org | ABCUSA: Roberts Serving as World Mission Support Consultant

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

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 5/24/04)--The Rev. Dr.
Robert H. Roberts, former associate general secretary for World Mission
Support and currently interim executive minister for the American Baptist
Churches of Ohio, is offering leadership as a consultant for World Mission
Support in a period of transition.

Since the retirement last month of the Rev. Dr. Albert Paul Brinson, Roberts
has been providing volunteer part-time leadership for WMS.  With the
anticipated completion of his interim leadership in Ohio in July, he will
expand his WMS work to approximately two weeks each month here in Valley
Forge and one week each month working out of his home.	 The process now
underway to call a new associate general secretary for World Mission Support
is expected to be completed later this year.

Roberts has been one of the most respected and prominent leaders within
American Baptist Churches USA for decades. He served as interim general
secretary of American Baptist Churches USA from September 2000 until January
2002.  He previously was associate general secretary for World Mission
Support for ten years; during that time was instrumental in promoting a
denominational emphasis on tithing and proportional giving.

Prior to his work with World Mission Support Roberts served as executive
minister of the American Baptist Churches of Connecticut and as executive
minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Central Region.  He held
pastorates at Braemar Baptist Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; First
Baptist Church, Ridgefield Park, N.J.; and Flemington Baptist Church,
Flemington, N.J.

An active leader in the Evangelistic Life Style denominational emphasis in
the 1970s at both the national and regional levels, he also chaired the
American Baptist Evangelism Team.  He was a well-known spokesperson for the
denomination's Grow By Caring program in the 1980s.

"We are blessed that Bob Roberts once again is bringing his passionate
commitment and enthusiasm to American Baptist stewardship through World
Mission Support," said American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the
Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley.  "As WMS undergoes a period of transition in both
leadership and organization, Bob Roberts is absolutely the right person to
move us forward in fulfilling God's call to be joyful stewards.''

Medley noted, "American Baptist Churches USA is at an exciting and
challenging point in its history, and will soon have a new vision and
programmatic focus through the "Seek It!" process-an endeavor that will be
based on the Christ-centered hopes and dreams of thousands of American
Baptists.  We're glad that Bob Roberts will be with us in a leadership role
during these coming extraordinary months." 

K/2004ABNS/04ABN63

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