NBA Board of Trustees Meets in St. Louis
Members of the Board of Trustees for the National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) met together June 4-6 in St. Louis for their first in-person meeting of 2015.
On Thursday evening, current and prospective board members joined with NBA staff to host the Open House and Blessing of the NBA’s new office space. Committee meetings were held Friday morning, followed by the plenary session convening Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
In her devotion to open the plenary session, board member Barbara Scamman reflected on Micah 6:8 and the call to help those amidst poverty, homelessness, and injustice. She closed with reference to another inspiring call-to-action: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
Throughout the course of the weekend, the NBA Board recognized three individuals for their tenure and service with the NBA and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):
- Mr. Gary Zimmerman, NBA CFO and VP of Administration, for 28 years of service with the NBA
- Rev. Mary Lou Kegler, for her recent appointment to the Disciples of Christ Historical Society Board of Trustees and her upcoming installation as Second Vice-Moderator for General Assembly in 2015-17
- Rev. Belva Brown Jordan, in celebration of her 10 years of service, and completion of her tenure, on the NBA Board of Trustees
The NBA Board also approved seven new trustees, effective July 1, 2015.
Voting Members:
- Rev. Jabari Butler – President, CIO Services Group; Moderator, Georgia Regional Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Rev. Daphne Gascot Arias – Senior Minister, Downey Memorial Christian Church, Downey, CA
- Ms. Cindy Kim Hengst – Lay Leader, Chicago Christian Church, and Leader with North American Pacific Asian Disciples (NAPAD)
- Ms. Audrey Jackson – CPA and Corporate Controller, Joseph Industries; Lay Leader, Brighter Day and Hilltop Christian Church, Mantua, OH
- Ms. Sabrina Porter – President and CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities
Ex-Officio, without vote:
- Mr. Michael Readinger – President and CEO, Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM), United Church of Christ
- Rev. Cathy Myers Wirt – Co-Regional Minister, Oregon and Southwest Idaho, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
“We are grateful for the continued leadership of the NBA Board of Trustees and excited to welcome our new members,” said Mark D. Anderson, NBA President and CEO. “Together, their skills, experience, and commitment to Disciples health and social service ministries guide our mission to create communities of compassion and care.”
To conclude the group’s time together, board members and staff worshipped on Sunday at Union Avenue Christian Church, where the St. Louis NBA XPLOR Residents led the service.
The NBA Board of Trustees will meet again via conference call in August. The next in-person meeting is scheduled for November in Oakland, California, where board members and staff will connect with several Disciples health and social service ministries, including Oakland Peace Center, California Christian Homes, and the Host Team for the new Golden Gate Area NBA XPLOR site.
