Osei Frimpong Joins NBA as XPLOR Project Coordinator
St. Louis, MO: February 5, 2014 – The National Benevolent Association (NBA) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) calls the Rev. Bonnie Osei-Frimpong as Project Coordinator for the XPLOR program ministry. NBA XPLOR is a church-wide initiative grounded in a congregationally hosted residency program designed for young adult Disciples (ages 21 – 30) looking to explore lives of care and service.
Rev. Osei-Frimpong brings a deep commitment to the NBA’s vision of creating communities of passion and care. “My vocation as a Disciples pastor has called for me to participate in and promote responsible, sustained social justice work within the religious life of local communities. I embrace the opportunity to continue to intentionally cultivate and form young adults through mentoring, partnering, and growing relationships throughout the Church.”
She has served with Disciples ministries including Week of Compassion, Global Ministries, and Disciples Peace Fellowship. Her most recent work involved serving with Church World Service in Indonesia. Osei-Frimpong has also worked with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. She is an alumna of Grinnell College and earned a Master of Divinity at the Divinity School at the University of Chicago. Rev. Osei-Frimpong currently lives in intentional community in Chicago with her husband and young daughter.
With NBA XPLOR, Residents will live in a diverse community of peers, where they will engage in communal and personal spiritual practices ranging from prayer to simple daily meals together. They will care for and learn from others in community-service internships, and they will relate to a Disciples-host congregation. Three NBA XPLOR sites will welcome up to four young adults to live in intentional community beginning in August of 2014: St. Louis, Missouri; North Hollywood, California; and Hiram-Mantua, Ohio. Applications for 2014-2015 NBA XPLOR Residents are being accepted until February 14, 2014.
Rev. Rebecca Hale, NBA Vice President of Mission and Ministry, reflects “I am thrilled to welcome Bonnie to the NBA staff as the NBA XPLOR project coordinator. Bonnie’s life reflects the cornerstones of XPLOR in profound ways. From her decision to live with her own family in an intentional community in Chicago to her advocacy and justice work, she lives out a life of care in the very ways we hope the XPLOR residency will cultivate in young adults. In addition Bonnie comes with an established background of organizing, writing and speaking on service and justice issues that will help expand the core commitments of the XPLOR work.”
In her role as the NBA XPLOR Project Coordinator, Rev. Osei-Frimpong will be responsible for building collaborative partnerships within and among Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ congregations, regions and conferences, and general ministries. She will coordinate NBA XPLOR residents in their congregational and work site placements. She will also administer and manage local partnerships for each site.
About the National Benevolent Association
The National Benevolent Association (NBA) serves as the health and social services general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The NBA is about advancing the direct care provided for and with those in need and working collaboratively with partner ministries and Disciples-related health and social service organizations. Applications for 2014-2015 NBA XPLOR Residents are being accepted until February 28, 2014. Learn more about NBA XPLOR and other NBA ministries at www.nbacares.org.
