VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/11/09)—Rev. Holly Vincent Bean, Member Education director and corporate secretary for MMBB, has announced that she will retire January 1, 2010.
During her 23 years of service, Bean held a variety of leadership positions in the organization, including benefits administration, retirement services and operations.
Bean was named director of Member Education in 1999 and began service on the Management Team.
In 2006, the MMBB board of managers appointed her interim corporate secretary; she was elected to a full term in 2007.
“Describing Holly’s many achievements at MMBB does not truly reflect her contribution,” MMBB executive director Sumner M. Grant explained. “Through her many activities that improve the quality of our members’ lives, Holly embodies the soul of our ministry. We will miss her.”
As Member Education director, Bean designed, developed and delivered educational programs for members and employers on many topics. These included MMBB benefits, pastoral compensation, financial planning and investing. In 1999, she initiated an annual teleconference series for both members and employers.
“One of my proudest achievements is organizing MMBB’s program to visit retired American Baptist ministers with 20 or more years of service,” Bean said. “Each year it is my pleasure to work with retired MMBB ministers to visit about 3,000 people across the nation. It’s a great way for MMBB to stay in touch with our members and to thank them for a lifetime of service.”
Bean’s organizational and interpersonal relations skills also served her well as an administrator of the American Baptist Convention’s Women in Ministry program. She helped organize many ABCUSA events such as biennial meetings and ABC Life conferences.
Holly earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and was ordained by Judson Memorial Church in New York City where she has been an active member since 1969.
American Baptist Churches 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.