Ruth Clark and Manuel ("Manny") Hernandez were recently elected to the positions of president and vice-president respectively to the Board of International Ministries (IM) for the 2010-2011 Biennium. Clark will be succeeding the current Board president, Thom Lacy, who completes his 2-year term.
“We deeply appreciate the leadership that Thom has given us as president,” said IM executive director, Reid Trulson, “and we look forward to welcoming Ruth and Manny as our new servant-leaders. We look forward to their guidance as we pursue our ongoing mission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to all nations.”
A former music teacher and home educator, Clark has served for 4 years on the General Board and the IM Board. She also serves on both the Committee on Christian Unity and the Mission Vision Team Board of ABC of the Central Region. She is a graduate of the William Jewell College and Central Baptist Seminary. She is currently a member of Judson Baptist Church in Kansas City, KS where her husband, John, pastors. The couple has 5 children and one grandchild.
Hernandez is a retired machinist with the Inland Steel Co. Currently in his 2nd term on the General Board and the IM Board, Hernandez has also served on 2 Biennial Planning Committees (Richmond and Denver) as well as serving as President of the IN/KY Region. Originally from Puerto Rico, Hernandez is a licensed lay minister at Iglesia Bautista de Lake Station in Lake Station, IN. He and his wife, Gloria, have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
In addition to the board executive positions, Sandra Hayashida's service as recording secretary for the IM Board and administrative assistant to the executive director will end on December 31, 2009. She will be joining her husband in full-time ministry at the Zambia International Theological College (ZITC) at Kululushi in the Copperbest Province of Zambia early in 2010. Sandra will serve there as administrator, her husband Nelson as principal, and both as teachers at ZITC.
The IM Board elected missionary Cathy Holmes to serve as recording secretary, replacing Hayashida. In addition to filling that ministry, Holmes will serve as administrative assistant to the IM executive director. During this time, Holmes will continue to serve partners in India, specifically helping them with an assessment of their school ministries. She will travel back to India as needed for that ministry.
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.