Park Elected Vice-Chair of GBOD

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. Oct. 1, 2012  – The General Board of Discipleship’s new, smaller board, in its first organizational session, has selected Bishop Elaine Stanovsky of the Mountain Sky Episcopal area as president and the Rev. Eric Park,  superintendent of the Washington District in Western Pennsylvania, as vice president for the coming quadrennium.

The board, which was reduced to 23 members from 60 members by the 2012 General Conference, also created a new working structure and meeting schedule during its initial session in Nashville last week.

“The Board members were in good spirit as they engaged in learning and conversation about their roles and responsibilities, which fall into three major categories—fiduciary, strategic and generative,” said Karen Greenwaldt, GBOD’s General Secretary (top executive).

Greenwaldt, during her annual address to the board, announced that she plans to retire, effective Dec. 31, 2013, after serving 13 years a General Secretary. (See the announcement release here.)

Bishop Stanovsky said she will form a search committee in 2013 to find new General Secretary, with a goal to have a new leader by the beginning of 2014.

In addition to Stanovsky and Park, Brenda Carter, a lawyer from North Carolina, was elected as secretary, and the Rev Charles Carnahan, Chief Administration Officer and Treasurer of GBOD, was elected board treasurer. He will not have a vote because he is on staff.

Under an adopted quadrennial meeting plan, the new board will gather in session up to three times annually during the coming four years.

In other actions, the board adopted a member policies and procedures manual and received all mandated and referred legislation and resolutions from the 2012 General Conference.

The board also approved ministry grants for Young People’s Ministry projects, for Youth Service Fund grants and for scholarships for college students.

GBOD’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. Visit www.gbod.org for more information or call the Communications Office at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 1726.