Alumni News
emilie m. townes: “The Whole Idea is to Help Transform the World”
This article was originally published in the 2026 issue of focus magazine, the annual publication of the BU School of Theology. This article can be found on page 15. By Sophie Yarin. Photos by Tony Luong.
emilie m. townes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Religion & Black Studies, is on a mission to build a bridge between religious and secular scholarship
When emilie m. townes was a young religious scholar and the world of theology opened up to her, she quickly realized there was something missing.
“I didn’t see represented the religious world of the Black folks who raised me and taught me the basics of what it meant to be a spiritual person and a Christian; [in particular] the religious worlds of Black women and girls were not present,” she says. “And I thought, ‘Now that is really strange,’ because, if you look at the majority of predominantly Black churches, most of the people there are women and girls. So why are they being left out of the academic study of religion?”
townes (who stylizes her name in lowercase) was not the only academic who grappled with those feelings. As she progressed through her master’s and doctoral programs and seminary, she was introduced to the work of other Black women scholars—such as Katie Cannon, Delores Williams, and Jacquelyn Grant—who felt the same way. Like townes, they were inspired by Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the novel The Color Purple. Walker’s 2003 collection of essays, In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose, was never intended to be an academic tract, but it became the foundation of townes’ work as a scholar of religion and social ethics.
Womanism, which explores the lived experiences of Black women, emphasizes the community’s joy, ingenuity, self-reliance, relationships, and liberation. While midcentury feminism grew from the work of gender scholars and social theorists, womanism’s scope exists both within and outside the academy. In the context of townes’ theological scholarship, womanism is a way to view religion, spirituality, and social ethics through the perspectives of Black women and girls.
“I look at systems and structures and try to understand how they are built and maintained, and how people participate in them or not, and how people react,” townes says. “For me, it becomes that space where more people are blocked out than are welcomed in. And that has been so much of the story of not only Black women, but also Black folk in general and other groups that are not seen as the archetypical elite in our country.”
Theology that transforms the world
townes, who joined the School of Theology in 2024 as its Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Religion & Black Studies, is a leading womanist theologian in the United States. A dean emerita of Vanderbilt Divinity School, she was the first African American and first woman dean of academic affairs at Yale Divinity School. She also was the first African American woman elected to the presidential line of the American Academy of Religion, where she served as president in 2008. She’s held named professorships at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, and Union Theological Seminary.
townes sees activism and advocacy as twin missions that accompany her scholarship and has lectured on issues of social justice at dozens of institutions during her career. “Activism, for me, is much more than marching in the streets,” she says. “It’s how I construct my syllabi, the subjects I teach, the conversations that we have in the classroom and out in the community. The whole idea is to help transform the world.”
Through womanism, activism, and the field of social ethics, townes seeks to prove that the study of theology has a very real place outside universities and houses of worship. The more connections are made, the more that link becomes apparent: “I and others have spent a lot of time amassing a great deal of knowledge that needs to be shared—not just in the classroom but in wider circles in our society. The ways in which we think about religion in this country are so truncated, and a lot of that has to do with there not being enough of us in the theological academy talking to the public sphere.”
Beyond the church walls
Now ensconced at STH, townes plans to expand on this mission through intersectional collaboration, which begins with womanism and extends to myriad areas of secular study. Since her arrival, she has been motivated to launch a new religion and pan-African studies program that would bring together academic departments from across BU’s schools and colleges. The proposed certificate-granting program, which would be grounded in STH’s theological curriculum, has a natural tie-in with the College of Arts & Sciences African American & Black Diaspora Studies Program and the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies African Studies Center. It also has the potential for collaboration with American studies, sociology, English literature, and other fields in the humanities.
“Race, gender, and class, at a bare minimum, were the places I started, but as I continued to work and think and be in church settings, academic settings, and just walking around being Black and a woman, I [saw that] what is troubling our world is hardly ever just one thing,” townes says. “It’s never just race, it’s never just sex, it’s never just gender, it’s never just transphobia. They are all held together in a very tight matrix. In order to address one thing, you have to take into account the other things that are holding it in place.
“One of the things that I wanted to do was grow from where we are,” she adds. “We’re in a position to reach out and ask folks if they are interested in what we are building, and it’s my hope that we can use an academic lens and a religious, communities- based lens, and use them intentionally.”
In discussions with G. Sujin Pak, dean of STH, townes discovered a bounty of enthusiasm for the program.
“I cannot imagine anyone better than emilie townes to rally people and resources at BU to ignite a religion and pan-African studies program at Boston University,” Pak says. “Her scholarship and leadership bring to Boston University and the School of Theology enhanced capabilities for interdisciplinary analysis of the social ills that plague our world today, constructive responses, and the equipping of skills for effective social change.”
townes and Pak have tapped into the STH faculty’s diverse scholarship, which would form the basis of the emerging program and set the tone for partnerships across the University. Faculty members who have already professed interest in the proposed program include Nimi Wariboko, Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics; Luther Young, Jr., an assistant professor of religion and society; Shively Smith, an associate professor of New Testament and director of the PhD program; Timothy Adkins-Jones (’09,’21), an assistant professor of homiletics; Dana Robert, a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor; and Nicolette Manglos-Weber, associate dean of students and community life and an associate professor of religion and society.
“That’s just what we generate in the School of Theology alone,” townes says.
“Activism, for me, is much more than marching in the streets. It’s how I construct my syllabi, the subjects I teach, the conversations that we have in the classroom and out in the community. The whole idea is to help transform the world.”
townes has also forged a partnership with the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania to facilitate a public theology and racial justice collaborative within the program. She is working to launch a symposium that would allow students, faculty, staff, clergy, laity, and activists to share resources and insights.
“It wouldn’t just be academic,” she says. “It would also have experiential elements and would bring together folks who sometimes don’t talk to each other—but need to.”
“It’s certainly in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. (GRS’55, Hon.’59) and also of whom I call the real patron saint of STH: Howard Thurman (Hon.’67),” she adds, referring to the late professor of spiritual resources and the dean of Marsh Chapel from 1953 to 1965—the first Black dean at a mostly white American university. “It’s really the power of networking, and that’s one of the things that I want this program to emphasize. We can be resources to one another, and that’s my hope as this continues to unfold.”
And, townes points out, the program is also in the spirit of her early guide star, Alice Walker: “She had a point when she told us to look up and out, to look at the world around us to see how fascinating it is, to not get scared of difference. It is far too easy to be narrow-minded and singularly focused, and the world’s bigger than that.”
Honorable Martha E. Bellinger (’75)
WATERTOWN, NY / CLAREMONT, CA — The Honorable Martha E. Bellinger, a Watertown native who rose from her family’s Jefferson County dairy farm to the heights of the California judiciary, passed away February 12, 2026, in Claremont, CA, following a battle with leukemia. Described as possessing the “mind of a lawyer and the heart of a pastor,” Martha’s life was defined by a profound calling to serve others.
Born to the late Cora and Raphael Bellinger, Martha grew up on the family dairy farm, where she shared a close bond with her father. It was from Raphael that she inherited the tireless work ethic and grounded perspective that would later define her landmark legal career. A lifelong scholar, Martha was a proud alumna of the Watertown City School District and was formally inducted into its Distinguished Alumni Hall of Achievement in 2014, an honor that celebrated her journey from a local student to a national leader in juvenile law.
Martha’s academic journey was as prestigious as it was extensive, including studies at Syracuse University (Class of 1972), Princeton Theological Seminary, and Oxford University. She went on to earn her Master of Theology from Boston University and her Juris Doctor from Whittier College School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. Before her historic career in the West, Martha served the people of New York as an ordained parish minister in the United Methodist Church (Northern New York Conference).
These formative years in the region provided the foundation for her later work as an advocate for children and families. In the 1980s, Martha transitioned to California, where her career reached historic milestones. In 2005, she made history as the first “out lesbian” appointee of a Republican governor to the Los Angeles Superior Court. She was also a 1992 charter member of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges, helping to build a small group of L.A. jurists into a global association.
She eventually rose to become the Supervising Judge of the East District Delinquency Courts. Though she lived in California for many years, Martha remained a “New Yorker at heart.” She drew on her memories of the farm and her family for her award-winning books, including From Robe to Robe and The Two Ruths. The Honorable Martha E. Bellinger is survived by her devoted wife and partner of 42 years, Pam. The couple made history together as one of the first 2,000 couples to be legally married in California on July 7, 2008.
She is also survived by her sister, Jane (Robert) Golden, and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cora and Raphael, and her sister, Mary (Jerry) Lees. A private Memorial at Sea will be held in Monterey Bay. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be sent to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, 25283 Cabot Road, Suite 101, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, +1 (949) 305-3785.
Worship & Event Attendant, Part Time Gig (paid per appearance), King’s Chapel: Boston, MA
Job Description
Worship & Event Attendant
Part-Time Sundays, 3–4 Hours per Week | $30 per Hour
King’s Chapel is seeking a dependable, welcoming, and confident individual to serve regularly as a Worship & Event Attendant, primarily supporting Sunday morning worship.
This is an important public-facing role in a historic and active church. The attendant helps create a welcoming environment while maintaining appropriate access to the building and supporting the safe and orderly use of the space.
The position requires consistent Sunday morning availability. The attendant may also be offered occasional evening or weekend event assignments outside regular business hours. Applicants primarily interested in Sunday worship assignments are welcome to apply, although availability for additional events is a plus.
Sunday Worship Responsibilities
The Worship & Event Attendant will generally be scheduled on Sunday mornings for approximately three to four hours. Responsibilities may include:
Preparing the sanctuary before worship, including lighting candles, arranging books and materials, and assisting with other basic setup
Supporting clergy and lay leaders before and after the service
Greeting worshippers and visitors
Staffing the front lobby and monitoring access to the church during worship
Politely but firmly redirecting tourists and other visitors when public access is limited
Responding calmly and professionally when visitors are frustrated, insistent, or discourteous
Helping maintain a quiet and respectful environment during the service
Tidying and securing the church following worship
Occasionally assisting with weddings, funerals, holiday services, and other special services.
Because King’s Chapel is a heavily visited historic site, the front lobby role can be demanding. The attendant must be comfortable setting clear boundaries, enforcing access restrictions, and managing difficult interactions while remaining calm and courteous.
Regular Sunday morning availability is an essential part of the position. Limited scheduled absences can be accommodated with advance notice.
Additional Event Responsibilities
King’s Chapel also hosts outside organizations and private groups for occasional evening and weekend events. The Worship & Event Attendant may be offered these assignments based on the church’s needs and the attendant’s availability.
Event responsibilities may include:
Opening the building and preparing designated spaces
Greeting event organizers, vendors, and guests
Answering the door and monitoring access to the building
Providing basic assistance with building-related questions or needs
Serving as the on-site representative of King’s Chapel
Monitoring the building during the event
Confirming that the group has completed required cleanup and departure procedures
Securing and locking the building at the conclusion of the event
These assignments are occasional and are not guaranteed. The attendant is not required to accept every additional event assignment.
Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will be:
Dependable, punctual, and consistently available on Sunday mornings
Welcoming while also comfortable enforcing building rules and access restrictions
Calm, confident, and professional when interacting with difficult or frustrated visitors
Comfortable working independently and exercising good judgment
Able to communicate clearly with clergy, staff, event organizers, and members of the public
Respectful of the worship traditions and historic character of King’s Chapel
Physically able to stand for extended periods and move or lift light objects as part of setup
Prior experience in hospitality, visitor services, events, security, museums, historic sites, houses of worship, or customer service is helpful but not required. Training will be provided.
Schedule and Compensation
This is a part-time, hourly position paid at $30 per hour.
The regular schedule is approximately three to four hours on Sunday mornings. Occasional additional evening or weekend assignments may be offered based on the church’s event calendar and the attendant’s availability.
King’s Chapel may hire more than one attendant to provide backup coverage and support additional events, but applicants should be prepared to maintain a consistent Sunday schedule.
How to Apply
Please send a brief letter of interest and your contact information to jobs@kings-chapel.org. Please describe your Sunday morning availability and indicate whether you would also be interested in occasional evening or weekend event assignments.
The Nancy S. Taylor Leadership Fellowship Opportunity at Old South Church in Boston
Program Design
Old South Church in Boston is seeking applicants for the Nancy S. Taylor Leadership Fellow.
Established to honor the profound and visionary ministry of Old South’s 20th senior minister , the Rev. Dr . Nancy S. Taylor , the Fellowship is designed to nurture the professional growth and development of candidates preparing for ordination by offering meaningful mentorship for ministerial leadership in a historic urban church while utilizing the gifts and experiences of the Fellow to support and expand the ministry and programs of a vibrant progressive congregation at the heart of a great city.
Fellows will be immersed in the life of Old South Church and actively participate in worship leadership, committees and boards to learn about and to help shape our life together . Fellows will
learn how clergy, staff and lay leadership partner in ministry. Areas of ministry in which the Fellow will choose to be engaged include education, pastoral care, urban issues and social justice, outreach, church governance and finance, and small group ministry. In consultation with the clergy, Fellows will select an area of focus to enhance Old South Church’s diverse ministries while further developing their own gifts and skills. Throughout their time, Fellows will be assigned a supervisor to reflect weekly on their ministry and call. Old South Church is looking for candidates who are called to action and to the ministry, who dare to be leaders in a changing world.
Eligibility
Applications are preferred from those in their third (or final) year of theological education or recent graduates. Candidates should have completed a year of supervised ministry while in seminary.
Old South Church in Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against candidates on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender , sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or veteran status. People of color , women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and members of other historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Terms
Old South Church will work with each Fellow to design a program of experience for 15-19 hours per week that will serve the church’s ministry and the Fellow’s goals. The fellowship will require both in-person and remote work. The term will be from September 8, 2026 through May 30, 2027. A stipend of $24,000 will be paid bi-weekly. 50% of an MBTA pass is offered as an additional benefit.
Application
Required materials for a complete application:
❖ Cover letter and resume
❖ Application form
❖ Two phone references
Please send a completed application to ashley@oldsouth.org.
About Old South Church in Boston
Old South Church in Boston is a vibrant, intergenerational, multicultural, theologically progressive LGBTQ+ welcoming 352-year-old congregation of the United Church of Christ. Worship is the lifeblood of the congregation, gathering for worship three times weekly. Old South Church is engaged in the city around us by taking up the Christian work of justice and mercy. We are a spiritual home to people from all walks and stations of life, believers and questioners, people from a range of backgrounds and faith perspectives. The church has been recognized as a “Center of Excellence” by the United Church of Christ. Our membership is evenly divided between urban and suburban dwellers, and many regular worshipers travel from New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island, while others tune in from across the nation and around the world.
Associate Pastor, Full Time, The First Church in Sterling: Sterling, Massachusetts
Job Description
Do you believe the church can change lives—not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout the week and throughout the community? First Church in Sterling is looking for an Associate Pastor who will help us imagine and build the next generation of faith formation. We are seeking a pastor who loves children, youth, and adults equally; who believes discipleship happens around dinner tables, in theater productions, on mission trips, in Bible studies, over coffee, and in worship; and who is excited to help a thriving congregation become an even more vibrant center of spiritual life for our region.
Associate Pastor
First Church in Sterling (United Church of Christ & Unitarian Universalist Association)
Sterling, Massachusetts
First Church in Sterling is seeking a full-time Associate Pastor to help shape the next chapter of a vibrant, progressive congregation committed to "Gathered in the Spirit of Jesus; creating heaven on earth." First Church in Sterling is an open and affirming, progressive Christian congregation affiliated with both the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). We are more loosely affiliated with the American Baptist Church (ABC). While we worship and govern as one unified church, we joyfully draw on the rich theological and liturgical traditions of all three denominations.
About the Position
Working collaboratively with our Senior Pastor, the Associate Pastor will lead our ministry of faith formation across the lifespan, with a particular passion for children, youth, families, and multigenerational ministry. We are looking for someone who believes faith formation extends beyond Sunday mornings and who can imagine new ways to engage both our congregation and the wider community.
Primary responsibilities include:
Leading and developing children's, youth, and adult faith formation
Building innovative multigenerational ministry
Providing pastoral care and coordinating lay visitation ministries
Teaching Bible studies, small groups, and community learning opportunities
Sharing in worship leadership and preaching
Helping newcomers become engaged members and disciples
Collaborating with staff and lay leadership to strengthen congregational life
Who We Hope to Call
We're looking for a pastor who is:
Passionate about faith formation and discipleship
Warm, collaborative, and relational
Comfortable leading through change
An engaging preacher and teacher
Skilled at empowering volunteers and developing leaders
Organized, creative, and self-directed
Committed to justice, radical hospitality, and public witness
Enthusiastic about ministry with LGBTQIA+ people, children, youth, and families
About First Church
Located twenty minutes north of Worcester, Massachusetts, First Church is a thriving congregation of approximately 265 members with average Sunday attendance of about 100 and an active online ministry. Our church serves as a community hub, hosting theater, music, scouting, community meals, advocacy events, and educational programming.
Our ministry includes:
Dynamic worship blending thoughtful preaching, excellent music, humor, and deep spirituality
Open and Affirming ministry
Community meals and food security programs
Youth ministry, OWL, Confirmation, and multigenerational programming
La Romana Medical Mission in the Dominican Republic
Public advocacy through Common Good Alliance Central Massachusetts
Ecumenical and interfaith partnerships
A commitment to justice, compassion, and radical welcome
Qualifications
Candidates should demonstrate:
A vibrant and authentic spiritual life
Excellence in preaching, teaching, and pastoral care
Experience or strong interest in faith formation across generations
Collaborative leadership and organizational skills
Commitment to progressive Christianity and inclusive ministry
Ordination or ordination-track standing in the United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist Association or a denomination in communion with the UCC is preferred. Candidates who can obtain UCC ministerial standing are encouraged to apply. Familiarity with Unitarian Universalism and ecumenical ministry is welcomed.
Compensation
Full-time settled position
Salary beginning at $70,000, commensurate with experience
Pension, health insurance, Social Security offset, continuing education, and professional expenses provided in accordance with UCC guidelines.
Why First Church?
We believe the church should be joyful, courageous, intellectually engaging, spiritually grounded, and deeply committed to creating a more just world. We are seeking a pastor who wants to help build a church where children and youth flourish, families belong, faith deepens, and our community encounters the expansive love of God.
To learn more about First Church in Sterling, visit www.fcsterling.org.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit:
A cover letter describing their interest in the position
A résumé or ministerial profile
Contact information for three references
Links to or recordings of recent sermons, if available
Application materials should be sent to: sterlingoffice@gmail.com.
The Rev. Dr. Paul H. Lee Is First United Methodist Church of Evanston’s New Pastor
The following is an excerpt from Evanston Now's article “First United gets New Senior Pastor” by Bill Smith, featuring alumnus Rev. Dr. Paul H. Lee ('), published on June 26, 2026.
A new senior pastor will join First United Methodist Church of Evanston on July 1.
The Rev. Dr. Paul H. Lee began his ministerial training at Hanshin University in South Korea and later earned a second master of divinity degree at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston and a doctor of ministry degree at Boston University’s School of Theology.
Lee has served in mission work in South Africa and Zimbabwe, lectured at a theological seminary in India and served congregations in South Korea and the U.S.
He most recently served at Sterling Wesley United Methodist Church in Sterling, Illinois.
His wife, the Rev. Dr. Rosa Y. Lee, has been appointed to serve at Glenview United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Grace Imathiu, who has been senior pastor at First United since 2018, starts a new appointment on July 1 at Napa United Methodist Church in California.
Pastoral appointments in the United Methodist Church are made by bishops, and itineracy of pastors is considered an important precept in the denomination.
Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Part Time, West Concord Union Church: Concord, MA
Children’s Ministry Coordinator:
We seek a leader to engage kids’ hearts and minds with stories, questions, arts, and games in collaboration with dynamic staff and committed volunteers. West Concord Union Church is an inclusive, creative community that empowers spiritual renewal and community engagement. We offer a warm welcome to folks of many identities, expressions, and abilities.
We currently have 23 children sixth grade and younger. The position is 30 hours/month from September until mid-June, including at least two Sundays per month. Pay is $30-$34 per hour depending on experience.
Please send a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for two references to wcuc.office@gmail.com. Job description available by request. We are located in short walking distance of the commuter rail and just off Route 2 for easy access by car.
Learn more at: WestConcordUnionChurch.org.
3 Questions: Jacob Farmer-Rylands (’26)
This article was originally published in the 2026 issue of focus magazine, the annual publication of the BU School of Theology. This article can be found on page 7. By Steve Holt. Photo courtesy of Jacob Farmer-Rylands.
In 2025, Master of Theological Studies candidate Jacob Farmer-Rylands (’26) worked as a pastoral development intern at Kailua Christian Church (KCC), a United Church of Christ congregation on Oahu. He also served as a chaplain at the nonprofit Institute for Human Services (IHS), providing spiritual care for people experiencing homelessness and recovering from substance abuse.
How did your summer in Hawaii help shape your pastoral identity?
My summer taught me how to do ministry with, rather than to or for, marginalized populations. And I learned that providing presence and spiritual care can be effective even when people do not want to engage in explicitly religious conversation. My pastoral identity is grounded in presence, partnership, and shared humanity.
You also engaged in research. Was there a takeaway or two you can share?
I researched mainline church decline and ministry in a postcolonial context. Studying the history of colonization and evangelism in Hawaii, along with visiting sites such as ’Iolani Palace, Kawaiaha’o Church, and the Bishop Museum, helped me better understand how churches operate in historically colonized environments. I also saw firsthand the challenges modern mainline churches face, including sustaining spiritual and financial vitality, individualism, and imagining creative forms of ministry and discipleship in a changing world.
What is bringing you hope these days?
I find hope these days in the work I am honored to do as president of the BU School of Theology Student Association. I am grateful to collaborate with other student leaders, STH deans, and the wider community to represent and amplify student voices in this time of institutional, national, and global change. I am also encouraged by my work as a graduate assistant for the Trauma-Responsive Congregations grant project, where I can put my learning from Hawaii into practice by supporting healing, advocacy, and community-building within local churches.
Festus A. Asana, Th.D., (’90)
The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) is mourning the death of one of its former leaders, the Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana, who passed away in Orlando, Florida, USA, in the early hours of Monday, June 22, 2026. The announcement was made by the current Moderator of the PCC, Rt. Rev. Miki Hans Abia, who described Dr. Asana’s death as a great loss to the church, the Christian community, and Cameroon at large. Dr. Asana served as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon from 2009 to 2014. During his four-year leadership, he was widely known for promoting discipline, transparency, accountability, and strict respect for church laws and regulations.
Church members and colleagues remember him as a calm but firm leader who worked tirelessly to strengthen the administration of the PCC, one of the largest Protestant churches in Cameroon. His tenure was marked by efforts to improve governance within the church and encourage ministers and Christians to uphold high moral and spiritual standards. A trained theologian and respected church educator, Dr. Asana also played an important role in theological training and leadership development.
Many pastors and church workers benefited from his guidance and mentorship over the years. Even after leaving office, he remained active in church affairs, often offering advice on important institutional matters and speaking out on issues affecting the church. He was a strong defender of the PCC Constitution and consistently encouraged unity and respect for established church structures.
Dr. Asana succeeded the late Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku as Moderator and was later succeeded by Rt. Rev. Dr. Fonki Samuel Forba. Since news of his passing became public, tributes have continued to pour in from church leaders, former colleagues, pastors, and Christians across Cameroon and the diaspora.
Many have described him as a man of faith, wisdom, integrity, and service whose contributions helped shape the modern Presbyterian Church in Cameroon. Religious observers note that Dr. Asana belonged to a generation of church leaders who guided the PCC through important periods of growth and social change. His influence extended beyond the pulpit, as he frequently encouraged Christians to contribute positively to society through education, peacebuilding, and community development.
As the church reflects on his life and legacy, prayers and messages of condolence continue to be sent to his family, friends, and the wider Presbyterian community. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days by the family and church authorities. A Legacy of Faith and Service For many Presbyterians, Dr. Festus Ambe Asana will be remembered not only as a former Moderator but also as a dedicated servant of God who devoted his life to ministry, theological education, and the strengthening of church institutions. His passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the history of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.
Regional Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Full Time, Amedisys Hospice: Boston, Marlborough, Leominster, and Springfield MA
Job Description
Title: Regional Hospice Volunteer Coordinator
Compensation: $55k-67k annually
Application dates: open until filled
Contact information: Nikki Malatesta, nikki.malatesta@amedisys.com
Location: Hybrid/Remote, serving and traveling in between four locations: Boston, Marlborough, Leominster, and Springfield MA. 50-75% travel required.
Description: Amedisys, one of the nation's leading home health and hospice organizations, is seeking a compassionate and community-minded Regional Hospice Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, engage, train, and support volunteers who help provide meaningful support to hospice patients and their families.
Key Responsibilities:
Identify volunteer opportunities that meet the needs of hospice patients, families, and local communities.
Recruit, educate, and engage volunteers through community outreach and relationship-building.
Maintain compliance with the Medicare requirement that hospice programs utilize volunteer services.
Coordinate volunteer assignments and support plans based on patient and caregiver needs.
Collaborate with key hospice leaders and staff at each location to support advancement of that location's volunteer program.
Present information about hospice volunteer opportunities to individuals, congregations, and community organizations.
Assist with quality assurance activities and resolution of volunteer-service concerns.
Conduct in-person assessments and patient-related volunteer activities as needed.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree required (or three years of related experience in lieu of a degree).
Experience in volunteer leadership, community engagement, nonprofit service, healthcare, or related fields preferred.
Ability to work independently while supporting multiple hospice care centers across a region.
Comfort working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Additional Information
Apply here: https://careers.amedisys.com/join/jobs/50979?lang=en-us