Thomas retires from funding team of General Board.

John Thomas Sr. has announced his retirement from the funding team of the Church of the Brethren General Board, effective Dec. 31. He has served as a special gift counselor and deferred gift counselor for nine years.

He began work for the board in December 1998 as a financial resource counselor. Thomas has served as field staff, and his work covered the Plains states and included much travel for the General Board.

In previous positions in the denomination, he pastored a number of Church of the Brethren congregations and was district executive minister for Southern Plains District from 1981-87. He served a term as interim executive for that district in the late 1990s. He also has been a regional director for the CROP program of Church World Service for 15 years, and was a teacher for six years and administrator for 16 years in the public schools of Missouri, Iowa, and Oklahoma.

His volunteer service in the Church of the Brethren has included terms as a trustee for McPherson College, and service on the Standing Committee and Nominating Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Thomas holds degrees from McPherson (Kan.) College, Bethany Theological Seminary, and the University of Central Oklahoma.

Source: 10/24/2007 Newsline