Women’s Division executive elected VP of world Methodist women’s body
Else “Mia” Adjali, executive secretary for global concerns for the Women’s Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, was elected vice president of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women at that group’s 11th Assembly in Jeju, South Korea, July 11-17.
Chita Rebollido-Millan of the United Methodist Church of the Philippines was elected president of the federation, which is an international umbrella organization of women’s organization in Methodist-related denominations. Former Women’s Division director Thelma Johnson of Cincinnati, Ohio, ended her term as treasurer of the federation at the close of the event.
Ms. Adjali’s new responsibilities will include serving as UN facilitator for the federation, which is a non-governmental organization in a special consultative status with the United Nation, as is the Women’s Division.
“As I reviewed all the responsibilities of the office of vice president, I was surprised that I carry out similar tasks as part of my current job as executive for global concerns for the Women’s Division,” said Ms. Adjali, who will retire from the division Dec. 31. “Next year, I shall be retired and would be able to give the time necessary for this office.”
Ms. Adjali was part of the Women’s Division’s 15-member delegation – 11 directors and three staff members -- to the quinquennial conference drawing 800 Methodist women from 70 countries to the East Asian island for activities focused on the theme of “Women Making A Difference.” Voting delegates to the assembly included Jan Love, Women’s Division deputy general secretary; Andris Salter, Women’s Division assistant general secretary; and Kyung Za Yim of New York Conference, Women’s Division president.
Other directors attending the meeting were Yuland Daley of New England Conference; Inelda Gonzalez of Southwest Texas Conference; Joan Johnson of West Ohio Conference; Christie Spencer of Desert Southwest Conference; Kimi Brown of Tennessee Conference; Natividad “Naty” Torres Lagaso of California-Pacific Conference; Nelida Morales of Florida Conference; Hazel Steely of Kansas East Conference; Rita Gaither-Gant of South Indiana Conference; and Sue G. Owens of South Carolina Conference.
Representing the General Board of Global Ministries at the event were Women’s Division director Byoung J. Baek of Western New York Conference, and former Women’s Division directors Brenda Brown of North Carolina Conference and Mary Gates of Minnesota Conference.
