A Baptist minister from Wokingham has been appointed as the first female General Secretary for the Baptist Union of Great Britain.
The Revd Lynn Green, 48 and a member of Wokingham Baptist Church, has been elected as BUGB’s new General Secretary – a kind of Baptist version of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role.
Lynn, who presently holds a post of Regional Minister with the Southern Counties Baptist Association, has many years ministry experience in local, regional and national contexts, and began her working life as a Marketing Manager.
Most of her working life has been bi-vocational, combining the calling to ministry with her vocation as a wife and mother.
She is married to Stuart, who is a Head of Audit with The Garden Centre Group. They have two children and also care for two children as Friends and Family Foster Carers.
Lynn was chosen after a searching selection process which was endorsed by an election at the Baptist Assembly on Saturday, May 4, 2013 in Blackpool.
Jenny Royal, the Moderator of Trustees who proposed the appointment, said: “This is an exciting appointment for the Baptist Union and we are confident that Lynn is the right person to lead our Union at this strategic time, she brings many gifts and vast experience to the task.”
The appointment, that is a new style of General Secretary, comes at a time of renewed vision and direction for BUGB, which has recently been on a reshaping process which has seen the national resource centre at Didcot downsized and a number of roles made redundant.
The Revd Roberta Rominger, General Secretary of the United Reformed Church, welcomed this appointment.
“I am delighted and very excited at this appointment,” she said.
“It was a privilege to be a member of the nominating group and to share in the unfolding process of discernment. It is clear to me that God is calling Lynn to the post of General Secretary and that she has all the gifts needed to enable the Baptist Union to embrace a new future.
“I really look forward to working with her as one of my closest ecumenical partners.”
The Revd Jonathan Edwards, the current General Secretary, commented “I am thrilled that the Baptist Union has elected Lynn Green as General Secretary.
“Lynn has been an effective local minister for many years and her gifts have been well used as a regional minister in the Southern Counties Baptist Association over the past two years.
“She has served on Baptist Union Council and moderated the Staffing Committee for a number of years during which time we have recognised her sharp mind and gracious spirit.
“I feel a deep peace and great excitement for the Union as Lynn becomes our General Secretary. I urge the Baptist family to pray for Lynn and to give her all the love and support that I have been privileged to experience for the past seven years.”
Vision
Lynn’s passion and vision for the Union at this times is “I long to see local churches being encouraged and supported to transition beyond inherited church into vibrant mission communities.
“I hope that we will be adventurous, take more risks and above all, be Kingdom possibility thinkers!
“In a tribal world I want us to be known for our profound and rich diversity in unity. Diverse yet integrated.
“As Baptists we are blessed that we are formed of those from many nations; we have so much to learn from each other in our journey to become Christ centred communities.
We are committed to the priesthood of all believers, where women and men, young and old, rich and poor, are encouraged and released to serve the Lord , each one differently abled and unique.
“I believe that our Union is ready for generational change. It is time to cast off the institutional mind-set that has served us well in the past, and embrace a new way of being for the 21st Century.”
We will have more on this story in the June Xn.
