By Mark A. Taylor
For more than 50 years the Publishing Committee has served as a liaison between Standard Publishing and the churches we serve. This 15-member group, composed of influential leaders from throughout our fellowship, advises Standard Publishing about the needs of the church and the initiatives this company takes to meet them.
The Publishing Committee was formed to help assure the company”s doctrinal fidelity when Standard Publishing was first sold by Isaac Errett”s heirs more than a half-century ago. Now, since the company was sold a second time last year, that role continues.
The Committee met October 9, 10 in Standard Publishing”s offices in Cincinnati. In the Committee”s annual business meeting, they chose one new member to replace another who decided not to seek re-election to the group.
The Committee regretfully received word that Russ Blowers had decided to retire after almost 20 years of service. Since 1988, while he continued to minister with the dynamic East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Russ brought warmth and insight to the Committee”s meetings. As he continued a nationwide ministry after retiring from his Indiana pulpit, he continued to contribute a challenging perspective. His presence will certainly be missed.
But an able replacement has been found.
The Committee nominated Pat Magness, professor of humanities and English at Milligan College, to take his place, and she readily agreed to join the group. She is a most welcome addition.
Standard Publishing is all about preparing materials to help others teach the Bible, and so Pat”s lifelong career as a teacher equips her well to help us. She has also taught at Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia; Boise (Idaho) Bible College; and Mount Carmel Christian School in Decatur, Georgia.
Standard Publishing seeks to lead and serve Christian churches and churches of Christ, and Pat knows these churches well. She grew up in a preacher”s family (Calvin Phillips, formerly president of Emmanuel School of Religion, and before that minister with the South Side Christian Church, Munster, Indiana, is her dad), and she has spent her life among leaders and serving institutions in our fellowship. She is the chair of the board for Christian Missionary Fellowship, a longtime member of the Pioneer Bible Translators board, a member of the task force for the Great Communion Celebration of 2009, and an active worker at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church.
She has been a regular contributor to Christian Standard, as has her husband Lee, who is Britton professor of Bible at Milligan.
While we view Russ”s departure from our group with some melancholy, we”re delighted that Pat is joining this group.
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