The Charis Fellowship has seen significant transition over the past two years. Two national ministries welcomed new leaders, one ministry underwent a merger, and the Fellowship gained a new coordinator.
In early 2020, Ryan Bowell stepped into the CEO position for Grace Brethren Investment Foundation as Ken Seyfert was retiring. During the fall of 2020, Tim Hodge began the transition into the role of coordinator for the Charis Fellowship as Tom Avey transitioned into retirement. Also in the fall of 2020, Jeff Bogue became the president of Momentum Ministry Partners when Ed Lewis retired. In the fall of 2021, the Brethren Missionary Herald Company (BMH Books and GraceConnect) merged with the Charis Fellowship when Liz Cutler Gates entered retirement.
Below is a roundup of stories introducing these incoming executives and explaining transitions within the organizations, originally featured in the GraceConnect Magazine.
Ryan Bowell, Grace Brethren Investment Foundation
Ryan Bowell started working for Grace Brethren Investment Foundation (GBIF) in 2013, but he was no stranger to the ministries of the Charis Fellowship. He previously worked for Encompass World Partners, utilizing his business skills to further the Gospel. Succeeding Ken Seyfert as CEO of GBIF in 2020 was a natural next step for Ryan. He brings a vision of not only continuing the investing loan fund but to add services and resources that could help the Fellowship’s congregations and ministries. Get to know Ryan and see his vision for the future of GBIF here.
Jeff Bogue, Momentum Ministry Partners
Jeff Bogue has been connected with Momentum Ministry Partners for decades. When Ed Lewis retired in 2020, Jeff was an obvious next choice to leverage the rich legacy of the ministry and propel the mission forward to meet current cultural needs. He has a passion for raising up the next generation of leaders and seeing the local church thrive. Get to know Jeff and see his vision for the future of Momentum here.
Tim Hodge, Charis Fellowship
Tim Hodge was first introduced to the Charis Fellowship when he left Australia and moved to the United States to attend Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., in the late 1990’s. Tim went on to serve at two Charis Fellowship churches in Pennsylvania, and was actively involved in the Northern Atlantic District. Tim transitioned into the role of Fellowship Coordinator over the past year, learning from former Coordinator Tom Avey as he transitioned out of the role. Get to know Tim and see his vision for the future of the Charis Fellowship here.
Brethren Missionary Herald Company
The Brethren Missionary Herald Company and its subsidiaries, GraceConnect and BMH Books, underwent perhaps the biggest transition. After decades of serving the Charis Fellowship through book publishing and news reporting, the ministry merged with the Fellowship office. Executive Director Liz Cutler Gates’ retirement aligned with the timeline of the merger, passing the work of the ministry off to Randi Walle and the Fellowship office. Read more about the transition, as well as the history of the organization, here.
This story appeared in GraceConnect eNews. To subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter that includes news and information from congregations in the Charis Fellowship, click here.