A recent restructuring of assignments at The Mother Church, in line with the form of church administration prevalent in Mary Baker Eddy's time, has resulted in several new appointments and elections.
On March 7, our colleague Harvey W. Wood, C.S.B., asked our permission to resign from The Christian Science Board of Directors. He did so with a spiritual conviction that the steps this would lead to would prosper this Church. With considerable regret the Directors accepted his request. We know of no servant to this Church who has been more effective in helping it find renewed relevance to the world. Harvey has been deeply involved in the Church's efforts to strengthen its healing practice, its activities to promote world peace, the revitalization of The Christian Science Board of Lectureship, the reinvigoration of The Christian Science Monitor, and the birth of all our broadcasting activites. The Board is deeply grateful for his service, and we are committed to carrying this work forward.
The Board has elected Al M. Carnesciali, C.S.B., of Costa Mesa, California, as a Director of The Mother Church to succeed Harvey Wood. In addition, Al has accepted the post of Manager of The Christian Science Publishing Society, following the resignation of Netty Douglass. During the late 1960s and early 1970s Al worked at The Mother Church in various administrative capacities. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of California at Los Angeles and early in his career served as a city manager in California. He also held several management positions in the aerospace industry. Al has most recently served as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Christian Science Publishing Society and was Committee on Publication for Southern California for eight years before becoming a Trustee. As a longtime Christian Science practitioner and teacher, Al will continue his teaching and association meetings in Newport Beach.
Virginia S. Harris, C.S.B., will serve the Board of Directors as its Chairman and also will serve as Publisher of the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, following the resignation of Hal M. Friesen, C.S.B., as Publisher.
John L. Selover, C.S.B., has been elected to take on the role of Treasurer of The Mother Church in addition to his work as a member of the Board of Directors. Donald C. Bowersock will be continuing, with the title of Managing Treasurer.
Board member Richard C. Bergenheim, C.S.B., has been elected to take on the additional role of Editor in Chief. He will coordinate the activities of religious publishing and broadcasting, working closely with William E. Moody, C.S.B., Editor of The Christian Science Journal, Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science, and with Beulah M. Roegge, C.S.B., Editor of Herald Broadcasting. Mr. Bergenheim will also represent a link from the Board to the top Editors of the Monitor, to provide support and assistance as needed.
Olga M. Chaffee, C.S.B., also a member of the Board of Directors, has been elected to take on the additional role of Clerk. Mrs. Chaffee will be assisted in this by Juan Carlos Lavigne, C.S.B., of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who will hold the position of Managing Clerk. Juan Carlos is well known, both within and outside of the United States, through his long service as a member of the Board of Lectureship. His appointment as Managing Clerk is especially appropriate at this time because of the increasing impact of our Church throughout the world — particularly outside the United States.
Juan Carlos began his study of Christian Science after having witnessed several important healings in his family, and later left his business career to enter the full-time healing practice of Christian Science. He has also served this Church as Committee on Publication for Argentina. As a teacher of Christian Science, Juan Carlos will continue to hold his classes and conduct his association in Argentina.
We mentioned earlier that Netty Douglass had resigned the position of Manager of The Publishing Society. Also on April 15, her resignation as Executive Producer for Radio and Television became effective. We have appointed David Cook to serve as Editor, Monitor Broadcasting. Those who had been reporting to Netty in her Executive Producer capacity now report to David.
The Trustees of the Publishing Society have elected, with our approval, Tony Periton, C.S.B., of Kingston upon Thames, England, as a new Trustee and as Chairman. Tony has served previously as Manager of the Publishing Society, Trustee, and Manager of the Publishing Society's operations in Europe. His extensive background provides a deep knowledge of our publishing, in all its forms. Tony is replacing A1 Carnesciali. Also elected as a new Trustee is Hallock G. Davis, of Newport Beach, California. Hallock brings a wide range of experience as an active branch church worker and as a senior international business executive. He replaces John H. Hoagland, Jr., who had earlier asked to resign from the Board of Trustees on March 13. Jack has also resigned as Chairman and CEO of Monitor Television, Inc., and from the Board of the Monitor Syndicate effective April 30.
Hal Friesen announced in March that he would be leaving his post as member and Chairman of the Trustees of The Christian Science Publishing Society when plans for The Monitor Channel were in place. That work was completed, and Hal asked to resign his Trustee role effective April 15. Hal has given such devoted service to the progress of our Church in so many capacities: Manager of the Branches and Practitioners Department, member of The Christian Science Board of Directors, Trustee of The Christian Science Publishing Society, and as Publisher's Agent. He will be missed by his colleagues as he now returns to his California home and to full-time practice and teaching. We are deeply grateful for his many contributions and for his practical and spiritual example.
Now let us say what's in our hearts about Jack Hoagland and Netty Douglass — individually and collectively. The decision to discontinue The Monitor Channel has been a wave that has broken hard over their well-won beachhead for The Christian Science Monitor in the world of television, Their work has been monumental, original, and yet based solely on the unselfish mission Mary Baker Eddy laid specifically as a foundation for the growth of the Monitor and for the growth of all the other publishing activities she established.
That foundation remains and will enable us to go forward at God's leading. We are profoundly grateful to Jack and Netty for their creativity, their patience, persistence, enormous effectiveness, and for their unselfish service to our Church.
