Church Names New Director and Publishing Manager

Several major changes in the senior management of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, were announced yesterday.

The Christian Science Board of Directors elected Walter D. Jones of Des Moines, Iowa, to serve as a member of the church's five-person governing board. He replaces William H. Hill, who is returning to Vancouver, British Columbia, to devote full time to the practice of Christian Science healing and teaching. Mr. Hill had served on the board since 1994.

In addition to his role as a director, Hill was manager of The Christian Science Publishing Society, which publishes The Christian Science Monitor and several religious periodicals. The directors named one of their current members, John L. Selover, to be the Publishing Society's new manager. Mr. Selover became a director in 1985 and since 1992 has also served as treasurer of The Mother Church. Mr. Jones will replace Selover as treasurer.

Under Hill's leadership, "the entire Society has been given fresh direction and organization," said board Chairman Virginia S. Harris. "We are deeply grateful to Bill, not only for these forward steps, but also for the grace and love with which they have been accomplished." Hill's wife, Honor, will continue what Mrs. Harris called "her articulate service" as a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, a group that gives public talks about Christian Science and its Founder, Mary Baker Eddy.

BEFORE entering the full-time practice of Christian Science healing and teaching, Jones spent 10 years as a producer, reporter, and anchor at ABC and NBC television affiliates in Iowa. He also worked as a reporter at Monitor Radio, this paper's broadcast arm. Later, Jones hosted a church religious broadcast, the Herald of Christian Science. For the past eight years, he has been Christian Science Committee on Publication for Iowa.

In that Committee work, Jones "played a strong role in public contacts in the fields of medicine and theology and in legislative work in his home state and at the federal level in Washington," Harris said.

Returning to the church's headquarters "always feels like coming home," Jones said. The new director, his wife, and three daughters will move to the Boston area. Jones said he looked forward to working with the rest of the board in "bringing even greater healing to the world."

During Selover's tenure as treasurer, the church took a variety of steps to strengthen its balance sheet and to upgrade its financial processes and software. The treasurer's office also is overseeing the large, ongoing work of restoring and renewing the church edifices and The Christian Science Publishing Society building. "We thank John for his stewardship of church resources and for his acceptance of this new post," Harris said.

As manager of the Society, Selover will be able to call on his early private sector experience in consumer products advertising, direct mail, and publishing. In talking about the new assignment, Selover spoke of his love of mountain climbing. "At the Publishing Society, we are on our way up the mountain. I am looking forward to this," he said.

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