GENERAL OFFICE EMAIL ADDRESS: abcwi.office@abcofwi.org
Interim Regional Executive Minister: Rev. Dr. John Jones IV
Email: john.jones@abcofwi.org
Effective January 1, 2021, Dr. John A. Jones IV serves as Interim Regional Executive Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin. He was originally appointed as Associate Regional Minister-Education, effective January 1, 2017. This appointment included responsibilities of the Site Coordinator of CENTRAL Wisconsin CBTS, inclusive of the Hispanic Lay Institute and the Korean-Language program that met at the Elm Grove offices. Prior to assuming this position, John has taught classes at CENTRAL since 2008.
Originally from the south, John grew up in Georgia, graduating with a B.A. from Mercer University in Christianity, Psychology, and Greek in 1991. He enjoyed a year at Regents Park College of Oxford University in England before pursuing the M.Div. degree at the Baptist House of Studies of Duke Divinity School in North Carolina where he graduated in 1995. Soon thereafter he received ordination through his home church Shirley Hills Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. In 2017 he received ABC recognition of that ordination through the Commission on Ministry. From 1995-1996, he served as pastor of Crystal Hill Southern Baptist Church in Virginia before moving back to Georgia to be with his father after the passing of his mother from cancer.
In Georgia, he taught middle school mathematics, coached softball and soccer, served as youth pastor at a local congregation, and prepared to continue studies in theology and ethics. In 1999, John moved to Milwaukee to begin a doctoral program at Marquette University. He successfully defended his dissertation, The Costly Witness of the Church in 2006. Prior to that defense as well as in the time since, he has had the opportunity to teach as an adjunct instructor at various local schools including Marquette University, Lakeland College, Cardinal Stritch University, Mount Mary University, Viterbo University, Carthage College, and CENTRAL Wisconsin seminary.
In 2008 he had the good fortune of marrying Katherine Valentyn. They have two daughters, Martha and Alicia, who teach them valuable lessons daily, helping them be better parents and better people by providing both laughter and challenge. The family is involved in the congregational lives of both First Baptist Church of West Allis and St. Benedict the Moor in Milwaukee. John very much enjoys cooking for the family and trying to do some running. During summer holidays you can sometimes find the family camping in one of the wonderful Wisconsin State Parks.
Hispanic Community Liaison: Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson
Email: HCLiaison@abcofwi.org
Dr. Carlson serves as the ABCW Hispanic Community Liaison. He serves as a ministerial support for the four Spanish Speaking congregations in the region. His duties involve consultation, ministry support, leadership development, and advocacy for the Hispanic community. He sees his ministry as one of walking along with Hispanic congregations as they go through the different congregational life events and stages of church development. He is a resource to church leaders and seeks to empower them to respond to God's call.
Assistant Minister - Camping: Facilities and Guest Services: Rev. Kim Drost
Email: kim.drost@abcofwi.org
Kim’s official title is Assistant Minister - Camping: Facilities and Guest Services; another way of thinking of the position is Minister of Hospitality. She is the one who supports the programming and usage of the camp by making sure all of its facilities are maintained and in good working order. Kim gets to help people enjoy all that Camp Tamarack has to offer and through it encounter the loving God who created it. It is her heart’s desire to do everything she can do to help more people find and enjoy this place and, more importantly, find Jesus in it.
Kim was raised Roman Catholic and decided to follow Jesus wholeheartedly in college. Baptized as an infant, she was also baptized as an adult at Bethel Baptist Church (Southern Baptist) in Oakway, SC. Her very first experience with American Baptists was in 1986 at Immanuel Baptist in Brookfield, WI, and she joined the First Baptist Church of West Allis in March of 1999. She served that church officially as Mission Education Chair and Sunday School Superintendent. She played bells in the bell choir, sang tenor in the chancel choir, and played bass with the praise team. She was active in their American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) circles, and during that time visited many of our region’s churches to do pulpit supply. She served as the ABWM State Secretary for three years and has been the President of the Wisconsin ABWM since 2014.
She has served as Camp Tamarack Head Cook as part of the Summer Staff since 2010. Cooking at Camp was her “summer job” while she spent three winters ministering in Death Valley National Park with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. In August of 2011, her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, so she did not return to Death Valley. Instead, after her father passed in early 2012, she was called to pastor the Indian Baptist Church in Wisconsin Dells, WI and Grace Community Church in Mauston, WI. The churches were gracious enough to let their pastor continue her summer ministry at camp for the three years that she served them. In addition to the two-church pastorate, she also served as a Head Cook in the Portage, WI Community School District during the school year. You could say she takes Jesus’ command to “Feed my sheep” literally.
Kim has a B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. As part of CENTRAL-Wisconsin CBTS’ first class, she received her M.Div in May of 2010. She was ordained by the First Baptist Church of West Allis, WI in November of 2010. She also attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering and has ½ of an Electrical Engineering degree, which she hopes to finish someday.
If you do not find Kim in the Camp Tamarack maintenance shop or John Gray kitchen, you will probably find her “wogging” (faster than a walk but not really a jog and definitely NOT a run) on one of camp’s 2.5+ miles of trails. She likes playing the guitar, biking, reading, Brewers baseball and Packers football, but her absolute most favorite thing to do is be the “cool aunt” to her five nephews and two nieces.
Summer 2020 Camp Director: Dianna Brophey
Email: dianna.brophey@abcofwi.org
A wife and mother of three, Dianna Brophey has spent the better part of her life as an educator. She is a member of First Baptist Church of West Allis and attended Camp Tamarack as a youth. She continued coming back over the years as summer staff, cabin leader, health officer, and primary camp director while introducing her own children into the camp family. Her family cherishes the connections made there and one of her goals is to continue the tradition for new and returning campers.
Dianna shares, "I love Camp Tamarack! This camp season, I look forward to sharing the peace and grace of God I have come to know at Tamarack. The goal this summer will be to make that connection in new and different ways as we embrace transformation."
Office Administrator: Maretta McMullen
Email: maretta.mcmullen@abcofwi.org
Maretta McMullen is the Office Manger for the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin. She assists with central administrative support for regional staff and activities and implements the vision and strategic plan for office facilities and communications.
Maretta has been a resident of the greater Milwaukee area since moving from Northern Minnesota in 2009. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, exploring local lakes, and supporting her children in their many interests.
