It is with deep gratitude for the 12 years of faithful service to God’s mission through her work as the Director of Mission Service for the Board of World Mission that we announce Sister Jill Kolodziej’s retirement.
Jill began her work with the Board of World Mission in 2010 and, since then, has been engaging individuals in cross-cultural service across the worldwide Unity by collaborating between servants and site hosts as well as coordinating servants’ cultural, ecclesial, spiritual, and logistical preparation. While Jill is retiring from her role as a staff member at the BWM on June 24th, she will continue on as a volunteer and engaged member of the worldwide church.
We welcome folks reaching out to Jill to thank her for her many years of dedicated work. She has been a vital part of helping many Moravians transform their interest in mission into an involvement in service at home and around the world.
Sister Jill shared the following thoughts on her time with the Board of World Mission:
Pay attention, be amazed, share your story.
This statement by Mary Oliver is part of the information that accompanies my Moravian Mission email signature. For me it highlights one of the most basic ways we live our individual and collective life and faith by sharing the stories that connect us to God and each other. As we engage in missional service we are provided the means through which we foster relationships that offer opportunities to learn about, better understand, gain respect for, and live alongside others within a variety of cultures and settings in the world both domestic and international. As we intentionally invest ourselves in serving and being served we can also gain a deeper understanding about ourselves and God’s presence within and through us as well as those we encounter on our journey. When we share the stories of our experience we open our lives and create relationships with the hearers who may also become inspired to find meaningful ways to live their faith through joining others in the daily routine of their lives.
God prepared me for my journey and work with the BWM through people who lived their lives of faith by modeling how to respectfully enter other peoples’ cultures and communities as I engaged in actual service throughout my life. I gained a grounding in the history of the Moravian Church, missional outreach and service, and a more informed understanding of God from studying and earning a degree of Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Moravian Seminary. My interest and call to serve with the BWM began with my participation as one of a number of Regional Volunteer Coordinators from across the Moravian Church. My formal role as Director of Antioch and then as Director of Mission Service began in January of 2010. The wide variety of experiences and relationships that have developed during the last 12+ years have been a privilege to be part of as I have worked alongside BWM staff, Moravian congregations, missional service volunteers, as well as partnering with Moravian ministry leaders from around the world. I have had the honor of sharing in the life stories of so many people and know that going forward I will continue to be part of God’s mission in this world because it is an inseparable part of who I am and want to continue to be.
In faith, hope, love,
Jill A Kolodziej
