Asheville, NC
April 16, 2009 

Dear Iona Community Members, Associates and Friends, 

The leadership of the Iona Community New World Foundation has been passed to a new Board and new Officers.  At a meeting on March 7. 2009, the old Board consisting of Ron Botsford, Bill Edwards, Cecil Jividen, Sandy Jividen, Blan Minton, Mason Wilson and Prue Wilson elected the following Members and Associates to be new members of the Board:    

• Scott Blythe, Baltimore, MD   
• Sharon Core, Alexandria, VA   
• Ann Held, Harrisonburg, VA   
• Rebecca Held, Harrisonburg, VA   
• William Klein, Lexington, VA   
• Kathy Pugh, Arlington, VA   
• John Sirbaugh, Alexandria, VA 

John Dillon (La Valle, MD) and Ellsworth Stanton III (Brooklyn, NY) were unable to attend the meeting but had been informed of its purpose and let it be known that they agreed.  John Dillon wished to remain on the Board and assist with the transition.  Ellsworth Stanton III sent word that he wished to resign.  The old Board offered their resignations to take effect as soon as the new Board had its first meeting and elected new officers.  Mason Wilson, Bill Edwards and Sandy Jividen likewise resigned from their respective offices of President, Secretary and Treasurer to become effective when the new officers were elected. 

Our new Board had its first meeting on Monday, April 13, and they elected John Dillon as President, Sharon Core as Secretary, and Scott Blythe as Treasurer.  Both John and Scott have been full Members of the Iona Community for many years, and Scott has served on the Finance Committee of the Community in Scotland.  He just recently came to Baltimore.  We are indeed fortunate to have two full Members of the Community in leadership positions.  I feel sure that all of the Associates and Friends of the Iona Community in the USA are very grateful to the new members of the Board and to our newly elected officers for their willingness to serve in this way.  We offer them our full support. 

Our retiring Board was made up mainly of Associates who were past retirement age.  As we were getting older, it was felt that the time had come for younger Officers and Board Members should take over the responsibility of leader the Foundation.  It is because of the Foundation primarily that we have seen in the past 15 years a tremendous growth in the number of Associates and Friends in the USA.  We believe under the new leadership this growth will continue.  We have begun to see the early formation of some regional groups in the USA.  We hope that these groups will grow and function similarly to the Family Groups of the Community in the United Kingdom.  We look forward to seeing many people in many places carrying in their personal ministries the Rule of the Iona Community.  Our Founder George MacLeod used to say so frequently that the Iona Community would continue as long as God needs it.  It should be very obvious to all of us that God is counting on us bring the GOOD NEWS to every creature! 

Peace, 

Mason 

Mason Wilson, Retiring President