Karam Fellowship has hired Alaine Buchanan as its first-ever executive director. Buchanan brings to the new role her extensive experience in faculty and administrative leadership, her strategic vision for the growth of the Fellowship to serve theological educators, and her vocational commitment to the spiritual formation of faculty, staff, students and congregants.
Fellowship President Greg Forster remarks:
This is a thrilling time of opportunity for the Fellowship. For years, we have seen urgent needs in theological education grow and grow, seemingly without end; now the Lord is opening doors that will allow us to expand our services to meet those needs better. And we could not have a more promising leader to carry us into this new season than Alaine. After sixteen years as the chief executive of this community, I could not hand over the reigns to just anyone. Alaine brings the right mix of gifts to stand at the center of our operation in this exciting time, with the unanimous support of the Fellowship board.
Buchanan remarks:
I am thrilled and deeply honored to serve as executive director of Karam Fellowship! I am grateful to Greg Forster, our board, and our entire community for this opportunity. Together, we will continue to follow God’s leading in our vital work of “theological learning for the life of the world,” while boldly expanding initiatives that integrate faith with vocational and personal wholeness across work, economics, culture, and human flourishing. Exciting, God-sized things are ahead for Karam Fellowship!
You can also read Buchanan’s announcement of the big news.
The decision to hire an executive director reflects significant growth that has taken place in the Fellowship’s resources, and our determination to steward this moment of opportunity to expand our services in theological education. Income from work the Fellowship is doing for the Christian Investing Council, an educational ministry serving Christian finance, is making it possible for the Fellowship to expand. We hope to leverage this new capacity to secure further opportunities, including philanthropic support that will make it possible for us to serve theological educators in ways we can’t otherwise do.
Make no mistake! Since we were founded as an independent organization, the core operations of the Fellowship have always been funded directly by the financial support of our members, the theological educators themselves. This firm foundation positions us to stand on our own feet and always be accountable to the educators first and foremost. The Fellowship is committed to this model, so we stay rooted in the community we serve. Additional resources can expand this mission, but cannot – relying on the Lord, and on the active support of the members we serve – change it.
Keep your eyes on The Grapevine, our weekly email to our members, for continuing updates as the Fellowship gears up for a season of strategic growth. If you have questions, we are always available to answer them.
We recommit our trust to the Lord; we have come this far only by his empowering, and whatever he has in store for us, we will put our hands to the work with all our might.
Our profound thanks go out to all members of the Fellowship – your support continues to make our work possible.
