Twenty Years of Service

GRANTHAM, Pa. (nov 15, 2011)—BIC World Missions (BICWM) celebrates 20 years of staff service by Marilyn Byer, global support facilitator, and announces Marilyn’s upcoming steps toward retirement.

Having been impressed with missions work as a youth when missionary speakers stayed in her parents' home, Marilyn Byer first connected with the BICWM staff in 1991.

Since then, she has faithfully served and blessed Brethren in Christ global ministry in countless ways – including administration, resourcing and global statistics. This December, her 20 year anniversary with BICWM, Marilyn plans to follow the Lord's leading into retirement and a new chapter of life and ministry.

Marilyn’s mission journey continued after her youth as she attended Messiah College, graduating with a BA in English. At college, she made numerous connections with missions – meeting international students from Zambia and Zimbabwe, hearing missions speakers and engaging with a student international organization.

Then, during her first year of teaching elementary school in Elizabethtown (Pa.), she received an invitation to teach second and third grades in a newly-constructed classroom at Navajo Brethren in Christ Mission in Bloomfield, NM, where she served for the next eight years as a vacation Bible school teacher, mission secretary, classroom teacher, school principal and dorm parent.

It was December 1, 1991 that Marilyn accepted her first role with BICWM as an administrative assistant to executive director, Jack McClane. She then became the assistant for church relations, first under Phil Keefer and then under executive director John Brubaker. In August 2007, she moved into her current part-time role as global support facilitator. Throughout her time with BICWM, Marilyn has traveled and served internationally.

As she enters into retirement, Marilyn is looking forward to having more time to travel and do short-term service with her husband, Eldon. While she is excited to move into this new stage of life, she has greatly enjoyed her role with BICWM.

“My time here with BICWM has enhanced my awareness of how God works through people like me to expand his worldwide church. It has been gratifying to be part of that over the past years and to be part of a wonderful team of coworkers. I will miss the close connection to what’s happening worldwide in the BIC Church.”

BICWM is very thankful for Marilyn’s partnership over the past 20 years; her investment to the global team has been superb. Marilyn brings blessing and a smile to all she meets. She will be missed as BICWM blesses her steps into this transition.