WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS BELOW
Decatur pastor appointed by Obama
President Barack Obama appointed 28 members to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Among the appointees is Cynthia L. Hale, pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur. “I am delighted to have this opportunity to select and help mentor exceptional men and women who I believe will make a significant difference in our nation and world,” said Hale.
The members of the commission represent a broad range of backgrounds, interests and professions. They are responsible for recommending a group of men and women to the president for selection as White House Fellows. The commission will be chaired by John Phillips, a partner at Phillips and Cohen Law Firm. Cheryl Dorsey, president of Echoing Green, will vice-chair the commission.
“The men and women of this commission embody what makes the White House Fellows program so special,” said President Obama in a press release. “These leaders are diverse, non-partisan, and committed to mentoring our next generation of public servants. I’m confident that they will select a class of White House Fellows that demonstrate extraordinary leadership, strong character, and a deep commitment to serving their country.”
The White House Fellowship is a program for leadership and public service, providing young individuals with experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. Fellows also participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors and complete service activities throughout the year. Alumni of this non-partisan program include former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, and author Doris Kearns Goodwin.
“The White House Fellows program is so important as it allows for a variety of perspectives to come together to offer expertise and experience on important policy issues and then these fellows carry what they’ve learned back to their own communities to benefit Americans far outside the walls of the White House,” said First Lady Michelle Obama in a press release.
The commission will convene in Washington, D.C., to select the 2009-2010 class of White House Fellows. The Commission will select 11 to 19 fellows from among the 30 chosen as national finalists; more than 1,000 people applied for the class.
Hale is the founding and senior pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church.
Hale also established Elah Pastoral Ministries Inc., a mentorship program that assists in the development of pastors and para-church leaders, in 2004 and convened the first Women in Ministry Conference in 2005.
She gave the opening invocation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, and also a participanted at the National Prayer Service for President Obama’s inauguration and served as co-chair for Women in Ministry for Obama.
“I am so excited to be serving with some of the distinguished leaders in our nation,” said Hale. “I am also honored that the president would choose me. The Lord is so good.”
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