Photo: The Rev. Art Collins, former NAUMS president (left), and Chuck Jones, newly elected NAUMS president, show the Boy Scout edition of Strength for Service to God and Country, an updated World War II book of daily devotions.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.––Chuck Jones, longtime leader of UM Men and Scouts, was elected president of the National Association of United Methodist Scouters, during a June 25 meeting of the organization here.
Jones recently retired after 25 years in lay professional ministry; his last position was director of singles ministry at Church Street UMC, Knoxville, Tenn.
During its annual meeting, the group celebrated the expected distribution of 8,000 backpacking New Testaments to Scouts on treks from the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the Northern Tier camps, the Florida Sea Base and several Girl Scout events celebrating their 100th anniversary.
Other NAUMS officers elected include Phil Craig, Paris, Tenn., vice-president; Ron Blaisdell, Ann Arbor, Mich., secretary; and John Hargrave, Dayton, Ohio, treasurer.
Reelected to serve on the board were Col. Gene Winland, St. Petersburg, Fla., Jones, and Craig. Newly elected board directors include Blaisdell and Don Shelmire, Baton Rouge, La.
This year, the organization sold 2,800 Scouting Ministries Sunday patches to raise money for backpacking New Testaments. They also sent 1,200 patches to Scouts in North Katanga.
Responding to an invitation from North Katanga Bishop Nkulu Ntambo, The Indiana Conference (including the Pathfinder Chapter of NAUMS) is planning a scouting mission trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2013.
Jones said 2012-13 plans will include the Bible Project, a 2013 Scouting Ministry patch and worship service, and the renewal of district and conference scouting coordinators training events in different regions.
Jones has an undergraduate and two graduate degrees from the University of Southern California. He received diaconal ministry training at the School of Theology at Claremont; the Candler School of Theology, and the Pacific School of Religion. A deacon in the Disciples of Christ Church, he is also a certified UM church business and finance administrator.
Prior to entering full-time professional ministry Jones was a public school teacher, a Hollywood press agent, ground transportation specialist, and an airline flight department supervisor.
Before coming to Church Street, he served as executive director of the Southern California Ecumenical Council (of Churches); an associate in ministry and administrator for Hollywood Beverly Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); associate council director for the West Ohio Conference of The UMC, a consultant for Morning Star Ministries, and director of singles ministries at St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando (Fla.).
He served eight years as a director for the General Board of Discipleship and chair of the Men’s Division. He also served eight years on the General Commission on UM Men (one quadrennium as vice president). He has served as a jurisdictional, conference, and district president of UM Men, a director of the UM Men Foundation, chair of a District Council on Ministries. He was elected to General Conference in 1988 and 1992.
He has named the Bishop Gerald Kennedy Layman of the Year, and is a life member of UM Men, a recipient of the Torch Award, and he is a fellow in the John Wesley Society.