The Rev. Dr. Audrey Price, who has served as the first Executive Minister for Strategic Operations of the Southern New England Conference for the past 18 months, is leaving the staff to accept a new position at a global nonprofit.

Dr. Price will become the Associate Director of the Religion & Society Program at the Washington DC-based Aspen Institute. This is a newly created position in a fast-growing program. Her final day on the SNEUCC staff will be Aug. 31. A celebration (location to be determined) will be held Aug. 26.

"This job found me," Dr. Price said. "The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world."

"The mission of the Aspen Institute aligns with the mission of the SNEUCC. I look forward to building a covenantal partnership with the SNEUCC as both further their work in the US and this world as we 'drive change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time,'" she said.

Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Executive Conference Minister, said plans are being put in to place to reconfigure the senior leadership team, replacing The Executive Minister for Strategic Operations with two people: an Executive Minister for Area Conference Ministry, and an Executive Minister for Conference Programs and Initiatives. Those positions will be posted soon.

"Rev. Dr. Price has been an essential component of the formation of who we are becoming as the Southern New England Conference," Rev. Goodwin said. "She has brought her years of expertise in strategic planning and organizational development to help launch signature departments such as the Center for Transformational Leadership, the roll out of the shepherding areas for our Area Conference Ministry Team, and she has led the implementation of very spirit filled annual meetings, to name a few contributions."

"While Audrey will not continue as a SNEUCC staff member, I am assured that she will take her tenacity for social justice and the vision of the conference to help change our world through the Aspen Institute. Audrey has laid a wonderful foundation that our next Executive Ministers will beautifully build upon," Rev. Goodwin said.

Taking on her role during the earlier days of the pandemic meant that Dr. Price dealt with the challenges presented by convening large online programs, including the March 2021 Super Saturday that brought together more than 500 people, and the 2021 General Synod for which the Conference had 99 delegates.

Dr. Price also embarked on team building for the new Conference staff, spearheading a ministry team leaders retreat at Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center, the inaugural SNEUCC staff picnic that included ziplining, archery and a nature hike hosted by Pilgrim Day Camp and the creation of the Fun Team to celebrate staff transitions and life events.

"Together, Beloved, we have made great strides in organizing, implementing, and living into the great vision of the SNEUCC and its becoming. I leave knowing that the work of becoming is not finished but with gratitude for how much we have done together," she said. "I am especially grateful for spirit-filled, immensely qualified and deeply committed leadership embodied in the great humans of Rev. Darrell Goodwin and Ms. Dawn Hammond. We have co-labored in service and prayer to humbly serve our calling of servant leadership in the SNEUCC.

Dr. Price said she also enjoyed visits to the "gracious churches who invited me to preach and worship with them. It was heart-warming and life giving to see their ministry, fellowship and have earnest dialogue with the pastors."

Dr. Price quotes 1 Corinthians 15:58 as her farewell to the Conference: "SNEUCC - continue in your steadfast work of voicing, championing, leading and becoming... Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."