Joan Daggett of Bridgewater, Va., has accepted the position of project director for Shine: Living in God’s Light, the children’s Sunday school curriculum produced by Brethren Press and MennoMedia.
Rose Stutzman is retiring June 30 as project director for Shine. Stutzman led the team that developed the Shine curriculum through conceptualization, implementation, and launch, from 2013-16. She also served as Gather ’Round editor 2006-14. Prior to her work with Gather ’Round, she and her husband, Mervin, served with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Kenya, where she was an elementary school teacher. Additionally, she worked at Mennonite Publishing House 1995-2002 as an editor and director of Faith and Life Resources.
Joan Daggett to work with Shine
Daggett is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren and was a writer for the Jubilee curriculum and a trainer for Gather ’Round, both also co-published by Brethren Press and MennoMedia.
Since 2011, Daggett has been executive director at the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va. From 1998-2011, she was associate district executive of the Church of the Brethren’s Shenandoah District. In those years, she coached congregations on matters related to Christian education, faith formation, nurture, and discipleship, and provided staff support for the Disaster Ministries Auction. She also led numerous curriculum trainings during her time with the district.
“Christian education and discipleship formation have been my passion and calling in life,” said Daggett in accepting the position. Before 1998, she was director of Christian education in a Presbyterian church and a co-pastor in a Church of the Brethren congregation. She is a graduate of Bridgewater College and Bethany Theological Seminary, and has a certificate in nonprofit management from North Park University. The search committee named Daggett’s experience working with previous curriculum projects, ordination, and additional education in nonprofit management as being beneficial in the role of project director for Shine.
“Joan is especially strong in building relationships with congregations,” said Wendy McFadden, publisher of Brethren Press. “She brings exceptional experience to this position.”
Amy Gingerich, editorial director for MennoMedia, commented, “We are excited to bring Joan’s passion for sharing about Christian formation to the Shine team.”
Daggett will work out of the Harrisonburg office of MennoMedia, and will begin full-time later this summer.
Find out more about Shine at www.brethrenpress.com or www.shinecurriculum.com