Global Ministries is saddened to learn of the death of Lillian Marie Moir
Lillian Marie Moir
August 25, 1940 – November 13, 2015
Lillian Moir, age 75, died as a result of her injuries from a car accident on Friday, November 13, 2015. A native of the state of Washington, Lillian was born on August 25, 1940 in Bellingham, and she graduated from Washington State University with a major in journalism.
Upon obtaining her degree in journalism, Lillian worked for eight years as the Church Editor for the Idaho Daily Statesman in Boise, where she developed the first church page of news and features related to local and national religious happenings.
From 1969 to 1987, Lillian worked for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Office of Communication in Indianapolis, Indiana as the News and Information Manager. Her responsibilities in this capacity enabled her to travel to many places of the world and to interview world leaders, such as Indira Gandhi and Ferdinand Marcos. She also traveled to China, Great Britain, and Kenya to cover the assemblies of the World Council of Churches.
In 1987, Lillian became a missionary in Swaziland through the Division of Overseas Ministries (today Global Ministries). During her two year appointment in Swaziland, Lillian was the Director of Communications with the Council of Swaziland Churches. In this position, she oversaw the production of Council newsletters to constituent bodies, press releases and speech editing, along with many other responsibilities.
After the completion of this appointment, Lillian returned to Indianapolis to become a home-based staff member of the Division of Overseas Ministries in the Office of Mission Education and Interpretation for several years until she returned to Africa in 1995. Lillian Moir then was appointed as the Communication Officer for the Council of Churches in Namibia, where she wrote many communication pieces, including profound newsletters on the current events through the eyes of Namibian colleagues and through interviews with prominent leaders to better understand the hopeful work of the Council of Churches in Namibia. In 2002, she transitioned from this role into the position of Registrar at the Kgolagano College in Gaborone, Botswana, where she was responsible for the overall administration of the college. Lillian continued in this position until 2005, when she returned to the state of Washington.
In retirement, Lillian was very active in her local congregation, First Christian Church in Bellingham, and with the Northwest Regional Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with whom she served as regional board secretary and as a member of the Commission on Ministry. She currently was the Disciple Chair of the Global Ministries Team, a joint expression with the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Regional Minister Sandy Messick writes, [Lillian] regularly attended the NW Area clergy gatherings and was a welcome presence at most regional gatherings, often traveling great distances to attend. Her witness for ecumenical and global ministries will be missed as well as her faithful presence and spirit.
Lillian also continued to stay very active within Global Ministries after her return to Washington through hosting and attending global educational events, promoting materials and programs of Global Ministries, working with her local church on Global Ministries Alternative Christmas and in raising support for other special global initiatives whenever the opportunity arose. Lillian traveled to several countries in Africa in retirement, and once repatriated ashes of a former UCC missionary to Zimbabwe, carrying them in her carry-on luggage. She was a treasured member of the Global Ministries extended family, always ready to contribute whenever able, and worked always in a unifying, ecumenical attitude.
The memorial service for Lillian Moir will be on Friday, January 8, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. (with lunch to follow) at the First Christian Church, 495 E. Bakerview Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. Condolences may be sent to Lillian’s niece, Shannon Parrish, 1545 Oceanaire Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. Global Ministries welcomes gifts in Lillian’s memory to: Global Ministries, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Gifts also can be received online at: https://donate.globalministries.org/onlinegiving — please put Lillian’s name in the Tribute fields at the foot of the online giving form.