Vonette Bright

Vonette Zachary Bright (July 2, 1926 – December 23, 2015) was an American author, speaker, and the co-founder of Cru.

Bill and Vonette Bright in Turku, Finland in 1980

Bright was born in Coweta, Oklahoma, and graduated with a B. A. degree in Home Economics and a minor in Chemistry from Texas Women's University in 1948. That summer she attended a conference with her fiancé Bill Bright at Forest Home Christian Conference Center, where she prayed to receive Christ under the spiritual direction of Henrietta Mears.^[1][2] That same year, she and Bill were married on December 30, 1948. In 1951, the couple moved into the Bel-Air home of Mears and from there launched Campus Crusade for Christ until their move to their new headquarters at Arrowhead Springs ten years later.^[3][4]

Bright was known for her prayer rallies, her work as the chair of the National Day of Prayer task force that helped establish a fixed day for the event under Ronald Reagan, and as a chairperson (and one of the three women on the committee) on the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. She was also the author or co-author of more than 20 books, including, In His Hands, Passion for Prayer, and the "Sister Circle" Series. Bright adopted a less provocative stance on social issues than her husband, but was outgoing and articulate and often spoke at conferences.^[5]

After Bill's death in 2003, Vonette continued her ministry work until her death in 2015. She died aged 89. She was survived by her two married sons and four grandchildren.^[4]

References

1. http://vonettebright.cru.org/story
2. Bright, In His Hands, 47.
3. Bright, In His Hands, 124.
4. Smietana, Bob (23 December 2015). "Died: Vonette Bright, Co-Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ". Christianity Today. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
5. Schudel, Matt (26 December 2015). "Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, dies at 89". Washington Post. Retrieved 20 November 2016.