Presentations at annual conference sessions across the United States this year recognized congregations and individuals for their efforts in evangelism and disciple making. While many continued their tradition of presenting the Harry Denman Evangelism Award, 25 presented at least one new One Matters Discipleship Award.
One Matters Discipleship Award
The One Matters award is to lift up the importance of discipleship and “help interpret across the connection what zeros in professions of faith and baptism mean and what moving away from the zeros means,” said the Rev. Sara Thomas, deputy general secretary and chief strategist for vital congregations at United Methodist Discipleship Ministries. “Each ‘1’ in those categories represents a transformed life – a life that matters to God, and a life that should matter to us.”
Twenty-five conferences nominated at least one church to receive a $1,000 award and a One Matters plaque, said the Rev. Jeff Campbell, director of annual conference relationships. Several conferences purchased additional plaques to recognize more recipients, and at least one matched the monetary grants.
Many of the recipients are “turn-around” small-membership churches who are reversing their declining numbers.
2015 One Matters Recipients
Note: Pastors named reflect 2014-15 appointments.
Alaska United Methodist: Turnagain UMC, Rev. Robert Smith, Anchorage
Central Texas: Olney UMC, Rev. Harrell Braddock
Dakotas: Faith UMC, Rev. Debra Ball-Kilbourne, Minot, N.D.; Knollwood Heights UMC, Rev. Sharla McCaskell, Rapid City, S.D.
Eastern Pennsylvania: Iglesia Nuevo Nacimiento, Rev. Elena Ortiz, Lebanon
Greater New Jersey: Groveville UMC, Rev. Rupert Hall, Trenton
Illinois Great Rivers: First UMC, Rev. Chris Ritter, Geneseo; Midland UMC, Rev. Linda Vonck, Kincaid
Iowa: Mount Ayr UMC, Rev. Charles D. Rushing; Quad Cities Korean UMC, Rev. Hang-Baek Cho; St. Paul’s UMC, Rev. Jae Hee Lee, Waterloo
Kentucky: Masonvillle UMC, Rev. Glenn Cox, Utica
Minnesota: Oakwood UMC, Rev. Richard Jacobsen, New Ulm
Mississippi: Mount Pleasant UMC, Rev. Raphael Johnson, Lucedale
New England: Family UMC, Rev. Juarez and Clauri Goncalvez, Saugus, Mass.; Grace UMC, Rev. Gretchen Casey, Bangor, Maine; Nueva Vida UMC, Rev. Patricia Pena, Chelsea, Mass.
New Mexico: El Calvario UMC, Rev. Nema LeCuyer, Las Cruces, N.M.; Hamlin Memorial UMC, Rev. Joe Whitley, Farwell, Texas
New York: Tian Fu UMC, Rev. Qibi She and Rev. Zhaodeng Peng, Brooklyn
North Texas: Casa Linda UMC, Rev. David Rangel, Dallas
Oklahoma: Angie Smith Memorial UMC, Rev. Jonathan Clour, Oklahoma City
Rio Texas: Brackettville UMC, Rev. Randy Willis; Cedar Creek UMC, Rev. Cathleen Evins; Eagle Pass UMC, Rev. Becky Baxter-Ballou; La Trinidad UMC, Rev. Arturo Perez, Pharr; La Trinidad UMC, Rev. John Patrick Feagins, San Antonio; Simpson UMC, Rev. Robert Waddle, Austin; Three Rivers UMC, Rev. Vallilea Blair
Rocky Mountain: Cheyenne Wells (Colo.) UMC, Rev. David M. Moorman
Susquehanna (all churches in Pennsylvania): Bethany UMC, Rev. Ronald L. Overspike, Red Lion; Centre Grove UMC, Rev. Cynthia Engstrom, Clearfield; CrossPoint UMC, Rev. David Biser, Harrisburg; Firwood UMC, Rev. Anthony Brima, Wilkes-Barre; Lightstreet UMC, Rev. Jennifer Parks-Snyder, Bloomsburg; McVeytown UMC, Rev. Patricia C. Bollinger; Nauvoo St. Paul’s UMC, Rev. Lenore C. Hosier, Liberty
Tennessee: Porter’s Chapel UMC, Rev. Ed Brennan, Columbia.
Texas: Grace UMC, Rev. Phil Chamberlin, Palestine
Upper New York: Whitney Point UMC, Rev. Corey Tarreto Turnpenny
West Michigan: Bannister UMC, Rev. Mona Dye
West Ohio: New Beginnings UMC, Rev. Alethea Botts, Pomeroy, Ohio
West Virginia: Glen Dale UMC, Rev. John M. Morrison
Yellowstone: Mission Valley UMC, Rev. Derf Bergman, St. Ignatius, Mont.
Harry Denman Evangelism Award
For more than 30 years, The Foundation for Evangelism has worked with annual conferences to recognize the outstanding personal evangelism ministries of United Methodist clergy, laity and youth with the Harry Denman Evangelism Award. At least one individual in each of 38 annual conferences received the award this year.
2015 Recipients
Alabama-West Florida: Rev. German Gomez, Centerville, Ala.; Cameron Winton, Panama City Beach, Fla.; Sydney Wilson, Millbrook, Ala.
Alaska: Phil Campbell, Juneau
Arkansas: Alaina Hiryak, Stuttgart; Bill Shirron, Benton; Rev. Jason Sutfin, Pargould
Baltimore-Washington: Ron Deter, Cumberland, Md.; Rev. Dae Sung Park, Ellicot City, Md.
Dakotas: Matthew Bader, Pierre, S.D.; Rev. Mike and Libby Flowers, Sheyenne, N.D.; the Rev. Luke Smith, Watertown, S.D.
Eastern Pennsylvania: Rev. Max Jaouen, Lansdale; John Schadler, Fairless Hills
Greater New Jersey: Charlie Burch, Toms River; Rev. Frank Davis, South Plainfield; Brielle Hohne, Lumberton.
Holston: Rev. Kristen Ann Burkhart, Afton, Tenn.; David Goodman, Big Stone Gap, Va.; Marcy Hall, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Illinois Great Rivers: CRAVE Young Adult Group, East Alton; Rev. Mike Roy Rucker, Trenton
Indiana: Hannah Foust, Indianapolis; Rev. Alex Hershey, Avon; Harry J. Lyness, West Harrison
Iowa: Rev. Philip Dicks, Grundy Center; Katie Palmer, Keota; Joan Rude, Storm Lake
Kentucky: Rev. Ben Hahn, Alexandria; Jan Stumbo, Hindman
Louisiana: Rev. Lala L. Bell, Ruston; Freida Capps Peel, Chatham; David Lee Prather, Singer
Memphis: Rev. Stephen Mark Earhart, Dresden, Tenn.; Susan M. Engle, Gilbertsville, Ky.; Hailey Gilbert, Collierville, Tenn.
Minnesota: Rev. Lowell Gess, Alexandria; Mindy Kearney, Onalaska, Wisc.; Allison Schwarz, LeSueur
Mississippi: Turner Arant, Sunflower; Julia Holland, Pontotoc; Rev. Early Michael “Doc” Shelton, Ripley
Missouri: Adam Newman, Cape Girardeau; Linda Tenkhoff, Jackson; Rev. Barry Winders, Dexter
North Alabama: Neal Fuller, Tuscaloosa; Rev. Gresh Harbuck, Springville
North Carolina: The Rev. John A. Farmer, Arapahoe; Joey Gore, Wilmington; Matthew Marks, Kipling; Abby Martin, Clayton
North Georgia: Jordan Grace Kelecheck, Conyers; James Eugene Tibbs, Dalton; Rev. Gregory Williams, Tyrone
Northern Illinois: Kay Chung, Northbrook; Adrien Horton, Elgin; Rev. John Wesley Lee, Freeport
Northwest Texas: Beau Niewoehner, Big Spring
Oklahoma: Shirley Adams, Shawnee; Rev. Marcia Martin, Vian; Rev. Sam Powers, Edmond
Oregon-Idaho: Staci Lieuallen, Sherwood, Ore.; Rev. Tau Moli, Eugene, Ore.
Red Bird Missionary: Sheila Dooley, Booneville, Ky.; Rev. Farley Stuart, Beverly, Ky.
Rio Texas: Monica Reagan, Sinton
Rocky Mountain: Joanna Castanos, Wiley, Colo.; Rev. Guillermo Reyes, Lakewood, Colo.; James Sauls, Colorado Springs, Colo.
South Carolina: Rev. Michael A. Turner, Simpsonville
South Georgia: Rev. Alan R. Miller, Ashburn; Tom Turner, Kingsland
Susquehanna (in Pennsylvania): Rev. Chadrick E. Carter, Catawissa; Ernest A. King, Tunkhannock
Tennessee: Rev. Kevin Marston, Waynesboro; Welton Pride, Antioch; Judy Waggoneer, Mount Juliet
Upper New York: Rev. David Woodruff Martin, Troy; Virgia B. Phoenix, Albany
Virginia: Rev. Paul A. Beighley, Jarratt; Patricia Ann Hobbs, Alexandria; Anna Lopynski, Herndon
West Ohio: Rev. J. Kabamba Kiboko, Cincinnati; Tyler E. Norris, Maumee; Rev. Kevin Pees, Ashville; Sile Singleton, Columbus
West Virginia: John Britton, Charleston; Austin Garrett, Harrisville; Kelly Moran, Moorefield
Western North Carolina: Rev. James Grant Allred, Richfield; George Eubanks, Stanley
Western Pennsylvania: Michael Gionti, Titusville; Steve and Wendy McPherson, Corsica.; Rev. John Zimmerman, Corry
Wisconsin: Rev. Jenny Arneson, Onalaska; Kayla Gilligan, Howards Grove; Duane Woolover, Deerfield
Compiled by the Rev. Kathy Noble, editor, and Barbara Dunlap-Berg, associate editor, Interpreter, from information provided by the Rev. Jeff Campbell, Discipleship Ministries, and Jane Boatwright Wood, The Foundation for Evangelism.