| 2008 |
|
Joyce MacKichan Walker |
|
| 2007 |
|
Sylvia Washer
|
|
| 2006 |
|
|
|
| 2005 |
|
Dorothy Henderson
|
|
| 2004 |
|
Lib Caldwell
Harold Blake Walker Professor of Pastoral Theology
McCormick Theological Seminary
|
|
| 2003 |
|
Mary Mohlke
"My journey as a Christian Educator has been much like making a blessing bowl. There are many different pieces and layers that formed me, that form the walls of support. There is a lot of connecting like glue that shapes and holds me together." |
|
| 2002 |
|
Marion Barclay
"...In lives that are often filled with so many things to do, so many different demands, we need to take the time to celebrate the wonderful giftedness of God that is lived out in the ordinariness of our life together as the people of God. Labour. Grace. Privilege. Celebration. Ordinary people, you and I, but an extraordinary God who calls us to share our lives with others." |
|
| 2001 |
|
Carol Wehrheim
"The church is about community, a community of faith that struggles daily to live its call to discipleship. Our task as educators is both to help form that community and to participate in its struggle."
|
|
| 2000 |
|
Gay Mothershed
"I do not remember where I got the simple card containing the words: 'One Day I would like to teach just a few people many and beautiful things that will help them when they will one day teach a few people!' It...lives in my heart as a constant reminder of what it means to be an educator. The joy of educational ministry centers in sharing and enabling others to experience the same joy." |
|
| 1999 |
|
Carol McDonald
"I have always loved the church. I am grateful to the Brimfield Methodist Church, Kent, Ohio, for calling me into leadership; to the American Baptists in Connecticut for naming me an educator and for nudging me into pastoral ministry; to the Presbyterian Church, Wabash, Indiana, for pushing me to claim what I believe; and to Northminster Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, Indan for welcoming home a wandering governing body staff person. Thanks!" |
|
| 1998 |
|
Marvin Simmers
"More people than I can name along the way - family, peers, teachers, members of congregations I served, staff colleagues, and a host of others - have given me encouragement and opportunities and have gently helped me to become a more mature and faithful disciples of Jesus. One of the joys of being a Christian educator is the unique opportunity that we educators have to be a 'Barnabas,' a Pricilla' or an 'Aquila' to others." |
|
| 1997 |
|
Rodger Nishioka
"...And as the Holy Spirit leads us into the future, I cling to promise that we are being led into the future together. Oh, that we might run, friends. That we might run hand in hand, with courage, into the future to which our Lord is calling us. We are the educators of Christ's church. We can do no less!" |
|
| 1996 |
|
Jean Floyd Love
"A top priority of each congregation is to really care for children. As educators we are called to base our planning on reflection of the biblical and theological mandates found in Jesus' example of welcoming children, including infants. 'Welcome' means we paln and carry out ministries that deepen and strengthen roots of love, faith and hope in children, youth and adults, regardless of their family configuration." |
|
| 1995 |
|
Mary Duckert
"When one member is honored, all rejoice together. Support is the magic word. This assemblage right here knows support and practices it better than any group in the church. Why? Because we're pastors, executives, lay educators, teachers, curriculum development writers, leadership specialists - all who need one another." |
|
| 1994 |
|
Mary V. Atkinson
"Each of you has a story to tell about how you came to your particular ministry. Whatever the route you've taken, or the role you presently play, I expect we all share one common hope - that we might make a difference in some small way in the love which we touch - not to make a difference for our own sakes, but on behalf of the God who calls us." |
|
| 1993 |
|
Patricia & Don Griggs
"...we must remind ourselves that we are not in charge. Go is. Perhaps the most important thing we can do is to remember who we are and what our relationship is to God...We are God's partners...How exciting is this wonderful adventure to which God has called us." |
|
| 1992 |
|
C. Ellis Nelson
"I want to affirm that the church is slowly coming to realize that Christian education is essential if the church is to re-vitalize itself. This is encouraging news. It prompts me to conclude these comments with the words of John, 'be of good cheer.'" |
|
| 1991 |
|
David Ng
"As an individual, I have enjoyed the blessing of a distinct and rich racial ethnic culture I ahve also been blessed with the rich tradition of the church, the Presbyterian Church in its reformed tradition, and the communion of saints. For all this I give thanks to God who called us into a ministry of peace, love and justice for all of God's creation." |
|
| 1990 |
|
Arthur O. Van Eck
"...When I've been discouraged with the church's slow progress in justice, dealing with its own racism, its own concern for women, people with disadvantages and disabilities...I'd take my telescope out and look around the horizon and I'd see no other place, no other institution, which has been given the vision which we in the church have been given. And I'd stay." |
|
| 1989 |
|
Glenn Bannerman
"...I think we all have a child within us that's trying to be let out. Somewhere along in our society we say, 'Quit plaing, get serious and mature. Grow up!' And our children look around and say, 'Grow up to what?' And we look at our adult society and say, 'Is that what we really want our children to grow up to?' Somewhere along we kill the child in us..."
|
|
| 1988 |
|
Mary Jean McFadyen
"...Church educators model and shape and influence many people. You make a difference in people's lives because you are contributing your energies and abilities to the churches and communities where you live and work. You are making adifference because you are giving guidance to a host of educational leaders in our congregations." |
|
| 1987 |
|
Margaret Veneman
"Because we are a part of a great cloud of witnesses, we can let our burdens rest on the hands of God and go ahead to respond to that call which is before us all, to run that race which is set before us, to be really true to the covenant people of God." |
|
| 1986 |
|
Agnes Peebles
"Being a Christian educator is to be with people, learning from them, exploring ideas with them, sharing what you know, searching with them for answers to questions, being led by and with them into new areas of life of people and experiences. One gets caught up in the excitement of others who are discovering that the ministry of education is where the action is!" |
|
| 1985 |
|
Marge Pols
"Take yourselves and your gifts seriously. We are the ones who must lift up education in the new church...We must stand with all who seek justice for those who serve the church...We owe it to the church to provide governing bodies with our best thinking and our votes." |
|
| 1984 |
|
Jim Simpson
"The church has a unique function in the world which demands the best of all its members. The work of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the power and love of God can be furthered or hindered by our attitudes and actions. Technological devices, instruments, and media can be barriers or bridges between persons... Apathy and encouragement of teachers and leaders can be offset by the excitement of new approaches and concrete helps." |
|
| 1983 |
|
Margaret Webster
"Educators must be prepared continually to re-evaluate their own worthiness to give leadership in educational endeavors which are truly significant. The educator who is doing a superb job in education for the whole congregation is most often seen as a person 'needed' in the life of the congregation. Continuous evaluation requires frequent review of our own philosophy of church education as well as our procedures for administration and actual teaching."
|
|
| 1982 |
|
Locke Bowman
"...Children hunger for teachers who are, above all, friendly and warm human beings. As Christians, we havea marvelous opportunity just now to encourage and promote the kinds of settings in which children are appreciated for their own special qualities." |
|
| 1981 |
|
Freda Gardner
"...disciples of Christ (acknowledge) that whether we succeed or fail, we are instruments of God's mercy, forgiveness and transforming power, and that our faithfulness to God's purposes will be matched by God's faithfulness and companionship on our journey of life."
|
|
| 1980 |
|
Estelle McCarthy
"Let us not apologize for our ministry, or belittle it, or give it less than our best. It is a high calling: to instruct, teach, nurture, illuminate, and administrate. Let us remember that if we do boast, it is because God has taken our earthen vessels and filled them with treasure." |
|
| 1979 |
|
Sara Little
"In De Magistro (Augustine) reminds us that onle God is Teacher, and that all humans stand in the same relation to teaching as farmers and doctors do to the possibility of cultivating and healing - as aids, not controllers. The basic question, then, is whether we are humble before God and faithful to him in our ministry, whatever the form."
|
|
| 1978 |
|
D. Campbell Wyckoff
"...we can affirm that the teaching minisitry of the church is vital to its very life. The command to teach is very clear in Scriputre...We have a mandate to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel. We also have a mandate to interpret what the Good News means in our lives, and that is what the teaching ministry of the church is all about."
|
