On March 29, 2025, United Methodists from across EPA gathered at Paoli UMC for the Annual Conference Awards ceremony. The event was more than a celebration of individual achievements—it was an opportunity to pause and notice the ways God is moving, even in these times marked by polarization, fear, and economic turmoil.
The Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, Director of Connectional Ministries for EPA & GNJ opened the ceremony with a profound truth. “Some said this is so unnecessary. It’s never been more necessary, for us to celebrate what God is doing… Joy is revolutionary. Praise is needed now more than ever.”
Narbeth Legacy Action Ministry Grant
The first award presented was the Narbeth Legacy Action Grant which was presented by Rev. VK Macwana, chair of the Board of Trustees for Eastern Pennsylvania to Rev. Myra Maxwell and The Center for Urban Ministry, a new church plant in Philadelphia.
Rev. Maxwell shared humbly:
“To God be all the glory. I want to thank God—for giving us a vision and for the congregation that is living it out. Our next ministry is called ‘Hi, Neighbor!’ We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our neighbor is all around us—not defined by race, religion, or the things that separate us. We’ve been tasked with reaching out to others who don’t look like us, who may not speak the language we speak, but we need to honor them. As we look around—we love you, and we love on you. And we want to be together, because we’re better together. We will do our best to live out the vision God has given us.”
Herbert E. Palmer Urban Ministry Awards
Rev. David Eckert and Rev. Myra Maxwell, co-chairs of the Urban Commission presented the Herbert E. Palmer Urban Ministry Awards. One award is given each year to a pastor or church in their district that is making a difference in urban areas.
In the East District, Rev. Lisa DePaz and Haws Avenue UMC were honored for their work lifting up their community. Under Rev. DePaz’s leadership Haw’s Avenue UMC, built, and then rebuilt a kitchen to become a code blue Shelter. In the 2024-2025 winter season, Haws Avenue opened its doors for 87 days from November to February and hosted 3,000 guests. The church also hosts an immigration office that offers free legal advice to those in asylum and visa processes.
Rev. DePaz was grateful to be recognized “I give thanks to God for Brandon, Tomas, Mary Alice, the conference, my D.S. mission link, and church in my community. And for the clients in our program who serve as active volunteers in our programs and our church. This is possible because of you and will continue because of you.”
In the North District the award went to Rev. Monica Guepet, pastor of Stroudsburg UMC. The congregation had long been ministering in the community participating in the interfaith hospitality network and serving the community with a food pantry. But that relationship with the community has deepened under pastor Monica’s leadership. D.S. Lee was proud to celebrate her work, “She has transformed the church to a vibrant hub of hope and healing.”
Rev. Monica Guepet celebrated the work of God at Stroudsburg UMC, “At Stroudsburg UMC we gather, we grow, we serve.” She described the ethic that grounds the community meal that they serve, “We are going to feed people, but they won’t be clients, they will be guests. We are going to have tablecloths, and decorations and we are going to talk with them.”
Next Rev. Myra Maxwell presented the Herbert E. Palmer Award for Urban Ministry to Rev. Stirling Eaton, pastor of Prospect Park United Methodist Church in the South District. She proclaimed, “Ministry is not easy… Under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Sterling Eaton, Prospect Park United Methodist Church has not only survived but thrived, becoming a beacon of hope and transformation in an urban community facing significant challenges.”
Rev. Stirling Eaton received the award humbly, eager to shine the light on the servant leadership of his congregation, “One of our members came to me and said we have another church and episcopal church that wanted to do a food giveaway but they don’t have a parking lot. Can they use ours?” Rev. Eaton didn’t hesitate “The mission is not about me, but about what we can do to give God glory.”
That ministry has grown into a farmer’s market outreach ministry that blesses the community, not only with food, but with resources that nourish the whole person.
In the West District, the Herbert E. Palmer Award, was presented to Pastor Tim Smith, Rev. Bruny Martinize and Joaquin DeJesus, who are together doing ministry out of Covenant UMC in Lebanon. Covenant UMC realized that the neighborhood changed around it, and rather than resist that, they embraced it, and asked what can we do? Pastor Tim Smith, Rev. Bruny Martinez, Joaquin DeJesus gathered to talk about what it might be like to start a Spanish-speaking ministry out of that location. Rev. Bruny Martinez, pastor of St. Luke’s and Ebenezer UM churches in Lebanon, PA, brough experience and wisdom, Joaquin DeJesus brought passion, and Pastor Tim Smith and Covenant UMC provided the space. What began as a Bible study with 12-15 people has grown into a new worship service.
Pastor Tim Smith was grateful for the chance to celebrate this ministry, “Covenant in Lebanon has been on that corner for more than 200 years. We went through Pathways and learned the statistics. A lot of people around us have no church home… “Sometimes you think you are blessing the community, but the community blesses us.”
Harry Denman Awards for Evangelism
The Harry Denman Awards were presented by Rev. Steve Morton, interim chair for the Congregational Development Team. The Harry Denman Award has traditionally been presented to a clergy person, a lay person, and a young person who have demonstrated outstanding efforts in evangelism. Moving forward, it will be presented to lay people only.
Rev. Candy LaBar, of Wesley Church in Bethlehem, was the last clergy person to receive this evangelism award. She was nominated for her work in welcoming children from the preschool into worship, strengthening the church’s connections with the preschool families.
Rev. LaBar spoke to her aspirations behind the project. “Our hope is that they leave with a memory. A memory of being celebrated. Of being seen and known in their messy childness.”
Rev. LaBar was honest about the challenges of evangelism. “The fruits aren’t easy to measure. I say this to clergy people who are toiling and never see the fruit. It is still worth it. You are still faithful. And sometimes it means planting seeds in a garden that we will never get to see.”
After that poignant word, Rev. Steve Morton presented the Harry Denman Award to the youth recipient, Evan Garret of Reeders UMC. Garret was nominated for his work with the Fellowship of Christian athletes at his local high school. They not only pray together before every game and when someone on the field gets hurt, but they also spend time talking God.
Garret offered this advice to those who gathered to celebrate with him, “Have a person with you that you can talk about God with. A sister, a brother, a best friend that I can talk about God with.”
Rev. Morton then presented the Denman Award to the final recipient, Betty Henderson of Mother African Zoar. “In the city of Philadelphia there is a stellar evangelist… Showing the love of Jesus is what she does. She never turns her back on the people of God, turns pew sitters into church leaders.”
Ms. Henderson, was honored and humbled, “My life scripture is Psalm 37:5 ‘Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, and he will act.” She offered this word of encouragement to those who gathered to celebrate with her, “Share the word, not only share it, but live it.”
One Matters Award
The One Matters Award was presented to Otterbein UMC, by their District Superintendent, Jenny Freymoyer. “I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I needed a bed to sleep in for tonight and I found one in your church. We are all made in the image of God. Each one. Each person matters.”
She traced the journey that Otterbein undertook over the last few years. They completed a two-million-dollar renovation to create a low barrier shelter. The journey has led to a revitalization of missional drive and missional focus.
Rev. Chris Eden, pastor of Otterbein UMC, accepted the award on behalf of the church, and pointed to the hard work accomplished by his predecessor, Rev. Jonette Gay. The church had taken a straw poll on whether or not to close two years ago when they were approached by the Lancaster County Housing Authority about becoming a low barrier shelter. Rev. Gay helped a diminishing congregation to dream new dreams of ministry. “She nursed them through that [the thought of closing] to there is hope here. There is mission here.”
The Rev. Dr. Evelyn Kent Clark, District Superintendent and Dean of the Cabinet, closed out the service with a word of encouragement:
“What a day of laughter, what a day of joy, what a day of celebrating all that you are doing. God use this morning to inspire us. May we go forth in the power of your spirit, to share your love and truth. We give honor to God for the great things he has done. Sometimes we hear the negative stuff, the pejorative stuff, but today we’ve heard the good stuff. And that’s the stuff we’ll share. We are good and very good. I commend you today. You have done well. To each one of us in the body of Christ I say keep working. The job goes on. The work is not yet done.”
Sometimes we think we can only celebrate when the work is done. But God is good every day. Every day the Spirit of God is moving, sparking new ministries, inspiring new dreams, igniting faith in new disciples. Pausing to celebrate the good things God is doing, gives us the joy we need to keep on keeping on, for the job goes on, the work is not yet done. Today may we pause long enough to notice and give thanks and then get to work sharing the good stuff we have seen through the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord.