2025 Annual Conference Award Recipients

 Congratulations to our Award Winners!

The Bishop D. Frederick Wertz Award

The Bishop D. Frederick Wertz Award Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Joseph (Jay) A. Layman, Jr, Esquire - recipient; and Rev. Dr. John Piper.

The Earl N. Rowe Memorial Scholarship 

Rev. Donald Rowe,  Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Pastor Angela Nett, Wellsville Parish,  River Valley District - recipient; Ed Bailey;  and Rev. Barry Robison.

J. Marlene Atanasoff Spiritual Formation Award 

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Andrea Katz - Carlisle UMC,  River Valley District - recipient;  Rev. Dr. Russell Hart and Rev. JP Bohanan.

The Marty Cox Award for Christian Unity

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Mark Henry; Rev. Dr. Philip T. Wanck  & Rome UMC, Northern Wilds District - recipient; Larry Kacyon;  and Rev. Renee J. Ford.

The Thomas K. Cartwright Scholarship

Rev. Donald Rowe; Pastor Angela Nett, Wellsville Parish,  River Valley District - recipient;  and Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez.

The Howard & Elizabeth Brinton Individual Award

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Melissa Smith, Woolrich Community, Mountain Valley District - recipient;  and Rev. Andrew Burd-Harris.

The Howard & Elizabeth Brinton Church Award

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez; Grace UMC, Lemoyne, River Valley District  - recipient; Michelle Schwartzman; Rev. Jason Schwartzman; Marion Baker; and Rev. Andrew Burd-Harris.

The Flying Dove Individual Award

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez;  Rev. Judy Young - recipient; and Rev. Jane O’Borski.

The Flying Dove Church Award

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez; Mt Nittany UMC, Mountain Valley District - recipient; Patty DiCapria; Lee Copper; Ellen Copper; and Rev. Jane O’Borski.

Recognition for Service as SUSUMC Volunteer in Mission Coordinator

2019-2025 by the Conference Board of Global Ministries

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez; Michelle Schwartzman;  and Rev. Andrew Burd- Harris.

AC2024: Annual Conference Award Recipients

Congratulations to the Recipients of our Annual Conference Awards!

 The Rev. Dr. Maud K. Jensen/Rev. Dr. Karen E. Layman Memorial Scholarship

Rosalyn Price English

J. Marlene Atanasoff Spiritual Formation Award

Rev. Karen L. Weiss

The Marty Cox Award for Christian Unity

Rev. David D. Biser, CrossPoint UMC

The Howard & Elizabeth Brinton Individual Awards

Lisa Morrow

Rev. Marian E. Hartman

The Flying Dove Church Award

Carlisle UMC

The Harry Hoosier Award

Rev. Dr. Charles W. Salisbury

The Bishop D. Frederick Wertz Award

Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Salsgiver

Annual Conference Awards Recipients

 J. Marlene Atanasoff Spiritual Formation Award:  

Rev. Melissa Madara

The Marty Cox Award for Christian Unity: 

Rev. Renee J. Ford

The Howard & Elizabeth Brinton Church Award: 

Woodland UMC Area Parish, Altoona District

The Howard and Elizabeth Brinton Individual Award: 

Amy Whitworth from Wesley UMC, Marysville,  Harrisburg District

The Flying Dove Church Award: 

Calvary UMC, Harrisburg, Harrisburg  District

The Flying Dove Individual Award: 

Rev. Andrew Burd-Harris

The Harry Hoosier Award: 

Pastor Robin L. Fillmore - Lake Winola Charge, 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Pastor Paul R. McReynolds & Jacqueline Peagler - 

Albright Bethune UMC, State College District

Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Salsgiver

The Bishop D. Frederick Wertz Award: 

Rev. Joanne Montgomery Link

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One Matters Awards

Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with Annual Conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2023 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.

This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, the individual may experience the personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world. While most Discipleship Ministries Programs focus on existing members, OMA focuses on new members. After all, ONE Matters.

The following congregations received the One Matters Award in 2023. Each church’s story will be highlighted in future issues of Susquehanna LINK.

Altoona District

Cove Forge UMC, Williamsburg

Harrisburg District

Wesley UMC, Marysville

Lewisburg District

St. Pauls UMC, Berwick

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Forty Fort UMC

State College District

Trinity UMC, Bellefonte

Williamsport District

State Road UMC, Cogan Station

York District

Barts-Centenary UMC, Littlestown

2022 Annual Conference Awards Recipients

 

The Bishop D. Frederick Wertz Award

Recipient: Bishop Neil L. Irons

Lycoming College grants this award annually in memory of Bishop Wertz, president of the college from 1955 to 1968. It recognizes a clergy or lay person who has rendered exceptional service to God through the church. 

The Flying Dove Award

Recipient: Grace United Methodist Church, Hanover

The Peace with Justice Committee of the Conference Board of Global Ministries grants this award to the church that has made the largest financial donation to the Peace with Justice Fund.

The Howard and Elizabeth Brinton Award

Individual Recipient: Laura Inlow

The Brinton Award is in memory of the Brintons, missionaries in Congo and mission interpreters with the General Board of Global Ministries. Howard Brinton established and served as executive director for The Advance.

Church Recipient: Calvary United Methodist Church, Lawrenceville

The Brinton Award is in memory of the Brintons, missionaries in Congo and mission interpreters with the General Board of Global Ministries. Howard Brinton established and served as executive director for The Advance.

The Rev. Dr. Maud K. Jensen/Rev. Dr. Karen E. Layman Memorial Scholarship

Recipient: Pastor Kelly Kocher-Ross

The Susquehanna Conference Women in Ministry grant this scholarship to a female seminarian in memory of Maud K. Jensen and Karen E. Layman. Maud Jensen was the first woman to receive full clergy rights in the Methodist Church in the United States in 1956, and she did so through the former Central PA Conference. She then became a missionary to Korea. No other women were ordained in our conference for many years until a class of women in the 1970s that included Karen Layman. 

The Harry Hosier Award

Recipient: The Journey Church, Harrisburg

Given by the Commission on Beloved Community to an individual or congregation that best emulates the characteristics of Harry Hosier, and early Black Methodist preacher.

The J. Marlene Atanasoff Spiritual Formation Award 

Recipients: Revs. Kristopher and Hannah Sledge

The Center for Spiritual Formation grants this award annually in memory of Marlene Atanasoff, a graduate of the two-year Ministry of the Spiritual Direction program. It recognizes an outstanding advocate of John Wesley’s principles of mercy, justice, and piety. 

The Marty Cox Award For Christian Unity 

Recipient: Carlisle United Methodist Church

The Bishop’s Committee on Christian Unity and Interfaith Relations annually recognizes an individual or congregation that demonstrates outstanding involvement in ecumenical ministry. 

The One Matters Award

Recipient: Harrisonville Charge - Asbury, Ebenezer & Siloam UMCs 

Discipleship Ministries annually recognizes the congregations in each annual conference that reported increases in baptisms and professions of faith (as reported in the previous year’s statistical reports). The award celebrates the power of intentional discipleship development and community engagement.

The Thomas K. Cartwright Scholarship 

Recipient: Pastor Daniel Havrilla

The Enlistment and Interpretation Committee of the Susquehanna Conference Board of Ordained Ministry annually awards this scholarship to a young adult who is called to ordained ministry. The award honors the memory of Rev. Dr. Thomas Kevin Cartwright.