The Serving Boldly Award, created by the Virginia Synod (ELCA) Council in October 2020, is given to lay leaders who embody and demonstrate a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ in their congregation and/or community. Nominations were received from Virginia Synod congregations around Virginia and the Synod is pleased to recognize the 2022 recipients of the award.
Anne Ashby – Grace Lutheran Church, Winchester (Valley Partnership)
Anne has a long history of bold service both in congregation and community. She actively participates in local outreach, and has invited members of the congregation to participate as well, particularly in agencies offering necessities for people in need. She has served as a leader in a local ecumenical service organization, CCAP (Congregational Community Action Project) as a representative from the congregation, a member of the Board of Directors, and President of the Board during a time of great transition for the organization. She regularly volunteers at the Highland Food Pantry collecting food from grocery stores for the pantry, delivering food to local seniors, and helping to prepare food for the weekly food distribution. She has served as a member of the Refugee Resettlement Team for our congregation, offering her experience in the local school system to help the refugee family members make a smooth education transition. She has served as a leader in the congregation and the wider church: Congregation Council, including two years as Congregation President; countless task groups and committees; the Congregation’s Service and Outreach ministry, and the Nurture Ministry, which provides care to members in need; a voting member to the Virginia Synod Assembly seven times; Trinity Lutheran Seminary board member from the Virginia Synod; President of the LCW at Grace; President of the VLCW; and voting member to two church-wide assemblies. She was selected as a representative of Virginia’s LCW to participate in a Peace and Justice program and sent to Brazil to work with Lutherans in that country on peace and justice within their congregations.
Judy Casteele – Good Shepherd, Lexington (Blue Ride Partnership)
Judy currently serves as President of the Council at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran. Over the past 20+ years, she has served in diverse Good Shepherd ministries: Stewardship, Social Ministry, Worship and Music, call committee chair, Hospitality, Renew 145. She composes and edits the congregation’s newsletter and has been leading this work for at least five years. Judy is half of Good Shepherd’s “Zoom Team,” using her computer skills to keep those who worship remotely connected to the church, electronically as well as spiritually. Over the years, she has hosted dozens of Virginia Military Institute cadets who join us in worship during their time at VMI. Judy also currently serves as Executive Director of Project Horizon, a Rockbridge County service organization dedicated to eradicating domestic, sexual, and dating violence through empowerment of survivors, and by being a sanctuary for victims. Because of Judy’s leadership at Good Shepherd Lutheran and as Executive Director of Project Horizon, the Lexington community supports a Gay Pride festival (parade included), an annual Latinx celebration, and an annual Juneteenth celebration. Each event is an opportunity for Lexington and Rockbridge County to celebrate diversity and to come together to meet and talk with one another. Other people could envision this work, but while others dreamed, Judy acted to make it a reality.
Dr. Sheryl Finucane – First English, Richmond (Piedmont Partnership)
For over 20 years Sheryl has focused on those impoverished in Richmond and the surrounding areas. She is readily engaged in efforts to make food and housing available for those in need. As a health care provider she is fully aware of financial barriers for many seeking care. She provides physical therapy as a volunteer in settings serving the poor as well as addressing their overall wellness to develop and maintain health. She has served as a foster parent. Significant portions of her professional time are spent with college students, as well as church time with children when teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. The role of positive adult mentorship in guiding the development of young people is important. She strives to make the First English more welcoming, encourages faith development and takes leadership positions such as with the Congregational Council. Her commitment to FELC is underscored by the fact that her home to church commute is 35 miles.
Merrie Jo Milner – First Lutheran, Norfolk (Coastal Partnership)
Within the congregation, Merrie Jo expanded First Lutheran’s ministry to our Over-80s group to include trips to museums, the botanical gardens, parks, and the Spirit of Norfolk. When the pandemic shut everything down, she was on the front lines in caring for our elderly and shut-ins through cards, phone calls, and delivering flowers. She has served as a lector in worship, as host for coffee fellowships and receptions, and as the chair of the prayer chain ministry for many years. She makes homemade bread for our Bread for the World Sunday. If you are sick, she shows up with a meal, a loaf of bread, or a kind word. Merrie Jo sees a need and then tries to figure out how to meet it. Whether it is caring for our older members, mentoring our younger members, providing food and care to the sick, she loves her congregation and serves diligently within it. But she truly shines in her work with the more vulnerable populations in our wider community. She has a most generous, wide-open heart, and she loves deeply. She understands that the church needs to be engaged in the public square, meeting people where they are at, showing a genuine and vested interest in the lives of people who have nothing to offer us, and giving sacrificially. She understands that our lives of faith are richer when we focus our efforts outward in mission and love and not on our internal survival.
Douglas Smiley – St. Michael, Blacksburg (Appalachia Partnership)
Doug Smiley has both the heart of a servant and the fire of the Spirit to live out 1 John 3:18, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (NIV) Without fanfare, he quietly makes a big, big difference in the life of our congregation and in our community. As a key member of the Finance Committee, Doug rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, no matter how big or meticulous the job might be. Year in and year out, he prepares our annual Investments in Ministry Plans, and gives our council monthly updates on our financial status. He also evaluates our quarterly and end-of-year giving statements to ensure they’re accurate before we send them to our members. Doug’s loving service to others has played an impactful role in our community feeding ministries ever since 2009. His heart, brains, and brawn enable us to share 1,800 meals with 300 school children on a weekly basis, plus 105 bags of food (four soups, four breakfasts, and eight other specified food staples) to senior citizens in our community on a monthly basis. He also approves what we call Justice and Mercy requests to assist local people living in poverty, proofreads the monthly newsletter, and assures our cleaning services provider has the necessary supplies to keep the church clean and safe during the pandemic.
Serving Boldly Lifetime Achievement Award 2022
Anna Barb – St. Paul’s, Jerome (Valley Partnership)
For more than forty years Anna has been an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church serving on boards and committees, and providing lay leadership of the worship services. When there was no pastor she would often lead the service and continues to take Holy Communion to the shut-ins. She has been an active member and leader with the Virginia Synod Women’s Organization serving as Treasurer. In the Valley Conference of WELCA, she has held several offices including Treasurer. While it may seem odd to have a neighboring church make this nomination, we were especially blessed when Anna asked to join the WELCA chapter at St. Jacob’s. She brought energy and inspiration helping to rejuvenate our group. At a time when several key members had died and we were struggling to continue our major fundraisers, such as Lawn Parties and food sales at the local auction house, Anna brought back vitality to our efforts. She is one of the main workers at the St. Paul’s Women’s Sewing Circle known for their rag rugs – a multi-step, time-consuming task. Anna goes above and beyond to help prepare and deliver the material strips for the rugs to the weaver who finishes the product. She then picks up the rugs and spends hours tying them and then she delivers them to shops that sell the rugs. She has helped for many years at the Bread of Life Food Pantry sponsored by the Woodstock Methodist Church. Her computer skills track the volunteers, the inventory, and the recipients. When there are funerals or events needing food at St. Paul’s or St. Jacob’s, and in the community, she is one of the first who volunteers to prepare food, organize people, and make the necessary arrangements.
