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 2024 recipients of the award.

Kim Begnaud is leader of the Community Outreach at Trinity. She spearheads collection of canned goods for the church food pantry. Working with the local school systems, she identifies families in need and Trinity hosts food distributions at Easter, at the start of the school year, at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. Each year Kim organizes Trinity’s God’s Work Our Hands Sunday projects including building a wheelchair ramp, picking up litter, washing windows at the homes of elderly members, cleaning the cemetery stones, and packing hygiene bags for local care facilities. Kim works with other small congregations of all denominations and by banding together great ministry is accomplished. She leads the Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry and all the ministries she supports with heart and compassion.

Gary Brocksmith joined St. Mark, Yorktown in 2018 and was elected to Congregation Council in 2020. He is now serving his second three-year term, and his second year as president of the congregation. Gary is the second openly gay man to serve as council president. He quickly became the “go to” person for all IT issues. He organized and led the congregation in support of PORT (People Offering Resources Together) and the Winter Shelter initiative for the homeless. It is said that: “He never sleeps. He shows up for everyone, anywhere, any time.” He actively seeks opportunities to mentor leadership qualities in others and seeks to involve others in support of activities. Gary is not a complainer and has a gift for speaking the truth in love while maintaining his own Christian composure. He daily lives his faith both within the walls of St. Mark and in the community-at-large.

Pam contributes to several ministries at Peace, but her most impactful contribution is to Hungry Hearts No More (HHNM), Peace Lutheran Church’s food assistance program.  HHNM is a ministry that focuses on health by providing ingredients for well-balanced meals to families suffering from food insecurity.  Pam has served as Financial Secretary and now serves on Church Council as President.  Under Pam’s direction, the collection of food now comes from several community sources.  Pam does more than hand out food on distribution day.  She takes an active interest in each family enrolled in the program.  Effective leaders inspire people to get involved.  Good leaders willingly set an example, roll up their sleeves and do the work which motivates others to join the effort.  Pam is that kind of leader.

Milly DeLesDernier was the co-founder of the Epiphany Lutheran quilting ministry in the 1970s. For years the team she assembled used donations of old clothes to make quilts for local ministries, including Lutheran World Relief. The Epiphany quilting ministry now produces over 200 quilts a year. In 2015 Milly added LWR school kits to her repertoire. She makes them by hand according to LWR specifications. Legally blind and confined to her apartment, she just can’t see well enough to sew anymore, but can see well enough to tie quilts and she puts the drawstring in the school bags the team makes. A few years ago Lutheran World Relief featured Milly in their publication as an example of outstanding service, especially at an advanced age. At 97 years old, Milly is still the engine of the ministry she started 50 years ago.