Sandy Birch is a member at St. Michael in Blacksburg. In recent years Sandy’s focus has been on, but certainly not limited to, ministries that affect the older members of the congregation. She plans and coordinates a quarterly luncheon called “Happy-Go-Lucky” for folks over 50. She recruits people to assist with the meal and the program. The programs range from fun skits to informative presentations. This event brings together members of the congregation and other friends in the community for fellowship and fun. Sandy also started a flower delivery ministry that she continues to lead. She and others take the altar flowers and make smaller arrangements that are delivered to folks from the congregation that are sick, shut-in, or just going through a tough time. Sandy is the perfect example of a servant leader. It is put best by Pastor Henricks: “Sandy Birch is one of those rare leaders who manages to change the math in a congregation. While so often we think of people coming together and adding up what they bring, when Sandy brings people together, gifts multiply.” Since its beginning Sandy has been part of Soup for Seniors, a program that is part of Micah’s Caring Initiative. Monthly bags of food are packed and delivered to seniors that live in HUD apartments at a local retirement center. She takes the time to not only deliver the food but to spend extra time with the residents.

Scott Miller is a member of Lakeside Lutheran Church in Lake Gaston, NC. Scott directs the Food Bank that serves those suffering from food insecurity in Warrant and Northampton counties in North Carolina and Brunswick county in Virginia. He has served as the administrator for this ministry and has coordinated the efforts with Lakeside Lutheran Church, the other four area churches and the Food Bank of Eastern and Central North Carolina. Scott has also worked to establish a great working relationship with Food Lion and the manager to insure that food continues to get donated so that it can help to fight food insecurity in this part of North Carolina and Virginia. Scott works with Via di Cristo in North Carolina serving as a part of the leadership team for weekend events. Scott led the funding effort for construction of a storage building for a forklift used by a local food bank charity, Loaves and Fishes of Warrenton, NC, as well. He secured $5,000 which funded the project to support movement of large food deliveries. He is a key member of Helping Hands and Hearts which provides transportation to medical appointments and builds ramps for the handicapped in a 5 county area.

Kelly Rummel is a member of Trinity, Newport News and has served as the leader of Trinity’s youth program for 26 years. She grew up in Trinity and the Synod’s youth program and upon returning to Newport News after college became the coordinator of the youth program at Trinity. Throughout her years as coordinator, she has impacted the lives of well over 100 youth in the congregation, guiding them through all of the slings and arrows of growing up and growing in their faith. Through her work with the youth, she has been a fierce and vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. On more than one occasion, Kelly is the first person Trinity youth have turned to for a safe space to come out, knowing she will love and support them through whatever comes in their journey. Along with her work with Trinity’s youth, Kelly also serves as the head of the garden committee, which she has done for the last four and a half years. This is a branch of congregational outreach that cultivates and cares for the garden on our grounds which donates 100% of its harvest to a local non-profit, THRIVE Peninsula. When Trinity celebrated its 125th anniversary with a dinner, it was asked of the more than 100 attendees for everyone to stand who either personally came through the youth program with Kelly or had one of their children come through the program. Every single person stood.

Linda Williams is a member of St. Paul, Strasburg. She is a faithful example of a servant leader and is one of the hardest workers for Christ in the congregation. Her servant leadership includes supervision, coordination and hands on work for St. Paul’s weekly community dinners. These dinners are open to all in the congregation and the community, especially those with limited resources. Linda makes sure all are fed and go home with extra food when possible. She is often the first to arrive for meal preparation and the last to leave. Linda also recruits and leads volunteers, orders and buys food supplies for our area Compassion Cupboard and Luke’s Backpacks which is a food distribution ministry to low income children and families. Linda oversees the congregation’s Hospitality Ministry by providing both leadership and hands on food preparation and distribution for all congregation and community events. For St. Paul’s annual Vacation Bible School, Linda coordinates snacks and meals for all the youth and adult participants. Linda assists at Holy Communion for our Sunday worship services. She encourages people to become Thrivent members and facilitates many Action Team Grants to help fund the ministries of the congregation and she is a wise steward of financial resources. Recently Linda gave a large donation to the congregation for the installation of an Automatic Door opener for our handicap church entrance. This practical and important contribution reflects her care and compassion for those who have mobility challenges.

Rita Foringer is a member of Gloria Dei, Hampton and lives a life of giving and supporting others through her leadership and participation in community outreach. She has organized and mobilized many new events through the years to further strengthen these community bonds. She continually looks for ways to serve and engage others as witnesses to God’s love through community outreach. She has been a champion of community, both within and outside our church walls for over 40 years. Rita is a willing and constant volunteer, who engages and invites others to join her. One of her passions is engaging youth and helping them understand Christ’s mission of giving to others. She is actively involved in educating Gloria Dei youth about understanding and living their faith through activities like teaching Confirmation classes for over 25 years or working on community outreach issues, such as creating tie blankets for those in hospice. For 15 years, every newly confirmed and baptized member in the church has been given a prayer scarf or shawl to remind them of God’s love and promises to them. For more than 10 years, the hospice tie blankets community project, that she organizes with the help of the youth and other church members, has comforted countless numbers of individuals and families in the community who face the grief of losing a loved one.