CHICAGO, IL (April 10, 2014) — The deadline to submit nominations for the 2014 Advocates for Covenant Clergy Women Awards (ACCW) has been extended to May 30.

The deadline is traditionally May 1. The change was made because several of the denomination’s regional conferences, which normally hold their annual meetings in April have pushed them back to early May.

The extended deadline provides people a better opportunity to discuss possible nominees, said Catherine Gilliard, ACCW president.

Forms can be downloaded from the ACCW website.

The awards will be presented at the Covenant’s Annual Meeting in June in Chicago.

The 2014 awards will be the Victoria Welter Scholarship, Phoebe Church Planters Grant, and the Evelyn M.R. Johnson Leadership Award.

The Victoria Welter Scholarship was created in honor of the first female student to graduate from North Park Theological Seminary. When the class picture was taken, Victoria Welter was denied her place in the photo because her classmates voted against including her.

The $300 scholarship is awarded to a female seminarian who is a member of a Covenant church and enrolled as a full-time student at North Park Theological Seminary, pursuing a master’s degree in ministry.

The Phoebe Church Planters Grant recalls the woman in Romans 16 sent by the apostle Paul to deliver his letter to the church in Rome. The saints at the church in Rome are instructed to “assist her in whatever matter she has need of.” The $1,000 grant is offered to the church of a woman involved in full-time church planting ministry and in good standing with the Covenant Ministerium.

The Evelyn M.R. Johnson Leadership Award is named for the first woman conference superintendent of the Covenant. Johnson also has served in numerous other local, regional, and national positions. She is currently the interim executive vice-president and corporate secretary for the Evangelical Covenant Church.

The $500 award is presented to a female minister working in a Covenant setting, such as administrators, teachers, pastors, missionaries, and others who have demonstrated excellence in ministry based on character, ministerial identity, contribution to the Covenant, and faithfulness to call. Candidates may not nominate themselves.