KANSAS CITY, MO (June 27, 2015) — The Evangelical Covenant Church honored clergy with “Lifetime Service Recognition” awards during the denomination’s 130th Annual Meeting on this morning. 

Mark Novak, executive minister of Develop Leaders, said those honored had served a combined for 1,165 years of ministry.

With so many ministers and missionaries who continue to serve rather than retiring from ministry, the ECC honors clergy when they reach age 65. Plaques were presented to clergy who were in attendance.

Clergy are honored at the conference level, and the denomination also provides recognition at the national level because many pastors retire from conferences in which they did not spend the majority of their ministry years.

The citation honors them for “lifetimes of faithful service and godly obedience.”

Those honored are as follows:

• Byron J. Amundsen, Hanover Park, Illinois
• James L. Anderson, Shoreview, Minnesota
• Andrew J. Anderson, Cooper City, Florida
• Thomas A. Beckstrom, Northbrook, Illinois
• Deborah C. Blue, Calumet Park, Illinois
• Neil R. Bonkoski, North Branch, Minnesota
• David Cassel, Madison, Indiana
• Donald C. Davenport, Tinley Park, Illinois
• Carl D. DeLine, Stacy, Minnesota
• Patricia N. Dickson, Sierra Vista, Arizona
• Steven M. Elde, Edmonds, Washington
• Marcus Evinger, Dexter, Minnesota
• Philip E. Hakanson, York, Pennsylvania
• Glen A. Halvorsen, Planville, Connecticut
• Michael L. Harper, Pahrump, Nevada
• James A. Harrelson, Osage City, Kansas
• David E. Hawkinson, New Brighton, Minnesota
• Bradley N. Hill, Normandy Park, Washington
• Ruth Y. Hill, Normandy Park, Washington
• Robert W. Hoey, Detroit, Michigan
• Lavern R. Holdeman, Omaha, Nebraska
• John M. Hudson, Iron River, Michigan
• Daniel Richard Johnson, Willmar, Minnesota
• Daniel Robert Johnson, Tuscan, Arizona
• Douglas W. Johnson, Santa Barbara, California
• Alan E. Johnson, Urbandale, Iowa
• Janice G. Kelly, Mexico
• Mary L. Klug, Bellevue, Washington
• Max A. Lopez-Cepero, Anchorage, Alaska
• Jon C. Martin, Boise, Idaho
• Lyle L. Mook, West Kingston, Rhode Island
• Dennis P. Moon, Granby, Connecticut
• Queen E. O’Neal, Calumet Park, Illinois
• Daniel Osgood, Greenfield, New Hampshire
• Joel M. Oyoumick, Unalakleet, Alaska
• John E. Phelan Jr., Arlington Heights, Illinois
• Michael R. Ryan, Sammamish, Washington
• Craig L. Smith, Phoenix, Arizona
• John M. Smith, Loveland, Colorado
• James J. Stewart, Rancho Palo Verdes, California
• Thomas A. Van Der Meid, West Hartford, Connecticut
• Craig E. Vote, Harcourt, Iowa
• Raymond L. Warren Jr., Elkhorn, Wisconsin
• Larry Watts, Marvin, North Carolina