CHICAGO, IL (June 28, 2014) — The Evangelical Covenant Church honored clergy with “Lifetime Service Recognition” awards during the denomination’s 129th Annual Meeting on Saturday.

Mark Novak, executive minister of the Department of Ordered Ministry, said the people honored combined for 700 years of service.

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

Clergy are honored at the conference level, but the department also gives recognition at the denominational level because many ministers retire from conferences in which they did not spend the majority of their ministry years.

Some of the honored clergy

“Because the denomination calls, credentials and sends individuals into ministry, we feel that it is most appropriate that very community of pastors and congregations join together at each Covenant Annual Meeting to honor a group of those clergy who have offered lifetimes of faithful service and godly obedience,” the citation reads.

Those honored are as follows:

• Philip J. Anderson, Hovland, Michigan
• Norman G. Bagaas, Tucson, Arizona
• Lorraine R. Beaumont, Davis, California
• Garth T. Bolinder, Rogers, Arkansas
• John A. Carlini, Chicago, Illinois
• Gregory D. Chantler, Tacoma, Washington
• Rocky A. Cook, Plantation, Florida
• James I. Danielson, Norway, Michigan
• Allyson B. Dickie, Chicago, Illinois
• Rock E. Doddridge, Asheville, North Carolina
• Carl R. Elwood, Chitina, Alaska
• Timothy D. Fretheim, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
• Mark A. Frykholm, Worcester, Massachusetts
• Daniel E. Fullerton, Pomeroy, Iowa
• Jay L. Haworth, Chicago, Illinois
• N. David Hill, Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Elizabeth M. Jensen, Venice, Florida
• Suk Jib Kim, Mundelein, Ilinois
• Lorne R. Lauder, Neotsu, Oregon
• Bruce M. Lawson, Chicago, Illinois
• Michael D. Murphy, Evansville, Minnesota
• Jerome O. Nelson, Chicago, Illinois
• David L. Ness, Grand Rapids, Michigan
• José João Orr, Emo, Ontario
• John E. Peterson, Omaha, Nebraska
• Dennis P. Pool, Shoreline, Washington
• Michael S. Przybylski, Detroit, Michigan
• Allan M. Redenuis, Fort Dodge, Iowa
• Jeffrey D. Schirle, Crystal Lake, Illinois
• Margaret E. Swenson, Chicago, Illinois
• D. James Tait II, Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Bruce E. Thorson, Northbrook, Illinois
• Renée W. Willett, Oak Park, Illinois