Children’s Ministries Announces Shepherd’s Cup, Brownlow Awards
At the annual FOCUS Children’s Ministries Conference, the Shepherd’s Cup Award is presented to individuals who have made children’s ministry a priority and lifetime commitment.
Their ministry must set high standards for others to follow. The nominees must have been involved in Church of God children’s ministry for at least 10 years.
With the advancement of children’s ministry in the Church of God, the Shepherd’s Cup Award gives an opportunity for pastors to show support and recognition of deserving individuals whom they believe have shown exceptional faithfulness and effectiveness in the call to children’s ministry.
This year, the award was presented to four Church of God “kidmin” leaders. They include:
- Greg Davis, who has 35 years in ministry at the Plant City Church of God in Plant City, Florida;
- Melinda Price with 40+ years in ministry, presently at the High Praises Church of God in Portsmouth, Ohio;
- Dana and Angie Carrier, who have served for 20 years in ministry, currently serving the Covenant Church in Charlottesville, Virginia
The Waneda Brownlow Children’s Ministry Legacy Award is an award in honor of the “Happy Missionary,” Waneda Brownlow who was committed to raising up children’s ministry leaders and ministering to the children in Africa. The award is intended for deserving individuals who acknowledge and honor children of the world, who are involved in global children’s ministry, and who train others for effective international children’s ministry.
The award has only been presented to two individuals. The first recipient was Dr. Cheryl Johns, who has trained up many children’s ministry leaders from around the world through the Pentecostal Theological Seminary.
This year’s recipient is Lance Colkmire, through whose vision the Children’s Leaders Association was birthed 25 years ago. He has been involved in global children’s ministry training in several countries and has demonstrated love for abused children through the Royal Family ministry to foster children.
The Department of Youth and Discipleship enjoys honoring and recognizing individuals who demonstrate love for children around the world. International Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Tony Lane, who has served in this position for 23 years, says, “It is our goal to reach the children of the world with the Gospel so that we don’t have to rescue them when they are teenagers.”
