Award Information

One Matters Award is offered by the Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN. It is given around April of the following year .The award is presented by the Discipleship Ministries to the local church in each annual conference which has the highest number of professions of faith in the year. A plaque and check of $1000 is presented. The presentation is done by the District Superintendent of that local church. The selection of the award is based on the information submitted to the annual conference about professions of faith and consultation with the District Superintendents.

GNJ Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries is looking for the next Francis Asbury Award recipient.

Do you know of a United Methodist clergy or lay person, employed or volunteer, who…

1. …is active in supporting, strengthening, and promoting the church’s work in higher education ministries (schools, colleges, campus ministries, scholarships, Black College Fund, Africa University) at the annual conference, district, or local church level?
2. …offers outstanding leadership, above and beyond basic responsibilities, to help bring heightened awareness to the significance of the church’s higher education ministries;
3. …is involved in efforts in agreement with the concerns of the annual conference board of higher education and campus ministry and the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

The Francis Asbury Award is a non-monetary award given to the recipient to recognize and encourage support of higher education and campus ministries within The United Methodist Church.  The award is named for Bishop Asbury who encouraged community wide ministry by building schools near churches to, as he is quoted, “…give the key of knowledge to [your] children, and those of the poor in the vicinity of [your] small towns and villages.”

Please send your nomination with a brief statement that supports your nominee’s qualifications as a recipient of the Francis Asbury Award to: Rev. Catherine Jordan-Latham at rev.jordanlatham@gmail.com.

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The GNJ Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) is now taking nominations for its Robert B. Steelman Methodist History Award, which recognizes the best overall local church history submitted in a given year. The award is named after The Rev. Bob Steelman, the preeminent SNJ and First GNJ Archivist and Conference Historian.

Click here for more info about the GCAH. For any questions about the GCAH awards, contact Rev. John Callanan at jdcallanan@gmail.com or 973-349-9202 (cell).

The GNJ Commission on Archives and History is now taking nominations for this award that encourages and seeks to spotlight the rich faith stories our diverse ethnic congregations. The award is named after Morris L. Smith, the longtime Church Historian of Mt. Zion UMC in Lawnside, NJ. Mr. Smith was a strong advocate and mentor to many in building bridges across racial and ethnic divisions. He celebrated the story of Black resistance to oppression and the accomplishments of African Americans and the African American community in the wake of it as ways to expand our historical record around race relations and create a deeper awareness of our common humanity.

The GNJ Commission on Archives and History is now taking nominations for the John Goodwin Multi-Media Church History Award, which recognizes the many different ways that churches may tell and celebrate their faith stories today. The award is named after John Goodwin, a lay member of our conference who was a staff member for the General Board of Global Ministries and our long-standing NNJ and first GNJ conference photographer.

The Commission on Christian Unity and Interfaith Relationships is pleased to announce two Conference Award opportunities. The commission is seeking nominations for an individual and a congregation that work in the areas of Christian Unity and Interfaith Relationships. Questions may be directed to Rev. Javier Barroso-Rodriquez at revbarroso@gmail.com.

The Greater New Jersey Annual Conference is seeking nominations for the 2024 Harry Denman Evangelism Award. The Harry Denman Evangelism Award recognizes a person whose life and ministry exemplifies the teaching of Christ and the Great Commission. Nominations for lay, clergy, and youth are being sought. One lay, one clergy, and one youth award will be presented. Please complete an online application here and submit to Rev. Anna Thomas at annacumc@gmail.com.

Deadline for Online Submission of Nominations – January 15
The recipient of the Harry Denman Evangelism Award will be recognized as follows—The award certificate or plaque will be presented to the awardees by their District Superintendent at a ceremony at their local church during the month of June or July 2024.

The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey pastors are invited to apply for the Harry A. Seese Memorial Scholarship for continuing education. Each year this award is given to a pastor whose plans for continuing education will lead to strengthening his/her ministry in the local church. Guided by Rose Seese of Gibbsboro, his widow, and supported by ongoing gifts, the scholarship honors her late husband, the Rev. Harry A. Seese, who died while serving the Medford Church.

Helenor Alter-Davisson was the first woman ordained in American Methodist Church. The Davisson Award in her honor, which is sponsored by the GNJ Commission on The Status and Role of Women, is given to a woman who is an active UMC member, has strong leadership skills, demonstrates vision, passion, resilience, sense of purpose, inclusiveness, perseverance and a willingness to work with and stand for the status and role of women in ministry. Each year, GNJ agencies honor lay and clergy members for their leadership. Click here for more info.