Awards Presented

Congratulations to the recipients of these awards presented at the District Annual Conference in Kansas City.

Unsung Unitarian Universalist Award is given to honor those Unitarian Universalists whose actions inspire, support and express Unitarian Universalism. The 2004 recipient is

Linda Horton, First Unitarian Universalist Church, Rochester, MN

Linda will be the District’s nominee for the UUA Unsung UU Award.

The President’s Award for service and leadership on behalf of Prairie Star District was given to

Martha Easter-Wells, Davenport, IA

for helping to create the “Friends of Prairie Star District.”

The O. Eugene Pickett Award honors congregations which have made an outstanding contribution to the growth of Unitarian Universalism. In 2004 the PSD recipient is

White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, Mahtomedi, MN

This congregation will be nominated for the UUA Pickett Award.

Keeping the Faith Awards are given to honor those who have worked to keep Unitarian Universalism alive in their community and who touch the lives of congregation and community members in a positive way.

Keeping the Faith recipients in 2004 are

Linda Thompson, Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Rice Lake, WI
Mary and Jay Hermann, Unitarian Universalist Society of River Falls, WI
Linda Lucero, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Topeka , KS
Newton D. Smith, White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi, MN

The Social Justice Award pays tribute to those individuals who witness to the ideals of social justice and responsibility so important to our Unitarian Universalist heritage. The 2004 recipient is

Mark Larson, Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, KS

The Ellie Morton Award to honor a religious education professional was presented to

Sara Sautter, Shawnee Mission UU Church, Overland Park, KS

The Committee on Religious Education RE Volunteer of the Year Award went to

Sue Grosse-Macemon, Pilgrim House UU Fellowship, Arden Hills, MN.

Carol Jean Larsen, PSD President, presents the President’s Award to Martha Easter-Wells.	Members of White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi, MN accept the O. Eugene Pickett award for their congregation: Dee Smith, Katy Lowery, Bob Hanson, Janet Hanson, Rev. Ann Galloway-Egge.
Keeping the Faith Award recipients pictured are Jay and Mary Hermann, Dee Smith, Linda Lucero.	Sara Sautter received the Ellie Morton Award for excellence in professional religious education.

Prairie Star People

Congratulations to Rev. Jim Eller (All Souls UU Church, Kansas City, MO) who was given the Faith and Freedom award by the Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice recently.

Testifying before the Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee in March in St. Paul, MN, were Rev. Victoria Safford (White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi, MN), Linda Smith and Bobbi Held and their daughter Shova Smith (UU Church of Minnetonka, Wayzata, MN), and Sara Smalley (First Universalist Church, Minneapolis, MN). They spoke against the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same- sex marriage.

In Memoriam

We offer sympathy to friends and family on the death of:

Betty Gorshe, Davenport, IA who died February 23, 2004. She was a former member of the PSD Board of Directors, PSD Secretary, and more recently served on the PSD Bylaws Committee.

Rev. John Isom, who died April 23, 2004. He served congregations in Wichita, KS and Des Moines, IA where he was named Minister Emeritus.