Austin woman, Cedar Park church honored for outreach

An Austin laywoman and a Cedar Park congregation were honored Feb. 12 for offering Christ to people in their communities.
Audrey Mann, St. Mark UMC, Austin, received the 2005 Bishop’s Exemplar Award for the Austin District.
The Rock UMC, Cedar Park, took home the district’s 2005 Innovation in Programming Award for serving breakfast to school bus drivers in the Leander Independent School District.
Both awards were presented at Manchaca UMC during the annual district laity celebration. Twenty-five other individuals and six programs were also recognized. District Lay Leader Charles Akins called them “excellent role models” for ministry.
Some 200 people attended the luncheon.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez gives the Exemplar Award annually to lay-people selected by each district board of laity “for witness, commitment and service after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The 7-year-old Innovation in Programming Award, a traveling plaque, recognizes creative ministry initiatives by local congregations.
“I never expected this,” Mann said after accepting the Exemplar Award. “I’m truly humbled. I give the glory to God. The things I do I do because God loves me. It’s not me. It’s him. I’m totally surprised.”
Mann, a retired school teacher, was cited for her service to St. Mark and the Austin community. Besides teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir and chairing the board of trustees at the church, she volunteers for other organizations.
Mann serves as a mentor at an elementary school. She teaches a Bible study and acts as a Stephen Minister at a senior-citizens home. She is recruiting more Stephen Ministers for the home.
Before going into a grocery store, Mann prays for God to show her who needs help. Then she tries to be an agent for that assistance.
Mann collects umbrellas and gives them to people on the street during rainy or hot weather.
The Rock’s outreach to school bus drivers was described as “a moment of communion between the church and its neighbors in the community.”
The evangelism team from the Cedar Park congregation surprised bus drivers and mechanics at the Leander ISD bus barn with breakfast on the first day of school. As drivers returned from dropping students off at various schools, church members greeted them with smiles and breakfast burritos, coffee, orange juice and pastries.
Team members thanked drivers for safely transporting school children each day and left information about the church.
“The reaction of the bus drivers was overwhelming,” the church reported, “and the evangelism team was humbled and honored to share breakfast with these fine servants of the community.”
The school district’s transportation director approved the breakfast in advance and agreed to keep it a surprise for drivers and mechanics.
Twenty-five other individuals representing seven congregations received certificates recognizing their ministry achievements:
> Crestview UMC, Austin—John Carlson, Kruger du Plessis, Ralph Eckwall, Jack Moncure, Kelli Stan-ford.
> Oak Hill UMC, Austin—Hannah Hammack, Margaret Jones, Tom Leyden, Brad McMahon, Diane Miles.
> St. Mark UMC, Austin—Jon Griesheimer, Juanita Kelly, Derek King, Elley Morgan.
> Cedar Creek UMC—Allyson Huet, Pat Williams, Laura Zglinski.
> Haynie Chapel UMC, Del Valle—David and Victoria Rogers.
> First UMC, Smithville—Tom and Marcia McClure, Tom and Mitzi Yerby.
> Wimberley UMC—Vicki McCuistion, Wendell Payton.
Six other ministries were awarded innovation in programming certificates:
> Babysitting Co-op at Hyde Park UMC, Austin. It allows parents to share childcare so they can have free nights out.
> Barnabas Connection at Wim-berley UMC. It provides telephone information and referrals six days a week to people needing help finding community services. Callers have sought help finding childcare, rent assistance, food from a food pantry, counseling and medical care.
> Craft Group at Manchaca UMC. The 29-year-old group makes and sells craft items. Proceeds support church ministries or those in need. The group raised more than $4,400 during 2004.
> Higher Education and Campus Ministry at St. Peter’s UMC, Austin. This outreach program encourages minority students to prepare for and enroll in college.
> Way to Work at St. Mark UMC, Austin. Done in cooperation with the Salvation Army, this new program helps people who have experienced substance abuse prepare to get a job.
> Youth Group at Cedar Creek UMC. This program develops leadership among students in grades 7 through 12.