Over 100 supporters attended the annual AAW banquet ar La Sierra University Church in Riverside to recognize and support women who dedicate themselves to spreading the gospel. The Women of the Year were theologian Dr. Olive Hemmings of Washington Adventist University, Maria Silvia Neri Castrejón, long time pastor in Mexico City, Norma Nashed of Restore a Child charity, and Dr. Drene Somasundram, trailblazer in the field of religious leadership. Two men were also honored, William G. Johnsson, posthumously, author and former long-time editor of the Adventist Review, and Loren Seibold, current editor of Adventist Today.
Drene Somasundram, D.Min., was awarded the Woman of the Year for Scholarship and Church Leadership. She was introduced by her friend Kirsten Oster, currently a pastor in Wellington, New Zealand. She highlighted how Somasundram, the first female pastor of a church in the United Kingdom, had taken the struggling churches to which she was assigned, and turned them into vibrant Christian communities. Somasundram was then asked to move to Australia, where she began mentoring and teaching the fledgling community of women pastors there. Nurturing is a skill in which Somasundram excels, but it does not exclude academic excellence. Somasundram won the prestigious Ken Goulding Award for excellence of thesis for her Doctorate at Middlesex University in London, UK. Somasundram is currently on the faculty at Avondale University, Australia, where she specializes in chaplaincy education.
Evangelist Adly Campos, who was honored in detail at the vespers program preceding the banquet, introduced her cousin, Pastor Maria Silvia Neri Castrejón, the first woman to retire as a pastor in Inter-America Division in 2008, after 38 years of service. Despite full pastoral training and managing multiple churches in Mexico City, including the training of intern pastors, Castrejón was always called a Bible Worker throughout her career. The most moving moment of the night came after awarding the trophy for Woman of the Year for Church Leadership. Nerida Taylor Bates, president of the Association of Adventist Women, gave Pastor Castrejón a sweater embroidered with “Women Clergy,” given to women clergy at the North American Division women clergy conference. This act affirmed that the North American Women pastors recognized Castrejón as a pastor, not a Bible Worker.
Norma Nashed, founder of Restore a Child, was awarded the Woman of the Year for Humanitarian Leadership, a new category. One cannot describe Norma Nashed without the words passion and persistence. Nashed founded a charity, Restore a Child, https://www.restoreachild.org/, that feeds 5000 children a day, cares for 400 orphans, covers the cost of medical care for 1000 destitute children in Chad. She has paid to build 21 schools now owned by the Adventist Church. Several of those schools in Ukraine are now housing and feeding refugees. Because she does not accept government funding, Nashed carries the message of Christ's righteousness. Norma takes a very active role in visiting, caring for, gardening with and even helping build the structures that support children. Her projects include caring for orphans after the tsunami in Indonesia, building a school in Haiti after the earthquake and feeding in refugee camps in South Sudan and the Congo. After 25 years she is beginning to see her students succeed. One is now a Congolese doctor, 5 are Adventist pastors in Indonesia and another is training as a pastor in Kenya.
Kendra Haloviak Valentine, La Sierra HMS Richards Divinity School faculty introduced Olive Hemmings, PhD, the Woman of the Year for Scholarship and Spiritual Leadership. She highlighted how Hemmings has been at the forefront of theology pushing for justice and equality in the Christian church. Hemmings was such a good scholar that she began teaching when she was still a college student. Her scholarly work on justice and the year of jubilee speak to social and racial justice. Her book, Sacred Texts and Social Conflict, brings her extensive knowledge of Biblical languages, ethics and culture (doctorate from Claremont Graduate University) to the issue of Biblical meaning. She has had an extensive teaching career at North Caribbean College and for the last two decades at Washington Adventist University. I her short talk, Hemmings stressed how important it is that we be spirit led, and that includes allowing women to respond to their own calling to ministry.
Recognizing men who have helped specifically promote women’s leadership and ministry in the Adventist church, AAW gave two Champion of Justice awards. They chose to honor Willam G Johnsson prior to his death in March. Not only was Johnsson a theologian and statesman, he also firmly supported women in ministry, appearing in the video “From the Heart: It’s Time” and in his books guiding the future of Adventism. In place of Tim Gillespie, the Johnssons’ pastor who was unable to attend, Dr. Larry Geraty talked about Johnsson’s scholarship and his ability to find common ground in tough situations. Johnsson’s lifelong companion and wife, Noelene Johnsson, accepted the award.
The second Champion of Justice Award was given to Loren Seibold. Under his 5-year editorship of Adventist Today, over 50 articles have been published in support of women and women’s ordination. He was introduced by his friend Jim Walters, former editor of AToday. Loren stated that having pastored in North Dakota, Palo Alto, California and Worthington, Ohio, has given him a pastoral approach to writing for AToday readers. In his remarks, he stated he was concerned that young people were leaving the church over the injustice of the treatment of women.
Photo was taken by Danelle Taylor Johnston
Nominations for Women of the Year and Champion of Justice can be made using the form on the AAW website, deadline is April 1, each year. www.associationofadventistwomen.