Bartlett L. Hess Award for Church Vitality
Dr. Hess was a great leader. He was a visionary. He pastored with skill and care: rural, ethnic, urban, suburban churches. He planted daughter churches and revitalized tired churches. Dr. Hess was one of the founding fathers of the EPC. All to the glory of God!
At age 86, Dr. Hess' last pastorate was a successful interim ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Trenton, Michigan. He was age 81 when he headed up the team planting Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For 36 years he served the Ward Presbyterian Churches of Detroit and Livonia; simultaneously for 12 years with his wife Margaret driving him between churches while he took a quick nap. Then, at the request of his Presbytery, Dr. Hess focused only on Ward Livonia until it grew to some 5000 members.
Dr. Hess believed that the people of his church were the "living stones" of 1 Peter 2:5. He counted his stones one by one. Dr. Hess said, "If one of the stones is missing, pastor and people need to know why." So if you were absent from his church for three Sundays, you could expect on the third Sunday afternoon his rumbling voice on the phone saying, "This is your pastor calling." If you were a first time visitor in his church, by Sunday evening you would have heard from him. By Monday morning your name would be on the Evangelism Pastor's desk and, if you returned the next Sunday, Dr. Hess would greet you by name.
The Bartlett L. Hess Award is given annually to the church that has demonstrated the most innovative approach to church growth or revitalization. Church growth, in both its spiritual and numerical aspects, is an essential part of the mission of the church. This Award provides a vehicle by which positive, reproducible innovation is encouraged and shared with others in the EPC.
Clck to Download the Bartlett L. Hess Award Nomination Form.
Churches that have received the award
2011: Tunica Presbytrian Church, Tunica, MS, Rev. Paul Husband.
2010: Clayton Community Church, Clayton, CA Rev. Shawn Robinson.
2009: All Saints Church, Memphis, TN, Rev.
2008: City Church of Homestead, Homestead, FL, Rev. .
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2007: Greentree Community Church, Kirkwood, MO, Rev. Tom Ricks
2006: Mt. Pleasant Community Church, Mt. Pleasant, MI, Dr. Scott McKee
First Presbyterian Church, Houma, LA,
2005: Cleveland Presbyterian, Abington, VA, Rev. Tom Musselman
Goodwill Presbyterian, Montgomery, NY, Rev. John Torres
Greenwood Community, Greenwood Village, CO, Rev. Tom Melton
2004: Hope Presbyterian, Cordova, TN, Dr. Craig Strickland
2003: The City of Refuge, Houston, TX, Rev. Rufus Smith, IV
2002: First EPC, Anna, IL, Steve Wilkinson
2001: Brainerd Presbyterian, Chattanooga, TN; Ron Ragon
2000: Forest Hill, Charlotte, NC, David Chadwick
1999: Military Avenue, Detroit, MI, Randy Brown
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