Anne Thomas Neil Award Before there was BWIM NC, there were women answering a call to ministry. Their call was sometimes discouraged and rarely seen as equal to other ministers.  These pioneers helped blazed a trail that, though still thorny, provides a place for the journey to start.     Anne Thomas Neil is one such person.  She and her husband Lloyd served as missionaries for many years.  Once back at home, she sought ways to help those who were called to ministry - especially those who kept hearing "No".  In 1988, BWIM NC inaugurated an award to honor her legacy and those whose lives mirror her courage and leadership.  This  award seeks to identify others who have provided companionship on the sometimes lonely road to ministry. Read about her life and her ordination to ministry on the Biblical Recorder website. Past recipients of the Anne Thomas Neil award include 1988    Anne Thomas Neil 1989    Donna Forrester            1990    Elizabeth Barnes 1991    Sue Fitzgerald                 1992    Dot King 1993    Caralie Brown              1994    Sara Ann Hobbs 1995    Mary Caldwell             1996    Geneva Metzger 1997    Velma Ferrell               1998    Paula Clayton Dempsey 1999    Tyanna Day                   2001    Tom and Eunice Bland 2002    T. Furman Hewitt        2003    Judith Powell 2004    Ann Compere         2005     Paula Settle 2006    Linda McKinnish Bridges         Church Award In 1995, the steering committee decided to present an award at the Convocation that would recognize a church that advances the cause of women in ministry.  Churches are slow to change and we celebrate those churches who have taken bold steps to support a woman's call to ministry.  What are some steps a church can take in this direction? 1)  Allowing women to serve in all areas of church life, from Sunday School teacher to Deacon. 2)  Calling women to serve as ordained ministers and recognizing their call as equal to any other. 3)  Recognizing, encouraging, and supporting the call of women, young and old, to the ministry. 4)  Speaking out in their community and denominational meetings as an advocate for women. Past recipients of the Church Award are: Knollwood (Winston-Salem) Antioch (Enfield) and Gardner's Chapel (Mt. Olive) College Park (Greensboro)            St. John's (Charlotte) Wake Forest (Wake Forest)            Millbrook (Raleigh) First Baptist Church Wilson          Cullowhee Baptist Church Weldon Baptist Church                 Park Road Baptist Church   Honor Roll of Churches:  These churches demonstrate their support for BWIMNC with an annual membership AND/OR have an ordained pastor or co-pastor. Antioch Baptist Church, Enfield Brandt Oaks Baptist Church, Greensboro Calypso Baptist Church, Calypso Circle of Mercy Congregation, Asheville College Park Baptist Church, Greensboro Covenant Baptist Church, Salisbury Cullowhee Baptist Church, Cullowhee First Baptist Church, Fayetteville First Baptist Church, Sylva First Baptist Church, Wilson Goshen Baptist Church, Leland Knollwood Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Memorial Baptist Church, Buies Creek North Brunswick Fellowship Church, Leland Park Road Baptist Church, Charlotte Providence Baptist Church, Hendersonville Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh Sharon Baptist Church, Smithfield St. John's Baptist Church, Charlotte Trinity Baptist Church, Raleigh Watts St. Baptist Church, Durham Weldon Baptist Church, Weldon Westfield Baptist Church, Dunn