Nomination window is open: ABHMS seeks candidates for five national ministry awards

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 09/24/2025)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) invites nominations for five esteemed national ministry awards that recognize American Baptist chaplains, pastoral counselors, spiritual directors, and other specialized ministers who exemplify excellence in spiritual caregiving. Award recipients will be honored at the Chaplaincy & Specialized Ministry Luncheon during ABHMS’ Space for Grace & Spiritual Caregivers Conference, April 21–23, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ministry professionals who receive the following awards of merit demonstrate faithfulness in ways that reflect cultural sensitivity, generational inclusiveness, contextual relevance, and missional appropriateness.

• The Carolyn M. Piper Pastoral Counseling Merit Award recognizes faithful and effective ministry in the field of pastoral counseling.
• The Lorraine K. Potter Military Chaplaincy Merit Award celebrates faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in service to the United States military chaplaincy corps.
• The Paul W. Strickland Institutional Chaplaincy Merit Award commemorates faithful and effective pastoral and spiritual care in institutional settings such as hospitals, correctional facilities, colleges, hospice agencies, and the Veterans Administration.
• The American Baptist National Network of Chaplains, Pastoral Counselors, and Specialized Ministers Merit Award lauds faithful and effective service in a senior leadership role as a specialized minister who equips and empowers others toward spiritual excellence.
• The John J. “Jack” Gleason Ecclesiastical Endorser Award, a newly established honor for outstanding leadership in ecclesiastical endorsement and advocacy for chaplaincy and specialized ministries.

Nominations for all five awards must be submitted electronically through ABHMS’ online form. The deadline is Monday, November 17, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. Award recipients will be notified in early 2026.

A downloadable file containing information about the criteria for each award and the nomination process is available here. Or, you may contact ABHMS’ Office of the Ecclesiastical Endorser and Director of Spiritual Caregivers at patricia.murphy@abhms.org or 610-768-2050.

About Jack Glason, A Pastoral Educator, Mentor, and Scholar

The new John J. “Jack” Gleason Ecclesiastical Endorser Award honors the legacy of Rev. Dr. John (Jack) Gleason, who passed away in February 2025 at age 90 after more than fifty years of ministry that shaped the field of chaplaincy and spiritual care.

Gleason began his professional life in the corporate world, but he soon heeded a call to ministry. He enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, was ordained in the American Baptist tradition, and embarked on a far-reaching career of spiritual leadership.

After briefly pastoring a congregation in Georgia, Gleason transitioned to chaplaincy, where he truly excelled. He served as a clinical chaplain in several states and went on to establish the chaplaincy department at the University of Missouri’s new Medical Center in Columbia. He also served as a chaplain and educator at St. John’s Medical Center in Anderson, Indiana.

Gleason then accepted a leadership position at American Baptist Home Mission Societies in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. As the director of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Services and an endorsing agent, he helped develop the denomination’s national support system for chaplains and spiritual caregivers, guiding many to achieve and maintain certification. Other key leadership positions included vice president of the Congress on Ministry in Specialized Settings, chair of the Endorsers Council for Veterans Affairs Chaplaincy, and president of the Missouri Chaplains Association.

Gleason’s practical ministry was rooted in extensive scholarship and thought leadership. He earned both a master’s degree and a doctorate in theology and ministry, respectively. He also authored 38 publications, including the influential multi-volume “Pastoral Caregiver’s Casebook” (Judson Press), edited the Spiritual Care Initiative for Professional Excellence (SCIPE) e-newsletter, and developed the Professional Spiritual Care Knowledge Base, a free online resource for caregivers, all to guide them through the complexities of crisis, healing, relationship, and faith.

Through his teaching, writing, and advocacy, which he pursued even in retirement, Gleason proved himself a gentile guide, a wise teacher, and a devoted servant of Chris, and now his lasting influence will be forever celebrated with the award that bears his name.

“Dr. Jack Gleason consistently affirmed and encouraged my passion and commitment to the ongoing work and growth of the ministry of chaplaincy,” said Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy, BCC,  ecclesiastical endorser and director of Spiritual Caregivers at ABHMS. “With the new award, we honor his kindness, vision, and leadership that continue to shape the ministry of spiritual care.”

American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.