Mary Pneuman has been an active member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina since 1995. Born in 1935, Mary has spent her life serving the church, often serving behind the scenes. The three main areas of her ministry include outreach and social justice, pastoral care, and liturgical worship (in the choir and as an acolyte).

Mary and her late husband, Fred, were instrumental in leading parish trips to Palestine where they helped to build buildings and relationships. Now in her 90s, Mary insisted that St. Thomas be educated and involved in what was going on in Palestine/Israel and brought her involvement with the Bishop’s Committee for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land to St. Thomas (she is close friends with Father Fadi Diab of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Ramallah, Palestine).

Mary is also very involved in pastoral care and was key in relaunching a lay-led pastoral care committee, serving as the committee chair for two years before recently stepping down. Mary has been key in cultivating a culture of pastoral care at St. Thomas Church and is often the first to visit a shut-in that fell off the clergy’s radar. She has been a Stephen Minister and Lay Eucharistic Visitor for decades.

As a published poet, Mary recently shared her gifts by helping to write the Prayers of the People. She sang in the choir for decades. Mary has known personal suffering; her life has not been perfect. Yet her faith in Christ, as lived out through her care, activism, and prayer, is an inspiring witness to many at her church. There is no overlooking this 90-year-old spunky white lady! She is a force for God’s light and justice in the world.

I am pleased to present the Bishop’s Cross Award to Mary Pneuman.