An honoree who has demonstrated outstanding achievement, given a significant contribution, and/or demonstrated a lifestyle of Christian service and stewardship has been named in each of six categories for 2010.

 

Nelson Fellow: Randall Bunch

Serving as a minister for nearly four decades, Randall Bunch graduated from Eldon High School and Southwest Baptist College and earned master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees at Midwestern Baptist Theo-logical Seminary. He has served in a wide variety of denominational roles, including as a member of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board and as a trustee for Missouri Baptist University, Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and the Missouri Baptist Foundation. He has been a Baptist General Convention of Missouri director, serving as president. In 1994 he served 10 weeks with the Foreign (now International) Mission Board as pastor of a church in Rome, Italy.

 

Academy of Charitable Giving: Linda Roos

Linda Roos serves as a board member for Central Seminary, William Jewell College, Rain-bow Ranch, a residential home for disabled adults in Arizona, and Grace Hill, a St. Louis-based not-for-profit that provides healthcare services for the uninsured. She is also a longstanding member and past president of P.E.O., an organization that assists women to pursue education. A member of Third Baptist Church, St. Louis, she founded and has taught a Sunday School class for special needs adults for more than 25 years.

 

Academy of Vocational Achievement: Alberta Gilpin

Alberta Gilpin headed Missouri Women’s Missionary Union for 27 years and served as team leader for missions education for the Missouri Baptist Con-vention. She is a well-known motivational speaker for churches, women’s groups and church leaders. Gilpin currently serves as director of administration and ministry at Parkade Baptist Church, Columbia. “She is a generous spirit that opened her home and heart to a refugee family from overseas many years ago that now has blossomed into her own treasured family. Her testimony is an inspiration to many and serves as a true leader among Missouri Baptists,” noted Bobby Shows, who nominated her for the award. 

 

Academy of Estate Stewardship: Dorothy Herrin

Dorothy Herrin continued the support her father had given to Central Baptist Theological Seminary. She chaired Central’s board for 15 years and continued to faithfully support the seminary until her recent death. She had included Central in her estate planning.

As a member of First Baptist Church, Kansas City, she served in several capacities, including as a member of the executive council, as chair of the finance board, as chair of endowment and trusts and as a longtime member of the National Board of American Baptist Churches, USA. 

 

Academy of Ministry Achievement: Gary Snowden

Gary Snowden serves as associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Lee’s Summit, and as missions mobilization team leader for the Baptist General Convention of Missouri. He and his wife served as missionaries to Argentina for 16 years with the SBC Foreign (now International) Mission Board, where they started churches and taught theological education. A seminary professor and director of Theological Education by Extension, he wrote and translated several textbooks to use as curriculum. “He is always ready to minister to anyone in need of counseling or prayer or some other service he can render. His concern is genuine and his expressions of concern, heartfelt,” noted Bonnie Wright, who nominated him.

 

Academy of Junior Achievement: Ronald Charles

Ronald Charles is a deeply committed Christian who turned away from a career in professional soccer to enter the ministry, explained Arlo R. Reichter, who nominated him for the honor. Charles’ family escaped from the Chin area of Myanmar and spent several years in Malaysia until they received permission to immigrate to the United States. Charles serves as a primary translator for Chin refugees and helps many find employment. He also is an intern with housing ministries for American Baptists in Wisconsin. For more than two years, he has served as pastor of the Milwaukee Chin Baptist Church without compensation. He currently is pursuing a master of divinity degree at Central Seminary’s Milwaukee campus and assists with church planting in several states.