At a special worship service on Sunday, November 24th, 2024, at Grace Moravian Church in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, the Board of World Mission awarded Jim and Glenda Littleton with the Ted Wilde Mission Service Award.
Each year, the Board of World Mission honors the memory of Ted Wilde, former BWM Executive Director and lifelong servant of Jesus Christ, by recognizing individuals who embody the mission spirit described in these words from a hymn written by brother Wilde in 1984:
MBW #684
Christ, engage us in your mission; worldwide let our parish be.
We take up this great commission, traveling first to Calvary.
There absorbing, Christ-like going, taught by your humility.
The Ted Wilde Mission Service Award recipients are Moravians who have been willing to take up the great commandment and the great commission by learning from our Chief Elder, Jesus Christ, and then engage in humble service in his name. We honor those who have responded to God’s call to mission in our worldwide parish, keeping in mind that the world starts just outside our door.
We can all see how closely the description developed for this award fits Jim and Glenda Littleton and their ministry among those at the margins of their community. Quoting largely from the information given to us by Pastor Andrew Heil and Pastor Neil Routh:
Jim and Glenda pay attention to the little things and the hidden things. Their heart for others is often expressed in ways that many may never see or hear or notice except for those toward whom those acts are directed. They neither seek attention for their dedication to Christ’s church nor recognition. It is not uncommon for the pastor to visit someone or share a conversation and learn of something that Jim & Glenda have done for that person. A phone call. A text. A note. A hug. It’s about giving attention to the things that God wants the church to see. Jim and Glenda have oriented their senses to attend to the world through the lens of Christ.
Though they are experienced in ministry and mission, often leading with maturity, they do not overshadow those around them nor do they place themselves in the center of what is happening. Instead, they are welcoming of others, desiring to work with, along, and alongside. In this way, they model the companionship of mission and are examples of the attributes that COUF describes (Section 3: #871), in particular: Affirming the Dignity and Worth of Every Person, Mutuality, Stewardship, Interdependency, and Prayer and Intercession.
Jim and Glenda empower others by their acts of service and are unafraid to pray with and for others.
Their commitment to disaster relief in many places over many decades is well-known.
Like the Good Samaritan, Jim & Glenda are willing to be interrupted by the calling of the Spirit to show mercy and serve others sacrificially. And though their lives stretch wide in the ministry of the ordinary and the everyday, they are grounded in prayer and the worship of the whole people of God. We are reminded of the Psalmist (84:10) who said, “A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.”
With deep appreciation for these servants’ generosity – through their time, treasure, and exceptional talents – the Board of World Mission is honored to present Jim and Glenda Littleton with the 2024 Ted Wilde Mission Service Award.
The Rev. Ted Wilde served as Executive Director of the Board of World Mission from 1983 to 1995. During his years of service, he worked to expand the Moravian Church’s definition of “world” and of “mission.” Ted was a firm believer in and follower of the Biblical “Great Commission,” which calls us to go into the world to not only baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but to teach the world what Jesus taught through both our words and actions. Ted’s life reflected a passion for and a vision of a world where every voice would be heard and every life valued.
Learn more about the BWM’s annual awards and nominate those who have given of themselves for the benefit of others at www.MoravianMission.org/Awards.
