by Gretchen Keiser

Awards honoring those who have made service the center of their lives were presented with poignancy at the 24th annual community breakfast of the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta (CCMA).

The daughters of two deceased Baptist ministers, one black and one white, accepted posthumous awards honoring their fathers for “meritorious work in human rights.”

Dr. Juel Pate Borders’ father, William Holmes Borders, was pastor of Wheat Street Baptist Church for over 50 years until his death. The congregation under his leadership developed a job placement center, opened a credit union, built a housing project, organized a black-owned shopping center and led in voter registration and desegregation efforts.

However, she recalled the spirit of courage her father exemplified. One time, she remembered, a black soldier riding on an Atlanta trolley car in the 1950s spontaneously refused to exit by the back door, as blacks were required to do, and tried to leave through the front. The trolley halted near Wheat Street and a crowd gathered, with the soldier still refusing to comply with the segregation policy and others angered by his refusal. Someone ran and got Dr. Borders from the nearby church, she said. He boarded the trolley and safely escorted the soldier out through the back door. Then Dr. Borders reentered the trolley from the back and walked through it, leaving by the front door himself, in place of the unknown soldier.

Kathy Holmes Simmons accepted the award in memory of her father, Thomas J. Holmes, who died in 1985. For 20 years an assistant to the president of Mercer University and director of development for the Atlanta Boys Club and the Christian Council, Dr. Holmes was placed “in the crucible” early in his ministry. He and two staff members were fired in 1966 for allowing a black Mercer student from Ghana to worship at the Tattnall Square Baptist Church in Macon.

Mrs. Simmons, who was in her early 20s when this happened, said her father “was cast out by the establishment” and endured years of pain because of his decision. While her father had many good character traits, Mrs. Simmons said, “he would want me to say to you today that it was the relentless grace of Jesus Christ” that enables him to be faithful in this most difficult time of his life.

Sister Margaret McAnoy, IHM, seated at a table with close friends and colleagues in shelter and AIDS ministry, received the award for exceptional personal ministry in memory of Mrs. Fred W. Patterson.

Her sister, Sister JoAnn McAnoy, IHM, a teacher at Marygrove College in Detroit, arrived as a surprise as the breakfast was beginning at the Atlanta Hilton March 19.

Recognition was given Sister Margaret for her work with the Cursillo movement, for volunteer efforts in the night shelters of Atlanta beginning in the early 1980s, for the development of St. Francis Table as a volunteer soup kitchen and currently for her work with AIDS, particularly Tuesday Night at the Shrine, and for her care of those ill and dying.

Accepting the award, Sister Margaret mentioned people who had spurred her on, including Father Richard Kieran, who convinced her to make a Cursillo weekend 23 years ago, Father John Adamski, pastor at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, shelter volunteer coordinators Mark and Katie Bashor, Sister Louise Sommer, CSJ, and “my good friends living with AIDS.”

“All of these people have taught me so much about living and about God.”

Peachtree Road United Methodist Church was given an award in memory of Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan, which recognizes a congregation outstanding in community outreach.

The church has built eight Habitat for Humanity houses and helped found the Buckhead Christian Community Ministry (BCCM), remaining active as office volunteers and workers at BCCM and also holding several annual food drives. The church also supports Trinity Table downtown and Capitol Area Ministries with holiday food, toys, and books.

Another congregation honored was Oak Grove United Methodist Church, which received the outstanding community service award given in memory of Charles M. Watt, Jr. Inspired by a visit to South Africa, where urban churches brought food and aid to outlying townships, Oak Grove pastor G. Gil Watson decided the suburban church could do the reverse.

For three years the church has served food prepared in its kitchen to hundreds of homeless people each Tuesday, carrying the food in vans to a downtown parking lot. Last year 9,100 people were served. The church also brings warm clothing, blankets and shoes to distribute.

Finally Jewell Lewis, the director of the Central Presbyterian Outreach Ministry, was given an award for outstanding work in human relations, given in memory of Harry V. Richardson.

Mrs. Lewis, who is the mother of five children, brought to Atlanta a background in alcohol and drug addiction prevention when she and her husband moved here in 1987. Since 1989 she has worked at Central, developing in her work the trust and self-esteem of those she serves. She serves about 80 people a week, bringing together people with resources to assist others who need help.

In accepting the award, Mrs. Lewis acknowledged the help of Sister Marie Sullivan, OP, who she said had been her mentor.

Father Richard Kieran, current president of the CCMA, presided at the breakfast.