During the annual Christian Unity Gathering, awards are presented to individuals who have played an integral role in ecumenical life. The awards and awardees are listed below.
J. Irwin Miller Award for Excellence in Ecumenical Leadership
The J. Irwin Miller Award for Excellence in Ecumenical Leadership is given to a layperson who has demonstrated a commitment to church unity, and who, by living out this commitment through action in the world, has been a witness to justice and other values affirmed by our common faith in Jesus Christ. The award is named in honor of industrialist and former NCC President J. Irwin Miller who worked tirelessly to promote ecumenism and civil rights.
Awardees
2017 – Dr. Iva Carruthers
Civil Rights leader and General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
2018 – Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker
Chair of the Social Action Committee of the African Episcopal Church and founder of Ward Economic Development Corporation developing low income housing
2019 – Kathryn Lohre
Executive for Ecumenical & Interreligious Relations, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and former President of NCC
2021 – Dr. Diana Eck
Founder and Director of the Pluralism Project and Professor of Comparative Religion at Harvard University
2023 – Dr. Don Thorsen and Jack Figel
Dr. Thorsen represents the Wesleyan Theological Society at the Faith & Order Convening Table and has served as co-editor of numerous NCC Faith & Order publications
Figel is founder and publisher at Eastern Christian Publications
2025 – Kyriaki Karyogianes Fitzgerald, PhD and Cassandra Carmichael
Dr. Fitzgerald is a theologian, psychologist, author, and founder of St. Catherine’s Vision, an organization for women seminary graduates. https://www.axiawomen.org/wow/kyriaki-karidoyanes-fitzgerald-notable-woman
Carmichael is Executive Director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment and former program director of NCC’s Eco-Justice Program
President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership
The President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership is given as a way to reward, promote, and encourage faithful, risk-taking leadership among faith leaders, and particularly among younger faith leaders, in our midst.
Awardees
2017 – Brittany Caine-Conley, Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, and Rev. Seth Wispelwey
Organizers of the clergy protest against the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA
2018 – Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland– Tune
Previous Director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, Ecumenical Poverty Initiative, and lead organizer for NCC’s Act NOW to End Racism Rally
2019 – Dr. Agnes Abuom and Rev. Noel Anderson
Dr. Abuom served as Moderator of the World Council of Churches from 2013 to 2022
Rev. Anderson is the Grassroots Coordinator for Church World Service
2021 – Rev. Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
CEO and Co-Founder of the Skinner Leadership Institute
2022 – Rev. Dr. Mozella Mitchell
Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of South Florida; Chair of the Committee on the Uniform Lesson Series, 2016-2020
2023 – Dr. Renita Weems and Bishop Mary Ann Swenson
Dr. Weems is a groundbreaking theologian in the area of Womanist Theology
Bishop Swenson is an ecumenical leader in the United Methodist Church and former Vice Moderator of the World Council of Churches
2024 – Bishop Teresa E. Snorton, Rev. Carol Devine, and Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry Brown
Bishop Snorton is the first female Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Ecumenical Officer for the CME Church, and Past NCC Govering Board Chair
Rev. Devine is Director of Blessed Tomorrow
Rev. Dr. Fry Brown is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (2022-present) and Bandy Professor of Preaching (2015-present) at Candler School of Theology at Emory University
2025 – Bishop John R. Bryant, Bishop Samuel L. Green. Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith, and Dr. Tony Kireopoulos
Bishop Bryant retired as the Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcoal Church
Bishop Green is the Presiding Prelate of the First Epsicopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Walker-Smith is the President from North America of the World Council of Churches
Dr. Kireopoulos is the Associate General Secretary for Faith & Order and Interreligious Affiars for NCC
Gwynne Guibord Award for Excellence in Interreligious Leadership
Gwynne Guibord Award for Excellence in Interreligious Leadership is awarded to a leader who has worked closely with leaders of many faiths and traditions to explore and uphold the experience and presence of the holy body. The award is named in honor of Dr. Gwynne Guibord, founder of the Guibord Center and NCC partner in its development of the Hindu-Christian and Buddhist-Christian dialogues.
Awardees
2017 – Dr. Sayyid Syeed
Retired President and Director of the Islamic Society of North America
2018 – Ambassador Rabbi David Saperstein
Director Emeritus of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and former Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom
2019 – Rev. Dr. Alfred A. Moss, Jr.
Episcopal Priest and Professor Emeritus of History, University of Maryland; member of the Scholars Advisory Committee of the National Museum of African American History and Culture
2021 – Sr. Simone Campbell
Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby from 2004 to 2021
2022 – Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Duke
Founder, Minnesota Multifaith Network
2023 – Dr. Michael Reid Trice and Rabbi Harold Berman
Dr. Trice is the Executive Director of the Center for Ecumenical & Interreligious Engagement, Seattle University
Rabbi Berman is the former Executive Director of the National Council of Synagogues and co-convener of the Christian-Jewish Dialogue
2024 – Rev. Dr. . Demetrios Tonias
Former Dean of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England and Lecturer of Religious Studies at Hellenic College
2025 – Rev. Margaret Rose
Retired Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations for The Episcopal Church