Our  Recipients

  2008   

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Diane Choquette

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
Edward Middendorf, President, Church Council

Diane Choquette has been an inspiration to the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church. Diane Volunteers Regularly for parish projects. Diane has been part of this congregation since 1958, she has been a member of the Church Council for five years and is the Council Secretary. Four years ago, Diane volunteered to be a member of the Altar Guild and is still fulfilling that obligation. Diane’s work on the Altar Guild has brought new members to take an active interest in the Altar Guild. Diane has also been a Lector during regular church services. Her up-lifting spirit makes her a shining light in our congregation.

    2007  

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Margaret DiCrescio

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
Mr. Edward Middendorf, President

Peggy has been a faithful Christian for many years. She was a life-long Presbyterian before coming to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in 2000.

She has been a volunteer for the Alar Guild and a reservation door greeter for our fund raisers. Peggy cheerfully assists in the counting of donations on Sundays, handles the flower memorials and is tireless in her effort to make sure that shut-ins are given the Altar flowers each week. For many years, Peggy came in to the church office on Friday and Saturday evenings to assist the Church Secretary in preparing bulletins for services.

  2005

Gale Kirchner

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
Ed Middendorf, Vice President

Gale Kirchner joined Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, along with her husband Paul and son Warren about 17 years ago. She brought her love for singing and added her lovely voice to the choir. Since the choir has gone the way of all good things, Gale is always trying to recruit new singers. But if that doesn't work, we know we can depend on her to sing a solo, at least at a special service such as Christmas, Easter, etc. That's not all she does.... She recently graduated from the Diakonia program, a training program for Deacons in the Lutheran Church. She now conducts Sunday services and has been doing a great job! Gale also is half of our Altar Guild and serves for the second time around on our Congregation Council. All this she does in good humor and in addition to an already full agenda of full-time teaching, an active member of the Order of Eastern Star and singing with a community choral group. Thank the Lord for folks like Gale Kirchner!

  2004

Edward Middendorf

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
Mrs. Arlene Fiumano, President

"Big Ed" has always been there when someone was needed. He is a life-long member of our congregational family, beginning with his Baptism and continuing through Confirmation. Ed was an active participant in many aspects of the congregation from childhood through the teens and into adulthood. Following his marriage to his wife, Marilyn, who was Episcopal, Ed divided his time between her church and ours. But, he always returned to Christ Lutheran.

Since his retirement and unfortunately the passing of his lovely wife, Ed has found many things to keep him occupied within the church, such as some repairs, but especially his lending hand with our newly formed Senior Citizens group. They also found out that he can cook as he has done for some communion breakfasts and youth gatherings - and he makes some mean desserts. Ed currently serves on the Congregation Council as Vice President, chairman of the Property Committee, an usher and Lector.

Next month we will be celebrating 124 years of ministry to the community, as well as the 50th Anniversary of our Parish Center building and Ed is serving as the chairman of the planning committee. We thank the Lord for sending Ed to help carry out our ministry in Ozone Park.

  2001

Antonio Manzo

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
The Rev. J. Barrie Lawless, Pastor

Tony only became a member (officially) of Christ Lutheran's congregation about nine years ago; but he has been working with us since he was married at the Church 14 years ago. He immediately became a part of the "working crew" and hasn't stopped since!

Tony studied and became a Deacon and proudly serves alongside the Pastor every Sunday. At the end of our service Tony says "Go in-a peace and serve-a the Lord" and most in the congregation have come to answer, "Thanks-a be to God"! As well as being a Deacon, Tony has brought his carpentry and construction talents along with him to help our congregation. He has made many changes – additions and newly constructed designs such as new drop ceilings in the Parish Center and a new closet to house our 200 new chairs and repaired tables. But his biggest and most beautiful job was the installation of a handicap lavatory, since our congregation is getting older every day.

When our former custodian was injured, Tony jumped right in to lend a hand to clean and set up the Parish Center which is used by many groups. As time went on and our custodian found it impossible to return to work at Christ Church, the Congregation Council decided to hire Tony to continue his fine work. We don't know if this was the right thing to do because Tony has become the "Mother Hen" of the facilities. He is quick to tell people what they can and cannot do while there. Most times he is very protective!

Every congregation should have a "Tony"! We, at Christ Church, don't know what we did without him, and thank the Good Lord for sending our Tony to us!

   2000

Elaine L. McGuire

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ozone Park
The Rev. J. Barrie Lawless, Pastor

Elaine L. McGuire is the wife of Thomas, mother of three sons and grandmother of eight! But, Elaine is a person in her own right. And she not only loves her family, but does she love money — or shall we be nice and say, working with figures! In the years before children, she worked as a bookkeeper for a number of firms. As a volunteer, she worked with the P.T.A. as treasurer and in our church: She was treasurer for Lutheran Church Women, secretary/treasurer for YAK and now serves as the congregation’s financial secretary.

 Of course, her volunteering doesn’t end there, she serves in many other capacities, such as former Sunday School teacher, Ladies’ Aid President, head usher, Congregation Council member, former delegate to Synod conventions, and as a member of the Finance and Music and Worship Committees. She also co-chairs our craft group which supervises most of the sales for the congregation. Our Coke machine wouldn’t ever get filled, nor the money counted (here we are,,,,, back to the money again) if it weren’t for her diligence. Last, but far from least, Elaine is our chief coffee maker and sees to it that we all have our bagels and rolls on Sundays following the service.

Elaine is truly a Faithful Servant for the work of our Lord, Jesus Christ, at Christ Lutheran Church and is most deserving of this award

  1999

Joan Naudus Manzo

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Rev. Kenneth C. Simurro, Jr., Pastorr /> What better person to nominate for this honor than the President of the Congregation Council? That in itself is a truly serving position if the person is as committed as Joan Manzo and the congregation is without a pastor, as we are. Joan has faithfully led the Council meetings, as well as being the spiritual leader for many ofour Sunday services when a minister could not be with us. Her leadership has been shown throughout her membership at Christ Church, beginning with the Cub Scouts as a Den Mother. She also filled a position on the Pre-School and Sunday Church School staffs when she saw needs there. Since that time, Joan has served on the Altar Guild, Counters squad, as a lector, a greeter, and is always ready to lend a helping hand wherever else she can. She serves on the Music and Worship Committee and has sung in the holiday choirs, singing at the top ofher lungs. (She may not be good, but she sure is loud!) Joan’s true talent comes through in her leadership of the Craft Workshop. She brings much creativity to the group and has taken on the responsibility of the tremendous task of coordinating our Christmas Sale. This is two days of pure chaos and she does it all, of course with a good crew of workers, with a happy almost delirious attitude. As her husband, Tony, would lovingly call her “Angel,” she is our “Polish Angel” at Christ Church!

Dorothy M. Brown

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Rev. Kenneth C. Simurro, Jr., Pastor

Dorothy M. Brown attended Sunday School and was confirmed at Christ Church. She was a member of the Ladies’Aid Society and Women of the ELCA. She is currently a member of YAK, the Music and Worship Committee and Finance Committee, as well as the Congregational Council. She also serves as Greeter on Sunday mornings, greeting all with a bright smile. For the past seven years, she has served as our Treasurer. Anyone who is involved with a church knows this is not an easy task and Dorothy does an excellent job. All checks for bills, salaries, taxes, etc., are sent out in a timely fashion and reports to Council and to the congregation are precise and expedient. Not only for all these reasons do we honor Dorothy as a Faithful Servant, but the main factor is we love her dearly!

  1997

Arlene Fiumano

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Rev. Kenneth C. Simurro, Jr., Pastor

Arlene Fiumano began her association with Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ozone Park in 1936 with her baptism and later was confirmed; therein started a life of dedicated congregational and public service. Within the congregation in Ozone Park, she has served with distinction as President of the Church Council, is its current Vice-President, and is completing her third, 4-year term as council member. She has chaired the parish Life and Ministry Committee, has been President of the Lutheran Church Women, and was a charter member of the Young Adults Klub (YAK) as well as its President. In addition to her involvement with several Scout Troops and as Sunday School Teacher, Arlene has taken a leadership role in Sunday services when the pastor has been out of town. She had led services and been a lector for many years. She has also been secretary of Christ Lutheran Church for the last 25 years! In the greater church community, Arlene has served the church well as delegate to the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and to the Queens Federation of Churches. She has also been recording secretary of the Church Women United and has served as President and treasurer of the Interfaith Council of Southwest Queens.

  1995

William Schmalenberger

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Rev. David J. Gerber, Pastor

“Bill” Schmalenberger has been a faithful member of Christ Lutheran Church since, at least, 1938 when he was confirmed. He has served as chairperson of the Property Committee, has been on the Congregational Council at least three times and just finished his term of office as Congregational President. Bill has served as an usher for many years and is currently our “Head” usher. No matter what job he is given, he does it with passion and compassion! Some of the other jobs he has taken on are “chief coffee maker” for the crew that gathers in the Parish Center following the service on Sunday morning, opening the church for services on Sundays and making sure the candles are lit on the altar if one of our acolytes doesn’t show up. Some parishioners have dubbed him “our oldest acolyte.” Many other jobs and errands are done by our Bill, too numerous to mention but he does everything with a smile and pleasant attitude. This is why his wife, Marge, had nicknamed him “Sweet William.”