Society of John Wesley Award of Merit

Ann Albrecht Michel graduated from Wesley with a Master of Theological Studies, Summa Cum Laude in 2000 and a Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership in 2011. She received a bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in 1980. Ann and her husband, Scott, have three grown sons.

Ann represents an important way Wesley prepares leadership for the church. She is a seminary-educated layperson who has served in the professional ministry since 1994. She spent many years on the senior staff of National United Methodist Church Metropolitan Memorial, most recently as director of mission and outreach. She has experience in a wide range of ministries, including evangelism, communications, adult education, stewardship, women's programs, homeless ministries, and world service.

And she has served in leadership at Friendship Place in Washington, where she was awarded the Benjamin E. Cooper Advocacy Award by the Community for the Homeless, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, where she received the Parents Association Leadership and Service Award, and key leadership positions with the United Methodist Women.

Since 2005, Ann has been at Wesley on the staff of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, much of the time as a Senior Consultant and as co-editor of the Lewis Center’s online newsletter, Leading Ideas. She also serves as an adjunct member of our faculty, teaching in the areas of leadership and stewardship. The titles of her courses are also descriptions of her work: “Leadership that Engages Others,” “Healthy Stewardship in the Local Church,” “Best Practices in Church Leadership and Administration,” “Transformative Leadership. And has authored three books: Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance: A Transformational Guide to Church Finances; Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers; The Crisis of Younger Clergy with Lovett H. Weems, Jr. Ann is formally retiring this year, though you cannot really retire from Wesley.

Lovett Weems speaks for all of us when he says simply: "The progress and reputation of the Lewis Center owe much to the wisdom, skills, guidance, and hard work of Dr. Ann Michel. She brought a passion for the Center’s mission from her own faith, love for the church, and passion for a more faithful and fruitful future."

We all knew Ande Emmanuel would make a big difference in the world because of the impression he made on this community while he was a student. While studying at Wesley he was an intern at the General Board of Church and Society where he worked on the Imagine No Malaria campaign and conflict resolution in Africa.

We were right. And we now welcome him back home as Bishop Ande Ikimun Emmanuel. He was elected to the episcopacy just this last December 7 at the West Africa Central Conference of The United Methodist Church and assigned as the presiding Bishop of the United Methodist Church Nigeria Episcopal Area and Mission Districts of Senegal and Cameroon.

Prior to that -- Pastor Emmanuel was ordained by another John Wesley Fellow, Bishop Arthur Kulah, and served a number of pastoral appointments in Nigeria. And as a delegate to four United Methodist General Conferences.

Along the way, he has received a number of awards and recognition for preaching and peacemaking. He is the author of several books: “Managing Religious Crises in Nigeria: Perspectives on Christian and Muslim relationship in Nigeria.” “Reformation of the Pastoral Vocation: A way Forward in Managing Church Conflict,” “Tribute to his lordship Bishop Arthur F. Kulah: A history of United Methodist Church Struggle in Nigeria.” And his latest “the Disciplines, an Upper Room Devotional.” Prior to receiving the Master of Arts at Wesley, Ande studied at Reform Theological Seminary, Mkar, Benue State, Nigeria and Banyam Theological Seminary, Taraba State Nigeria.

When Ande was here, we worried with him about the safety of his family back home. Now, Bishop Emmanuel leads in the middle of a troubled and strife-torn region with great tension between Christian and Muslim communities and, sadly within the Christian community. We watch the news with prayerful concern. In the midst of this Bishop Emmanuel said recently, “I am committed to total eradication of tribalism, sectionalism, and gender inequality in the Church by creating equal inclusive space to all members of the United Methodist Church to exercise their God’s given talent and building a strong network evangelism movement within Church.