As they enter their final months of leading the American Rescue Workers, Dawn and Sam Astin were honored at the annual assembly of the United Churches of Lycoming County (UCLC) with the group’s 2025 Alton Motter Ecumenical Service Award.

Dawn Astin had announced her retirement at the close of this year and Sam Astin will follow in the middle of next year.

Tammey Edkin, director of the UCLC, introduced the Astins as a couple “who has been very active in our community, and someone who has always been known to work well with others.”

“And that mindset is evident throughout their organization. Due to their leadership, both at the local and national levels, they have found themselves at the table with other agencies for flood and disaster relief efforts, food insecurity and housing insecurity, sharing their resources in whatever way was needed,” Edkin said.

“Their mindset of true community meant that they often were advocating on behalf of the rest of us when it came time to split funding, even though that meant less for their own organization. They recognize that we are working together to meet the needs, rather than against each other,” she said.

“They provided leadership and support, often going above and beyond. They are a team in both ministry and life…they have modeled for the community what it means to live out your faith in all that they do,” Edkin added.

Speaking to church leaders represented at the assembly, Sam Astin said, “We express our love and appreciation for you all, and I’m encouraged and blessed to know that the churches collaborate together, pull together and that we’re still striving for that common goal of people helping people.”

During the event, ministries under the umbrella of the UCLC were highlighted for the work they do in the community.

Featured speaker for the event was Stephanie Shover, who is preparing for the mission field in South Africa, and has served at Sojourner Truth Ministries for a month.

She spoke of how they have served over 37,000 meals this year so far, but she emphasized the people being served at the ministry.

“As a person in ministry and a missionary, my heart beats for people, so naturally I observe them. Let me mention a few observations I have made over the past month at Sojourner Truth Ministries,” Shover said.

“The Holy Spirit has cultivated a sense of community that I have not seen elsewhere. People in their poverty care for one another in the best way they can and a lot happens in that dining room that year of theological education cannot teach in today’s divided and politically charged climate,” she continued.

“I’ve seen older men show genuine care and concern for young, single moms. I’ve observed people giving up their plate so that a person with a disability gets served first. And I’m humbled by the veteran sojourners who advocate for the newer people to get resources such as coats, gloves and hats. Many of the individuals we serve may be materially poor but wealthy in their sense of community, their foresight for others’ needs and the sacrifices they have that go unnoticed,” she said.

She shared a scripture from Philippians, which she said helped her to view the people Sojourner serves “through a new lens and a new heart.”

In the verses she cited, the Apostle Paul wrote that “for me to love is Christ and to die is gain. If I go, if I am to go and live in this body, this will be fruitful labor for me. Yet, what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I decide I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress in joy and in the faith, so that through my being with you again, your boasting in Christ, Jesus will abound, on account of me.”

“So many of our sojourners long to be with Jesus, they hope for a heavenly existence with no pain, no toil or sorrow…As long as there is breath in their lungs, God is not done with them. He has a plan and a purpose for each of them. The concern for the single mom they’re advocating, for the marginalized and the love for neighbors is evident that God is using each of them for His glory,” she said.

“The apostle Paul knew that his life was an instrument for greater purpose, and so are the lives of the people who come to Sojourner Truth Ministries. We know that the journey through life is hard and tiresome. People who are sojourners through life need a place of hope and physical nourishment, and we have the privilege to be that stop in their journey as they continue to find their purpose,” she added.

Representatives of the outreach ministries of UCLC also spoke during the event.