Atlantic Coast Conference Peace Mug Award

The Atlantic Coast Conference Peace and Justice Committee annually awards a "peace mug" to a person exemplifying Christ's love to persons experiencing adversity and injustice. At the conference's fall assembly on Oct. 22nd, the 2005 peace mug was awarded to Willie Mae Thomas of the Hopewell Reading congregation located in Reading, PA.

Sister Thomas lives out her faith in word and deed - sharing the gospel verbally and sharing the good news of God's love for persons by touching their lives in practical ways. As described by a fellow deacon, "When you talk with Sister Thomas, you soon find out she loves the Lord !"

Willie May accepted the Lord at age 9, moved to Reading, PA at the age of 17, and joined the Mennonite Church at age 23. She states that she decided to join the Mennonite Church after she was convinced "they live as they teach". She initially related to the South Seventh Street congregation in Reading (Lancaster Conference). These involvements and ministry included: teaching Sunday School, leading home mission and prayer meetings, and ministering in the neighborhood . Other churchwide involvements have included singing in the "Voice of Victory" choir, serving as a counselor and cook at Camp Hebron, and participating in a weekly ACTV TV program. Sister Thomas states she questioned at times why she wasn't called to the mission field, finally coming to understand that her home city of Reading is her mission field.

In the 1980's Willie Mae came to the Hopewell Mennonite Church in Reading to help with the children's ministry. She is also involved with the congregation's food ministry and clothing ministry outreaches. She became a deacon when she was in her 70's, deciding that if God was calling, she wasn't "too old" to serve. She is a local MMA (Mennonite Mutual Aid) representative. She has been and continues to be involved in prison ministry. Her home of 50 years has at times served as an informal "halfway house" as she has ministered to persons coming out of prison.

Sister Thomas is the proud mother of 4 children, 9 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. She states she had good teaching and role models in her grandmother who was a home missionary and her mother who was a minister. Willie Mae has followed in this godly tradition. Her pastor Frantz Santiago describes her as a "Pastor in the Community". The peace mug award symbolizes Willie Mae's life of servanthood to God, her church, and her community.