Pastor Janet Peterman receives
Seminary's Muhlenberg Award

Pastor Janet Peterman waves to acknowledge applause as the Muhlenberg Medal award is announced.

PHILADELPHIA (May 2002)--The Rev. Janet Peterman, who has served as pastor of St. Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia's Mt. Airy section for 20 years, was honored May 3 with the Henry Melchior Muhlenberg Medal conferred by The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP).

The medal honors Peterman for "exemplary congregational service." The award was conferred during the annual assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod in King of Prussia.

Celebrating her Muhlenberg Award honor are recipient Pastor Janet Peterman, center; Rene Diemer, seminary registrar, and the Rev. Rick Summy, the seminary's director of admissions.

In announcing the award, the Rev. Rick Summy, LTSP's director of admissions, noted that Peterman "has served exclusively in urban congregations." He said St. Michael's "has a strong racial and economic mix" amidst a similarly diverse and historically important community in Philadelphia. He said Peterman hs "blended worship traditions" to meet the diverse needs of her congregation and has also organized efforts involving other churches to strengthen the community.

Conferring the award were Summy, Rene Diemer, LTSP's registrar, and Bishop Roy Almquist, bishop of the synod.

The Medal is named for the Lutheran patriarch who traveled 55 years from New York to Georgia during the colonial period in North America. Muhlenberg founded congregations, consulted with the faithful, preached, taught, counseled and settled feuds. His passion to share the gospel was captured in the motto, "The church must be planted." His ministry has since served as a model for pastoral ministry.

Pastor Janet Peterman, center, celebrates the announcement of the Muhlenberg Medal with family and friends at the assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.