The Shirley Harris Crockett Award

Yesterday, the Guilford Church's Shirley Harris Crockett Award was given to a young woman, Mariam Diallo. I spoke during the service about Shirley and the purpose of the award, and presented the Certificate to Mariam. Pastor Elisa had inluded Shirley in the service in several ways: her portrait graced the worship center; a quote from one of her prayers led the service bulletin; I told a children's story she first gave back in 1981, titled "Something is Missing," one of her prayers was the pastoral prayer, and we sang "Shirley of Guilford," a wonderful song celebrating her ministry, composed by Tony Barrand, and Tony was there to lead it. It was a very beautiful and moving event for me. ****************************Here is a bit about Mariam and the award- this is from something I wrote for the church's newsletter: "At the service last Sunday, Sept. 19th, the Shirley Harris Crockett Award for 2021 was granted to Mariam Diallo. She was selected this year by the newly formed SHC Award Committee: Tom and Nancy Ragle, Elizabeth Christie, Diane Larsen-Freeman, Rev. Larrimore Crockett, and Rev. Elisa Lucozzi, GCC Pastor. Writing for the committee, Rev. Crockett said that Mariam Diallo came to the attention of the Award Committee primarily though her singing in several of our services during the pandemic. We were all touched by the authenticity of her singing, and when we talked with both Peter Amidon and Andy Davis, we were impressed by their testimonies to her preparedness, purposefulness and her poise in their recording sessions with her. We learned from them that Mariam has studied voice with Samirah Evans and has also had Steve Rice as a teacher and has sung at First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro where Steve is choir director. Steve has seconded everything Peter and Andy have said about Mariam's skill, conscientiousness and maturity. The committee learned from Mariam's mother, Akosua Nyako, that Mariam is in 8th grade, and has been attending the Guilford church since she was about 3 years old. In addition to her singing, Mariam is involved in dance, art and creative writing. She plays the clarinet and has been studying dance at the Brattleboro School of Dance for several years: studying both classical ballet and contemporary dance forms. Mariam will be performing in the School of Dance's production of The Nutcracker Ballet in December. She is also involved in her community. She is on the Quality Youth Development Program which works with businesses and other community leaders to make Brattleboro a more welcoming and supportive place for young people of all backgrounds. She is also on the Brooks Memorial Library Teen Advisory Board. The more the Award Committee learned about Mariam, the more certain they were that she is the sort of person the SHC award seeks to recognize, lift up and encourage. Her Award Certificate reads that she is granted the award "In recognition of and appreciation for her contribution of song to the worship of the Guilford Community Church and in support of her training as a dancer at the Brattleboro School of Dance." Accompanying the Certificate was a check for $500 and a copy of the GCC history, Safe Thus Far. Congratulations, Mariam!"

I'm presenting the award to Mariam while Pastor Elisa looks on.

L. to r.: Me, Akosua Nyako, Mariam's mother; Mariam Diallo, the recipient; Nancy Ragle, Diane Larsen-Freeman, Elizabeth Christie and Tom Ragle (all members of the SHC Award Committee), and Pastor Elisa. **********************This is the original story, "Something is Missing," from the collection "I Invite the Children to Come Forward." I was able to find (with Ellen's help) a pair of pants, a shirt, a pair of gloves, a pair of socks, and a T-shirt, that I cut things off from to illustrate the story. It was fun and effective. The story was quite appropriate for a time when for over a year and a half, children have not been able to be a part of in-person worship. ******************************************************* Something is Missing! (February 1, 1981) It’s time in our service now for our children’s sermon. It’s been such dreary sort of weather lately, I thought that sometimes it helps, when we’re feeling just a little bit low, to have some new clothes. I thought some of you would like to take home some clothes. Would you like to take this pair of pants home to someone ((Shirley holds up a pair of really old pants). No? Why not? (Child says something) The pocket’s mended isn’t it? Well, I guess that won’t do. How about taking home some gloves for somebody? (Shirley holds up a pair of really worn out gloves). No? What’s missing? (Two fingers). Whoops, you’re right—there’s a part of the glove missing. Well, I guess no one wants to take those home for someone. O look, here is a nice pair of socks! Doesn’t anyone want them? No? ( Child: No, because they have two holes, one on the top and one on the bottom! ... Laughter) That’s true—look at that! Well, I’m not doing very well, am I? You don’t even want to take this nice blouse home? (There are no sleeves!) Oh dear! Well, I have one more thing and it would even fit you—a nice T-shirt. (Nooo!) It’s missing the whole bottom part, isn’t it! My goodness, no one wants any of my clothes. Well, you know, we are something like that here in this church, because sometimes there is some part that’s missing, and we don’t function just the way we should. And what I want to say this morning is that YOU are a very important part of this church. We need to learn what’s it’s like to be little children. Jesus said, “Unless you become as a little child you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” If you weren’t here, it would be like having those pants that are missing one leg, or gloves missing some fingers, or socks without toes. We need you here in church on Sunday. And we need all the others here too. But I especially wanted you to know that we need the children. Without you, we just can function the way God wants us to.