Arkansans to receive Steel-Hendrix Awards 

 CONWAY, Ark. – Hendrix College will honor three Arkansans during the 25th annual Steel-Hendrix Awards banquet.                                                                                                                      

Jim Clemons is a native of Wynne, Ark. He attended Hendrix from 1947-1951 and completed his theological studies at Southern Methodist University before receiving a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biblical Studies at Duke University.

He was ordained a United Methodist minister by the Arkansas Annual Conference in 1951 and became a retired member in 1993. He served churches in Texas and Arkansas, worked as a staff member at Hendrix College, 1956-1960, was Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, 1963-1967, and for 28 years was on the faculty at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Upon his retirement in 1995, his colleagues named him Professor Emeritus of New Testament.

He has written a book on Syriac manuscripts and 40 articles on biblical interpretation, ethics, and social issues. He has preached, lectured, held workshops and presented professional papers in 23 states, Canada, Greece, Israel, and Italy.

The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies published Jim’s Crisis of Conscience:  Arkansas Methodists and the Civil Rights Struggle in 2007, shortly before the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Central High School desegregation. He is currently working on a supplement to that book and four others related to suicide prevention. In addition to being a consultant in that field, he is Youth Director at Severn United Methodist Church in Maryland.

Jim was married to Barbara Pettingill of Plummerville, who entered Hendrix with the class of 1953. At the time of her death she was Director of the National Interfaith Council on Aging. His son Tom attended Hendrix for two years and is now an executive with a substance abuse and mental health agency in Ohio. His daughter Margaret is an ordained minister and pastor of Severn U.M.C.

Tom Hazelwood is a native of Arkansas. He received a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Education as well as a Master of Divinity Degree.  

Tom is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and served as pastor of local churches for 13 years in Arkansas before taking his current position in 1998. Tom is the Assistant General Secretary for Disaster Response in the United States for the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR).

As Assistant General Secretary, Tom works with Annual Conferences and a network of trained volunteers within the United Methodist Church to bring assistance to persons who are left devastated following disasters in the United States.   His goal is to help Annual Conferences and local churches know how to seek out and help the most vulnerable in the community.  Tom works closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, and Church World Service as well as other faith based or voluntary organizations to coordinate resources to those who are most in need after disaster.

Much of Tom’s work is centered around the training of Annual Conference Disaster Response Committees and the many volunteers that emerge from local churches following disasters. 

Tom Represents UMCOR at the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD) and is the Immediate Past President of the National VOAD Board Executive Committee.   He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Emergency Response Program of Church World Service.

Tom is married and he and his wife Stephanie have two children: Robert age 24 and John age 22. He and his family worship at St. Stephens United Methodist Church in Burke, VA.

Ruth Parker Carter is a native of both Stuttgart and Marianna, Ark. She received a Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education from Arkansas State University in 1979. She received her Masters of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1989.

Ruth worked as a kindergarten teacher for 30 years and was the Director of children and youth at First United Methodist Church in Marianna for 27 years. She also served on the Board of Trustees at Bear Creek Camp for 20 years. Carter is an Adult Member of the Southeast District Council on Youth Ministries (DCYM) and has served on various committees at the local church. She is also a member of the Promoting Educational Opportunities (P.E.O.) Sisterhood and Delta Kappa Gamma.

She has small groups for many youth events and enjoys meeting with the youth and hearing their hopes and dreams as well as helping them become stronger in their faith. She has served as cook for camps and retreats, directed vacation bible schools, and acted as a Sunday School teacher. Ruth has served the community by organizing food drives, clean ups, and mission works.

Ruth is married to Glenn Carter. They have no children but do share a precious little Schnauzer named Ripley.