Dr. Lisa Kimball, our 2026 Amelia J. Dyer Award in Lifelong Christian Formation award recipient with Helen Barron, the first award recipient in 2019.
Jen Holt Enriquez and Will Bouvel of Sewing Seeds in the Sand, one of our 2026 Innovation in Formation Award recipients.
To recognize and honor an individual in The Episcopal Church whose lifetime of quiet, faithful, and transformative work in Christian formation has left a lasting impact on individuals, congregations, and communities. This award celebrates those who embody a vocational commitment to formation across the life span and reflect the spirit of Dr. Amy Dyer’s legacy: wisdom, pastoral presence, theological grounding, and deep love for God’s people.
Forma began awarding The Amelia J. Dyer Award in Lifelong Christian Formation at the Forma Conference in 2019, to honor those in the Episcopal Church who have done great lifetime work in the area of Christian Formation, and named after Dr. Amy Dyer, the James Maxwell Professor of Christian Education and Pastoral Theology at Virginia Theological Seminary in honor of her retirement from VTS. The idea was to highlight the “unsung champions” of Christian formation, honoring the heroines and heroes of those who share in the vocation of formation. The first award recipient was suggested by Dr. Dyer, and joyfully approved by the Forma Board as Helen Barron, chosen for her remarkable lifelong work in the formation of disciples. Caroline Black was the award recipient in 2020. The award was not given during the intervening pandemic years. In 2023, the Forma Awards Subcommittee was tasked by the Forma Advisory Committee to reinstate the award and offer a recommendation for the award recipient.
Helen Barron | 2019 Award Recipient
Caroline Black | 2020 Award Recipient
Karen Meridith | 2023 Award Recipient
Dorothy Linthicum | 2025 Award Recipient
Lisa Kimball | 2026 Award Recipient
To recognize a person, team, or congregation in the Episcopal Church who has demonstrated extraordinary creativity and faithful risk-taking in developing innovative approaches to Christian formation that inspire transformation across generations.
This award is being established in 2026 to honor those who are trailblazers in the field of formation, to lift up their ministry as inspiration.
Sowing Seeds in the Sand | 2026 Award Recipient
Christian Athlete Circles | 2026 Award Recipient
