Sutton is the director of the Thriving Congregations Initiative and former director of field education and ministerial formation at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville. NALM is presenting the award to her in recognition of her long-time support and promotion of lay ecclesial ministry in the United States.
The Spirit of the Conference Award recognizes an outstanding person or organization for their service on behalf of lay ministry. This person or group exemplifies, through their life and ministry, the spirit of the annual conference theme. This year that theme is “Moving Forward in the Spirit, Becoming a Synodal Church.”
Sutton has served in various academic roles. She helped plan, organize, and implement the Collegeville National Symposium on Lay Ecclesial Ministry in 2011, the 10th anniversary celebration of Co-Workers in Ministry in 2015, and in 2020 planned the symposium: “Sustaining a Healthy Ministerial Workplace.”
“For the last 15 years I have had my professional hand in many things, I have been formation director, teacher, consultant and retreat director,” Sutton said. “And yet I am aware of how little I actually control, always aware of [a] hand mightier than mine.”
Congrats, Barbara, and thanks for covering this and other important stories Central MN Catholic!