During the Mount Zion’s 80th anniversary Women’s Day celebration it was announced that Winona Hollins-Hauge was the 2022 Shine the Light Award recipient.
The “Shine the Light” award, established by American Baptist Women’s Ministries, recognizes outstanding light-bearers for Christ. The award honors exemplary women from local American Baptist churches for how they shine Christ’s light in the world.
“I am immeasurably humbled to be chosen to receive this amazing national recognition. My first words were to God be the Glory,” said Hollins-Hague about receiving the award. “I am appreciative and immeasurably humbled that Rev. Dr Phyllis Beaumonte chose me out of the many hard working servant leaders within our Women’s Ministry at Mount Zion.
The award honors exemplary woman from local American Baptist churches for how they shine Christs light in the world. Rev Dr Phyliss Beaumonte, Mount Zion Baptist Women’s Ministry President, listed many of the ways that Hollins-Hauge shines her light in service to the Mount Zion Church family and numerous community endeavors, and utilized her servant leadership role as key church and community organizer for two major outreach efforts. One with the Seattle Public Schools Partners at TT Minor School, the Urban League, Urban Impact, Grandmothers Against Gun Violence, National Council of Negro Women and Mount Zion Women’s Ministries, where she partnered with Together Washington, to raise funds for family food box pick-ups, on the school site where the kids could pick up homework, food for their family and neighbors during school lunch hours complete with a COVID Awareness flyer containing information on safety and health resources.
In addition, she also used her Mount Zion Health Ministry Co-Chair role, in combination with her Central Area Senior Center Board position to join a multi-dimensional partnership to ensure that our Seniors, were the first to receive vaccinations. This partnership was comprised of several local church partners, including the host church First AME, Tabernacle, Mount Zion, The Together Washington Coalition, the African American Reach and Teach Program, GEN X, POCANN, and local senior housing communities that the Urban League recommended.
“It was a pleasure to staff the food drives and to deliver food for many months to our sick and shut-in,” said Hollins-Hauge. “God shined a light on ways that we could come together as a church and community.”
The Health Ministry and members of the congregation that work with Hollins-Hauge in her role as Member-at-Large Representative, charted new courses during the pandemic by working with local churches, sororities, social service agencies and organizations to bring resources to the community.
Hollins-Hauge is a Bible Study Fellowship leader, who values listening, hearing and being a doer of the word. She is a committed member of the Mount Zion Prayer Line (Monday-Saturday 7:30 pm and 7:00 am) Community Resource Line (2nd Sunday at 7:30 pm). Her passion for the past 17 years has been the “Gospel Highway” Radio Show she co-hosts. On the show she shares vintage and cutting-edge Gospel music and always includes a special cameo feature that promotes local Black artists.
Hollins-Hauge has continued her pre and post pandemic service in the wake of the storm and demonstrated her Faith and Works throughout the community and is well-deserving of this award.
Hollins-Hauge travelled to Philadelphia to the ABW Headquarters, where she was presented the Shine the Light Award at their annual conference.
In her acceptance speech Hollins-Hauge said, “I am grateful to be the recipient of this prestigious award and I look forward to continuing my tireless outreach in service to my God, my church, and my community. I am but one flicker but I do solemnly promise never to let my candle be extinguished.”
