Cindy Yeager is a tireless disciple. She has taken her love for Jesus to the other sides of the world and spread that love right here in the Dakotas. She lives out her faith in every interaction, whether with one person in Fargo, with a large group at Mission u, or with complete strangers in Lithuania or Honduras. Cindy has brought her gifts of love and service to God’s people everywhere.

Enjoying crowns on a Lithuanian mission trip. Photos courtesy of Cindy Yeager.

To honor her years of faithful, dedicated service to our neighbors near and far, The Dakotas Conference surprised her with the Foundation for Evangelism Laity Award on June 6, during Annual Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Rev. Kris Mutzenberger, Conference Superintendent, announced the award and listed only some of the many ways Cindy lives out her calling in Christ’s love and service to others.

“Cindy lives her faith through her actions, her warm and welcoming smile, her thoughtfulness for others, her fun-to-be-with personality, and being present for you in conversation.”

Cindy credits her faith to her grandparents, especially her grandmother, who was always ready to share whatever she had, even when times were excruciatingly tough.

“She would look out for people who needed help,” Cindy recalled through hearing stories about her grandmother. “Even at a time in the 1930s when things were hard. My dad would talk about how people would come to the house and ask for something to eat, and she always had something for them. She was just called to do that.”

Fast-forward 90 years, and that sharing of God’s goodness continues to this day.

Cindy Yeager on Honduran mission trip.

Cindy has also utilized her professional background and skills in Pharmacy to others in the Dakotas and through medical mission trips. Originally, her first mission trip was to accompany her sister, but as the trip unfolded, she realized a calling.

“The first international mission trip I went on was to Lithuania; [Revs.] Deborah and Gary Ball-Kilbourne led that group. And from our church, my sister Deb wanted to go and bring her 2 sons who were young. And I thought, ‘Man, she can't do that by herself.’ I mean, she could, but I thought I should be supportive, though I'd never done anything international like that.”

Through that mission trip, Cindy’s eyes were opened not only to a need and an opportunity to help far away, but also to the opportunities to grow in service and love of others closer to home, as well.

“I wanted to support her, and it just was life-changing. Going to Lithuania that first time really had an impact on me. It just opens your eyes more to what you can do here, what I could do here.”

Cindy returned to Lithuania multiple times, has been on mission to Honduras multiple times, has gone to Tiu Rancho with Flame of Faith UMC, and has, in turn, become more active in local mission.

Cindy doesn’t limit her work with mission projects just to her local church, Fargo First UMC. She also reaches out to work with other United Methodists in the Fargo area, including helping with the food pantry at Fargo Flame of Faith UMC.

“I really enjoy helping with that twice a month,” said Cindy. “It's just a great group of people, and they're so welcoming to not only the volunteers, but also the community that comes. You can just tell over the years they've developed a relationship with some of the folks that are consistently in need of that food, for whatever reason, whether they're a student or elder.”

Cindy also helps with Wednesday Suppers at Fargo First UMC.

“Our Wednesday suppers have really had an impact in being able to feed people in our community and make relationships with them. It broadens your world. During Dinner Church, we share; we ask people if they have prayer requests, write them down, and then pass them on to our prayer group at church. They trust us to do that. It's just amazing.”

With all of that service to others, you might ask how Cindy keeps growing in her spiritual life. Of course, she doesn’t neglect that, either. She’s joined a Sunday Bible study led by Revs. Deborah and Gary Ball-Kilbourne, often leads a Bible-centered program for her monthly United Women in Faith meetings, and attends church regularly.

Rev. Kris Mutzenberger related the award to our biblical mandates. “The Foundation for Evangelism Laity Award [formerly the Harry Denman Award] affirms the first book of Peter 2:9, that all are called to use their gifts and talents to actively participate in evangelism through sharing their faith and living their life as a testimony to the abundant life promised by Jesus Christ.

She finished the presentation with these words, also listing many, many more ways Cindy serves joyfully, saying, “Cindy's very actions serve as a magnet to inspire others to participate in activities and events to become part of the body of Christ. We could write a book on how Cindy inspires others to ‘be just like her when I grow up.’”

Watch a video of the award presentation from Annual Conference.
Watch a video about Dinner Church at Fargo First UMC.