Abby Ferris, a student at Dakota Wesleyan University is a 2020 Denman Award winner for youth. Facebook photo.

Abby Ferris is a member of First United Methodist Church in Pierre, South Dakota, and a freshman at Dakota Wesleyan University. She is one of the youth recipients of the 2020 Harry Denman Award for Evangelism.

The person who nominated Abby describes her, saying, “Abby has an innate gift to see the Imago Dei, the Image of God, within each person. As she sees this, she is able to not only see the beauty and strength within each individual, but through her interaction, she is able to help each person see that within themselves. Abby knows that she has been fearfully and wonderfully made with a purpose, and as she strives to live that out, she extends the invitation to others to journey with her, and together they seek to know God more, follow Jesus more deeply, and let the Spirit guide them to live into the hope and purpose they were created for.”

The award is given in honor of Harry Denman, a Methodist layperson who sought to live his life as a testament to Jesus Christ and fulfill his calling to evangelize. It is meant to honor United Methodists in each annual conference whose exceptional ministry of evangelism – expressed in word, sign, and deed – brings people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.

Abby expresses her love for Jesus to others in multiple ways. “I have grown up in the church. I have been going to church for as long as I can remember. Over the past few years I have been given the opportunity to lead and invite others to Jesus,” says Abby. “While at college, I have been blessed to help with Fusion youth group in Mitchell. On campus, I have been inviting people to Jesus through inviting them to chapel and freshman ministry group.”