Roger A. Rosengren of Alexandria (Minnesota) Covenant Church received the 2025 Theodore W. Anderson Award for outstanding lay ministry on Saturday, June 28, at Gather in Orlando, Florida. For more than four decades, this award has celebrated Covenant laypeople who have demonstrated exceptional service to both their local church and broader community. Named in memory of Theodore W. Anderson—the only layperson to serve as president of the Evangelical Covenant Church—the award commemorates his 25 years of faithful leadership and deep commitment to the life of the church.
For more than 50 years, Roger has been a committed servant to the church, making a significant and lasting impact in his community of faith for the mission of the gospel of Jesus.
Roger, alongside his twin sister, Ramona Billmark, are the longest-tenured members of Alexandria Covenant, having been born into the church, and members since 1974, the same year Roger married his wife, Caryn.
Roger has served in various roles at the church, including on the leadership team, in student ministry, in Sunday school, on building committees, and mission teams. He has used his extensive construction background to assist in three different additions to the Alexandria Covenant Church building.
Beyond construction, he has also used his spiritual gifts to build up the church body through his teaching ministry, having served as a student leader for more than 40 years. He has taught, led small groups, mentored, prayed for, cried with, and worked alongside students from multiple generations. His connections run deep, and he stays in touch with former students.
Roger and Caryn have invested their time and talent helping another “ACC”—Alaska Christian College. “Roger and his wife have been central volunteer leaders in the building of the physical campus here,” said Keith Hamilton, president of ACC. “They have worked faithfully with their passion for all Alaskan Covenant ministries, not only at ACC but also in village Covenant churches.” Roger has traveled at his own expense to Alaska more than 20 times, for multiple weeks at a time, to work at Covenant Bible Camp in Unalakleet, Covenant village churches and parsonages, and the KICY radio station.
Many of those trips to Alaska included bringing volunteers from Alexandria Covenant, engaging in various projects involving construction, landscaping, window washing, and painting. In 2022, the Alaska Conference awarded Roger with the True North Award for his years of faithful service.
Beyond Roger’s skill and leadership in mission work, he and Caryn are ministers of the good news of Jesus Christ wherever they go. “I admire the way that Roger loves to share Jesus in everyday contexts,” says Brian Farka, pastor of student ministry at the church. “He has countless stories of spiritual conversations with strangers, neighbors, clients, construction crews, and students. Through these conversations, young and old have come to know Jesus because of Roger’s faithfulness.”
Now retired from his construction business, Roger continues to work part-time at a company he helped found, which makes pine wood caskets. Locally, he has also served as a Community Bible Study leader at Cullin’s Home Center.
“‘Volunteer’ may not be the best term to describe Roger Rosengren,” says Farka. “‘Volunteer’ describes someone who fulfills a task. Roger serves. He serves Jesus and he serves people. He doesn’t see serving as a task to complete, but instead sees a need that he is uniquely gifted and called to respond to. He has a servant’s heart.”
Roger received the award in absentia as he was currently serving in Alaska. Rev. Trinity Opp, pastor of Alexandria Covenant Church, received the honor on his behalf.
To the delegates, Opp said, “Roger is a faithful servant of God who gives of his time around the world—including many parts of Alaska—and has also served our church by loving and caring for students for over 50 years. We are so grateful and honored to receive this award on his behalf. Thank you, Roger, for your faithful service, your love for the Lord, and your example to all of us.”
In a brief recorded message, Roger expressed his gratitude, saying, “This is just a humbling and awkward moment for me…As I consider the countless people who out-serve me and would be far more deserving of such an award.” He thanked his family—especially his parents who introduced him to Alexandria Covenant Church—and early mentors who led him to faith. He reflected on two decades of youth ministry at his home church and the ongoing mission trips to Alaska that began in 2003. He closed by honoring his wife, Caryn, for her servant’s heart and partnership in ministry.
We rejoice in Roger’s faithful example and the many lives he has touched through decades of service. May his legacy inspire all of us to serve with humility and dedication.
