Lincoln Christian University (LCU) is pleased to announce that Veva C. Appel, has been awarded this year’s Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes and honors Veva’s lifelong and ongoing faithful Christian service.
Veva (Crooks) Appel is a woman of quiet resolve and uncommon wisdom. Early in her life, Veva was known for her service alongside her husband Leon, a preacher whom she met in college. Together they served churches in Sheldon, WI, and Toluca, IL, before coming to serve with the Lincoln Christian Church (IL) in 1950. When Leon became Vice President in 1970 and then President of Lincoln Christian College and Seminary in 1972, Veva continued to be a vital part of his ministry.
When Leon passed away suddenly in 1974, Veva went to work for Christian Homes, Inc., where she quickly proved to have remarkable communication and leadership skills in her own right. Independent and inspirational, over the following 30 years, there was nothing that Christian Homes, and later, her alma mater, Minnesota Bible College, asked Veva to do that she was not able to do with excellence.
Veva’s commitment to Kingdom service has been, and continues to be, extraordinary in both longevity and impact. Whether guiding her family through the devastating loss of her husband or teaching her Sunday school class at Lincoln Christian Church for nearly 50 years, Veva Appel has served as an encouragement and example for all who aspire to live a life worthy of the calling of Christ.
Veva received this award on April 25, 2017, in the presence of LCU’s students and faculty as well as her family and friends who were in attendance to hear her son, Gene (an alumnus and pastor) speak during chapel.
“We are grateful for Veva’s life” said LCU President Don Green, “for she has made her journey a testimony of God’s response to those who will hear His call.”