Polen receives Community Cornerstone Award

CornerBank has announced that Rev. Dr. Allen Polen is the Community Cornerstone Award recipient for the month of December. In recognition of his accomplishments, CornerBank will contribute $100 to the non-profit organization of his choice. He has chosen Cowley County United Way. A reception honoring Allen will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 17, in the CornerBank lobby, 900 Main. The public is invited to attend the reception.

Allen Polen is Santa! Allen portrays Santa about 40 times each year in the Winfield area and, in the process, shares good values with children, teaching them about the historic St. Nicholas and his ministry focused on giving.

Allen’s service to civic, philanthropic and church organizations in the Winfield area since his retirement from the full-time ministry has been extraordinary. His activities include service as part-time Chaplain at Cumbernauld Village, where he provides worship services and counseling to residents and their families. He serves as President of the Winfield Ministerial Alliance and, in that capacity, has organized the annual Holy Week breakfasts and served as the contact person for police and sheriff departments for Transient Ministry, providing overnight shelter to the needy. He is president of the Cowley County United Way and helped facilitate the merger of the Arkansas City and Winfield chapters. He also serves as a member of the Winfield Housing Authority and the Non-Profit Coalition of the Winfield Chamber of Commerce. He has been a leader in building community support for Safe Homes and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

He is a member of the Tisdale United Methodist Church administrative council, founder and convener of the Progressive Christian Conversation and president of the Sunflower Parish Council, a United Methodist parish of five rural churches. Allen coordinates various parish programs, including two aimed at helping the needy, “Helping Hands” and “Handy Helpers.” He provides assistance to lay preachers and young clergy in the parish and in the community.

Allen has served in numerous leadership and volunteer positions outside Cowley County, including organization in Hutchinson and Baxter Springs, as well as serving as a former member of the Baker University Board of Trustees and a former Alumni Association president.

Allen was born in 1941 in Connecticut to a clergy family. His family moved to Oklahoma in 1943. He graduated from high school in Bartlesville in 1958. He completed a bachelor’s degree at Baker University in 1962, a Master of Divinity degree from Yale in 1966 and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Phillips Theological Seminary in 1992. He and Joyce E. Bemis were married in 1983. Allen and Joyce each have two adult children from previous marriages.

Allen was licensed to preach as a teenager. He formally served churches for almost 50 years, until his retirement in 2004, with First United Methodist Church in Winfield his final appointment. He has continued his ministry in a variety of capacities since then. Among his accomplishments as a pastor, Allen was the founding pastor of Indian Heights United Methodist Church in Overland Park, Kansas.

Allen was licensed to preach as a teenager. He formally served churches for almost 50 years, until his retirement in 2004, with First United Methodist Church in Winfield his final appointment. He has continued his ministry in a variety of capacities since then. Among his accomplishments as a pastor, Allen was the founding pastor of Indian Heights United Methodist Church in Overland Park, Kansas. Rev. Dr. Polen was selected for the award by the Community Cornerstone Award selection committee, which includes Cindy Goertz, Ned Graham, Ralph Hanna, Roger Lungren, Sheryle Ohm and Nancy Tredway. All are previous recipients of the Cornerstone Award. Volunteers are the cornerstones of healthy communities. The Community Cornerstone Award recognizes the time and effort of volunteers dedicated to serving people and enhancing the quality of life in Cowley County. To make a nomination contact Ev Bowman at 221-1650 or evelynb@cornerbank.com.