Bob & Cathy Mellen

This year, Urban Vision is deeply honored to present the Co-Laborers in Christ Award to Bob and Cathy Mellen—two volunteers whose steady, Christlike service has shaped our ministry for more than a decade.

Since 2010, Bob and Cathy have poured themselves into the lives of young people at Urban Vision, beginning with the creation of our Bible quizzing team. What started as their desire to help students know and love God’s Word became a transformative program—one that continues to this day. As a former quizzer myself, I can testify to the countless hours they invested: the practices, the encouragement, the coaching, the road trips, and yes, the patient endurance of all the antics that inevitably come with working with teens. Through it all, I don’t believe they ever missed a single quiz meet. Their consistency was more than reliability; it was ministry.

Cathy expanded that ministry even further when she began offering piano lessons to our students. Over the years she has taught many young people, some staying with her for years. Her lessons provided more than musical skill—they offered students a place to grow, to be known, and to discover the joy of creating something beautiful. Her investment helped shape not just musicians, but confident young leaders.

Bob and Cathy embody the core values of Urban Vision, and above all, they model faithfulness. They show up. They stay. They love without conditions and serve without seeking recognition. Their quiet perseverance and genuine care have impacted far more lives than they will ever see this side of eternity.

For their years of unwavering dedication, for their Christlike example, and for the countless seeds planted in the hearts of our children and teens, we joyfully recognize Bob and Cathy Mellen as 2026’s recipients of the Co-Laborers in Christ Award. Their legacy is woven into Urban Vision’s story, and our community is immeasurably better because of them.