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April 25, 2007

Presbyterian journalists garner 13 Associated Church Press awards

Five publications honored for 2006 work

by Presbyterian News Service

CHICAGO — Five Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related publications won a total of 13 awards April 24 at the 91st annual awards ceremony of the Associated Church Press — the oldest Christian press association in North America.

     The awards were presented at a banquet in the winners’ honor during the ACP annual convention here. The recognized work produced during 2006.

     Three PC(USA) publications garnered an Award of Excellence (first place):

• Presbyterians Today in the “Most Personally Useful Article” category for “Faithful Vacations” by Sue Washburn in the May 2006 issue;
• HORIZONS — the magazine for Presbyterian Women — in the “Bible Resource” category for its 2006 Bible study “In the Beginning: Perspectives on Genesis”; and
• Presbyterian News Service in the “News Story” category for Evan Silverstein’s story on the Jane Spahr same-sex marriage trial in March 2006.

     PNS also took an Award of Merit (second place) in the prestigious “Best in Class” category. It was the only PC(USA) publication to score in that category.

     The Presbyterian Outlook — an independent weekly magazine based in Richmond, VA — led the Presbyterian way with four awards:

• Award of Merit in the “Feature Article” category for “Bittersweet borders: Sahiouny family ties span separation, Lebanese catastrophe” by Alexa Smith in August 2006;
• Honorable Mention (third place) in the “News Story” category for “Something Happened Here” by Leslie Scanlon in the Sept. 11 issue;
• Honorable Mention in the “Theme Section” category for “Pastor Appreciation,” edited by Editor Jack Haberer in the Oct. 2 issue; and
• Honorable Mention in the In-Depth Coverage” category for magazines for its General Assembly wrap-up coverage.

     In addition to its Award of Excellence, Presbyterians Today won two other awards:

• Award of Merit in the “Bible Resource” category for the series “Bible Explorations” by Amy Plantinga Pauw; and
• Honorable Mention in the “Theological Reflection” category for “Presbyterians and Wealth: A Love-Hate Relationship” by Charles Wiley in the May 2006 issue.

     HORIZONS also won two awards in addition to its Award of Excellence:

• Honorable Mention in the “Theme Issue” category for its May/June 2006 issue on health; and
• Honorable Mention in the “Feature Article” category for “Ghosts of the Past” by Dee Dee Risher in the July/August 2006 issue.

     And Noticias — the newsletter of Santa Fe Presbytery — won an Award of Merit for small publications. The newsletter is edited by the Rev. Ray Kersting.