Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) communicators were honored this year at a joint conference of the Associated Church Press and Religious Communicators Council in Chicago. This was the first time in six years that the two organizations joined together to recognize communications work as well as offer a series of professional workshops and plenaries.

Communicators from the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly collected a total of 37 awards, including four top awards in writing, news coverage and video production, along with web, photography and poster design.

 

The Associated Church Press awards for 2018 work include:

OVERALL EXCELLENCE/BEST IN CLASS VIDEO PRODUCTION
Award of Excellence: PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly, Randy Hobson

FEATURE ARTICLE: Magazine, Short Format (1,200 words or fewer)
Honorable Mention: Presbyterians Today, “Raising Generous Children,” Pam Greer-UIlrich
Award of Merit: Presbyterians Today, June/July 2018, “Beyond A Bag of Groceries,” Sherry Blackman

NEWS STORY: News Service/Website/Blog
Award of Merit: Presbyterian News Service, “After synagogue shooting, Presbyterians share shock, grief; stand in solidarity with neighbors,” Paul Seebeck and Mike Ferguson

NEWS STORY: Magazine
Honorable Mention: Presbyterians Today, “Rural Realities: Hunger in the Heartland,” Donna Frischknecht Jackson
Award of Merit: Presbyterians Today, “Finding Homes for the Homeless,” Heidi Worthen Gambl

CONVENTION OR MEETING COVERAGE: Newspaper/Newsletter
Award of Excellence: General Assembly 223rd, PC(USA) Communications 

CONVENTION OR MEETING COVERAGE: News Service/Website/Blog
Award of Excellence: Unbound, “Renewing the Vision: Issues of Social Justice before the 223rd General Assembly (St. Louis),” Henry Koenig Stone

IN-DEPTH COVERAGE: Magazine/Journal
Honorable Mention: Presbyterians Today, November/December 2018, “Rural Realities: Hunger in the Heartland,” Donna Frischknecht Jackson

COLUMN: Magazine/Journal
Award of Merit: Presbyterians Today, “A Native American’s Thanksgiving Perspective,” Danelle Crawford McKinney 

ONLINE MEDIA: WEBSITE REDESIGN
Award of Merit: 223rd General Assembly of the PC(USA), Angie Stevens

PHOTOGRAPHY: SINGLE PHOTO WITH ARTICLE OR CUTLINE: Newspaper/News Service/Newsletter
Honorable Mention: PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly Communications, “Closing Cuban Churches,” Randy Hobson

PHOTOGRAPHY: SINGLE PHOTO WITH ARTICLE OR CUTLINE: Blog/Social Media/Website
Award of Excellence: Presbyterian Mission Agency Peacemaking Program, “Buddhist monks chant outside former North Korean Labor Party headquarters near the DMZ in South Korea,” Gregg Brekke

VIDEO: NEWS STORY, CURRENT EVENT
Honorable Mention: PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly, “Angry Tias and Abuelas,” Randy Hobson
Award of Merit: Presbyterian News Service, “PDA on continuing Baton Rouge cleanup,” Gregg Brekke

AWARENESS/ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
Honorable Mention: PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly Communications, “Spirit of GA,” Randy Hobson, Angie Stevens

EVENT PROMOTION/MARKETING CAMPAIGN/BRAND AWARENESS
Honorable Mention: PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly, “Mid Council Leaders Gathering,” Angie Stevens

 

The Religious Communicators Council recognized more than 90 winners of the DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards for quality and achievement. The awards were given in 50 categories of public relations and communications. The awards are named in honor of the late Victor DeRose and the late Paul M. Hinkhouse, who served as leading lithographers in New York City and were longtime supporters of the council.

More than 200 entries were submitted for the council competition this year from writers, editors, designers, videographers, photographers, broadcasters, social media specialists, web developers, marketers, fundraisers and students.

The awards include:

BEST In CLASS
Writing for Publication: Donna Frischhknecht Jackson, “Rural Realities” series, Presbyterians Today Magazine
Audio and Video: Paul Seebeck, Mike Fitzer, “JuJu Skateboard Ministry”
Public Relations/Advertising Campaigns: Teresa Mader and Bryce Wiebe, 2018–2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog Social Media Campaign

NEWSLETTER: Local or Regional Design
Award of Excellence: Mark Thomson, PHP Post, Presbyterian Hunger Program

MAGAZINE: National
Award of Merit: Donna Frischknecht Jackson, Jeffrey Lawrence, Mark Thomson, Karen Bosc, Jennifer Cash, Presbyterians Today

NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE NEWS 
Award of Merit: Rick Jones, A Night of 'Trepidation and Enlightenment'

NEWSPAPER FEATURE 
Award of Excellence: Rick Jones, “Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico Continue Long Road to Recovery One Year After Hurricanes 
Award of Merit: Rick Jones, “Hundreds of Presbyterians Join March to St. Louis' Justice Center”

MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Single Published Article
Award of Excellence: Donna Frischknecht Jackson and Paul Seebeck, Presbyterians Today (June/July 2018), “The Spirit at Work in St. Louis”

E-MAGAZINE
Award of Merit: Donna Frischknecht Jackson and Paul Seebeck, Presbyterians Today (October 2018), "Senior Sings Birthday Greetings to All," Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Award of Merit: Donna Frischknecht Jackson and Paul Seebeck, Presbyterians Today (February/March 2018), "Faith and Sports"

MAGAZINE ARTICLE SERIES BY A SINGLE WRITER
Award of Excellence: Donna Frischknecht Jackson, Presbyterians Today, "Rural Realities: White, Straight No More" October 2018. "Rural Realities: Hunger in the Heartland," November/December 2018

VIDEO: Promotional/Informational
Award of Excellence: Paul Seebeck, Michael Fitzer, “JuJu Skateboard Ministry”

POSTER
Award of Excellence: Margaret Hall Boone, Pentecost Offering

BOOKLET
Award of Merit: Mark Thomson, Mission Mosaic

SPECIAL ISSUE PUBLICATION
Award of Excellence: Donna Frischknecht Jackson and Mark Thomson, “God Lifts the Lowly”

ADVERTISEMENT: Series
Award of Excellence: Teresa Mader and Bryce Wiebe, 2018–2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog Print Advertising

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN: Series of Ads
Award of Excellence: Teresa Mader and Bryce Wiebe, 2018–2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog Print Advertising Campaign

INTEGRATED MARKETING
Award of Merit: Teresa Mader and Bryce Wiebe, 2018–2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog Annual Campaign

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Award of Excellence: Teresa Mader and Bryce Wiebe, 2018–2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog Social Media Campaign

The awards were presented at the historic Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago.