Associated Church Press Best of the Christian Press Awards, Presented May 8, 2010, Arlington, Virginia

Best in Class: Regional Newspaper

Judged by Leon Alligood

Award of Excellence:The Catholic Sun, Robert DeFrancesco and J. D. Long-García, editors. “This was a very competitive category. Readers are well served by all the entries. The Sun's layout is clean and orderly. Front pages are full of news and there is a good variety of stories throughout. The columnists are a strong point of this publication and made the difference in judging.”

Award of Merit: • The Alabama Baptist, the The Alabama Baptist staff. “Solid writing throughout the newspaper. Variety of stories throughout and lots of news for Alabama Baptists. The layout is clean and not confusing to the eye. The front page features are well done.”

Honorable Mention: Metro Lutheran, Bob Hulteen, editor. “Lots of news and a variety of stories. The breadth of coverage is impressive. The layout is clean and appeals to the eyes, and stories are of appropriate length.”

Best in Class: National/International Newspaper

Judged by Leon Alligood

Award of Excellence:The United Methodist Reporter, Robin Russell, editor. “The Reporteris the winner because of its clean layout, its choice of engaging topics, and the talent of its writers.”

Award of Merit:The Mennonite Weekly Review, Paul Schrag and Celeste Kennel-Shank, editors. “I was impressed with the mix of stories and how many of them carried datelines. I learned a great deal about the faith of Mennonites by reading the newspaper.”

Honorable Mention:The Christian Chronicle, Lynn McMillon and Bobby Ross, Jr. editors. “A well-rounded publication; lots of articles for all kinds of readers. Good use of photos. Layout of covers was very nice.”

Best in Class: Special Interest Magazine

Judged by Pamela Hill Nettleton

Award of Excellence:Horizons Magazine, Susan Jackson Dowd, communications coordinator, Laura Lee, art director. “Images, illustrations, headlines, decks, and copy work together to create an overall impression of an information-packed publication aimed squarely at its audience.”

Award of Merit:Reformed Worship, Joyce Borger, editor, and Dean Heertdeeks and Frank Gutbrod, designers. “Attractive, clean, easy-to-read, professional design that is coherent and cohesive throughout. Writing is clear, engaging, direct, and focused.”

Honorable Mention:The Christian Century, David Heim, executive editor. “Fair and balanced writing and coverage of sometimes controversial issues. The Century Newsdepartment is a particularly clean and organized way to handle a number of small stories in limited space.”

Best in Class: Denominational Magazine

Judged by Pamela Hill Nettleton

Award of Excellence:The Presbyterian Record, David Harris, editor, Caroline Bishop, designer. “An up-to-date, professionally rendered publication that engages in meaningful and important issues that are often overlooked—including a major feature on the mental health of the clergy.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic, Father John Molyneux, C.M.F., Meinrad Scherer-Emunds, and Bryan Cones, editors. Strong and clever covers. “Cover lines and blurbs, headlines and decks are written with wit and an eye toward engaging the reader appropriately for each story. Writing is lively and smooth, and story concepts and execution, including design, are imaginative.”

Honorable Mention:Friends Journal, Susan Corson-Finnerty, editor. “This publication does not shrink from challenging and difficult issues. The design is straightforward and classic but is also aesthetically pleasing, clear, and easy to follow for the reader.”

Best in Class: General Interest Magazine

Judged by Pamela Hill Nettleton

Award of Excellence:Sojourners, Jim Rice, editor, Ed Spivey, Jr., designer. “Contemporary, attractive, compelling design administered with balance and thoughtfulness for the reader. Images, heads, decks, and pullquotes work together with copy to communicate the messages of the stories. Writing is engaging, sharply rendered, and well-paced.”

Award of Merit:Commonweal, Paul Baumann and others, editors. “A serious publication that accomplishes its mission of analytical commentary with balance and thoughtfulness. Classic design supports straightforward, competent writing.”

Honorable Mention:Salvo, James M. Kushiner, editor. “Design is sophisticated, contemporary, and hip. Headlines and decks are witty and engaging. Images are strong and layouts are consistently readable and intriguing.”

Best in Class: Journal

Judged by Pamela Hill Nettleton

Award of Excellence:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity, James M. Kushiner, editor. “A journal packed with articles, sidebars, illustrations, and pullquotes. Interior design is classic, hard-working, and readable. Content is timely, sometimes scholarly, and appropriate to its defined audience.”

Award of Merit:Reflections: Yale Divinity School, Ray Waddle, editor, Peter Johnson, designer. “Elegant, attractive layout. Important, current themes of interest to its audience, and powerful, impactful photos in interior design. High-quality writing.”

Honorable Mention:The Cresset, James Paul Old, editor. “Current topics are raised in a lively, engaging fashion: a discussion of the hard rock of Kiss, Clint Eastwood's films, the television series House. The Cressetengages pop culture and media in ways that readers no doubt enjoy.”

Best in Class: Newsletter

Judged by Leon Alligood

Award of Excellence:Forum Letter, Richard O. Johnson, editor. “The writing is what made Forum Letterthe winner in this category. I was intrigued by the honesty of the writers and their ability to express themselves so clearly about matters of faith.”

Award of Merit:Context. “Variety is the strength of Context. Each issue offered articles and insight that I'm sure are must-reading for many. Kudos for the clever headlines, too.”

Honorable Mention:At Home with Our Faith, Annemarie Scobey, author, and Catherine O’Connell-Cahill, editor. “There's a lot of good storytelling in At Home with Our Faith. The anecdotal leads were interesting and appropriate to the material presented—and were always on point, which is refreshing.”

Best in Class: News Service

Judged by Leon Alligood

Award of Excellence:Ecumenical News International, Peter Kenny, editor-in-chief. “What impressed me about ENI is the breadth and depth of the reporting. The variety of articles presented for consumption was refreshing. The writing was well-edited and engaging.”

Award of Merit:Religion News Service, Kevin Eckstrom, editor. “This was a tough one to decide because RNS is doing some great work. I enjoyed the variety of stories—news/features and hard news. All I can say is keep on doing what you're doing.”

Honorable Mention (tie): • Baptist Press, Will Hall, editor. “The pieces from Kyrgyzstan and El Salvador were well-edited and newsy. In particular you told me news the mainstream press wouldn't cover, no doubt.”• Presbyterian News Service, Jerry L. Van Marter, coordinator. “There was much to like in this entry: nice features, hard-hitting news. The writing was tight, well-edited, and a good read.”

Best in Class: Independent Website or E-zine

Judged by Owen Youngman

Award of Excellence:Café—Stirring the Spirit Within, www.boldcafe.org, Elizabeth McBride and Katherine Elliott, editors. “A carefully crafted package of articles on fascinating topics. A clear focus on the intended audience, very successfully pulled off. And once the reader is hooked, the easy navigation to back issues is unusually helpful and well put together.”

Award of Merit:Busted Halo, www.bustedhalo.com. “Lots of interesting content in the right categories for the target audience: young adults/spiritual seekers. Good range of departments; lots of multimedia.”

Honorable Mention (tie): • The Florida Catholic, thefloridacatholic.org. “Very impressive execution, with good content for all four dioceses, wealth of content, and fine multimedia.”• Prepare the Word, PrepareTheWord.com, Patrice J. Tuohy and others, authors and editors, ideaPort LLC, designer.“Lots of resources here for the clergy. My favorite part of the site was Preaching the News, with ideas linking the lectionary to current events.”

Best Website Redesign

Judged by Owen Youngman

Award of Excellence:ELCA News Service, John Brooks, editor.“Does what it sets out to do: provide information to both church journalists and secular media. Compared to the prior design, very clear and attractive and organized well enough to make a journalist return to it regularly.”

Award of Merit:Busted Halo. “Lots of good content and fairly easy to figure out how to find it. Designed with its audience in mind.”

Honorable Mention:International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Editor Jonathan J. Bonk,

Associate Editor Dwight P. Baker, Assistant Editor Craig A. Noll, Assistant Editor Rona Johnston Gordon, Managing Editor Daniel J. Nicholas.

Editorial or Opinion Piece: Newspaper/News Service/Newsletter

Judged by Andrew Herrmann

Award of Excellence:The Catholic Review for “Our Turn—As violence shatters streets, the church comes to the forefront” by Christopher Gunty, August 27. “Strong editorial to a great campaign. The issues are laid out in fine order backed by good use of quotes and strong research. A good example of how institutions can use their power to foster change.”

Award of Merit:Reporter (LCMS) for “Rethinking our pro-life mission” by Maggie Karner, March. “Loved the examples of what it means to be ‘pro-life.’ Readers were rewarded by a fresh view of the matter.”

Honorable Mention:The Catholic Sun for “Seeking Conversation,” by Robert DeFrancesco, editor, April 16.

Editorial or Opinion Piece: Magazine

Judged by Andrew Herrmann

Award of Excellence:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “Married with Reservations” by Anthony Esolen, September-October. “A smart piece that challenges conventional wisdom about marriage and divorce. The writer has a passion of conviction and builds his argument well.”

Award of Merit:Reflections: Yale Divinity School for “One Superpower Under God” by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Spring. “The writer clearly put a lot of thought and time into this piece, and the reader looking for provocative opinion is certainly rewarded here by the effort.”

Honorable Mention:The Adventist Review for “Good and Green” by Bill Knott, April 9.

Editorial Courage

Judged by Andrew Herrmann

Award of Excellence:Ecumenical News International for coverage of the World Council of Churches. “This is editorial courage at its best—great journalism in the watchdog tradition. Great risk for the writers, but the audience wins.”

Award of Merit:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “Love, Sex, and Mammon” by Russell D. Moore, March. “No doubt about the point of view here! The writer challenges the reader with passionate conviction and an in-your-face message that dares dispute popular opinion.”

Honorable Mention (tie): • Friends Journalfor “Sex Offenders are People, Too!” by Stacia Roesler, September.• U.S. Catholicfor “Above and Beyond the Call” by Bryan Cones, June 12.

Feature Article: Newspaper

Judged by Selwyn Crawford

Award of Excellence:The United Methodist Reporter for “The new monasticism” by Robin Russell, September 18. “Great job of talking about a topic that is right on point to the mission statement.”

Award of Merit:The Alabama Baptist for “It all started with a dream” by Brittany N. Howerton, September 3. “Did a good job of telling a touching story and bringing out the emotion as well as the facts and information.”

Honorable Mention:The Christian Chronicle for “Special needs, special children” by Bobby Ross, Jr., December.

Feature Article: News Service/Newsletter/Website

Judged by Selwyn Crawford

Award of Excellence:Reporter (LCMS) for “Teacher Puts Christmas Gifts Toward Food Pantry” by Paula Schlueter Ross, May. “Out of all the entries in this category, this story was the one that had it all—an interesting, timely topic, clearly and succinctly told without being overwritten. Answered just about every pertinent question.”

Award of Merit:Ecumenical News International for “No sausages at Palestinian Oktoberfest, but plenty of beer” by Judith Sudilovsky, October 6. “Perhaps the best thing about this story was its uniqueness. Just the idea for the story alone made it good, and the writer kept it light in what is often a dark part of the world.”

Honorable Mention:Religion News Service for “Some preachers, long gone, keep preaching from beyond the grave” by Adelle M. Banks, April 22.

Feature Article: Magazine, Short Format

Judged by Cathy Cobbs

Award of Excellence:The Banner for “A Silent Dwelling” by Mark Mulder, November. “I loved this story. Your illustrations were very poignant. Your eloquent explanation of your pain can teach a valuable lesson for those who have experienced a loss.”

Award of Merit:The United Church Observer for “True Unbelievers” by Jocelyn Bell, February. “You went where most Christians fear to tread. Awesome quotes. Excellent analysis of your feelings also.”

Honorable Mention:The Mennonite for “Mennonite churches discern if and how to minister to convicted sex offenders” by Anna Groff, April 21.

Feature Article: Magazine, Long Format

Judged by Linda Lawson

Award of Excellence:The Adventist Review for “Seeing the Sparrow Fall” by Dixil Rodríguez, November 19. “The telling of the story lives up to the quality of the story itself. The writer builds the events in such a way that the reader knows what's coming but hopes to be wrong.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for “Collection racket” by Robert McClory, May. “This article is well-researched, -told, and -illustrated. Any who might initially question the scope of the problem of parish embezzlement will be convinced after reading this well-documented piece.”

Honorable Mention (tie): • Friends Journalfor “A La Chureca Christmas” by Herb Haigh, December. •Presbyterians Todayfor “The faces of immigration” by Eva Stimson, September.

News Story: Newspaper

Judged by Jeff Strickler

Award of Excellence:The Catholic Sun for “Lifesavers or desert desecrators?” by J. D. Long-García, November 19. “Excellent lead; I had not heard of No More Deaths. This story is a great find. Nice use of words to create visual images in the readers' mind.”

Award of Merit:The Anglican Journal for “Re-thinking how we do church” by Kristin Jenkins, September. “This obviously is a very complicated matter that church leaders are dealing with delicately, and the writer captures that.”

Honorable Mention (tie): •The Christian Chroniclefor “In Ghana, dream for Christian college materializes” by Bobby Ross, Jr. and Erik Tryggestad, August. •The Mennonite Weekly Reviewfor “The look of hope” by Paul Schrag, March 2.

News Story: News Service/Newsletter/Website

Judged by Jeff Strickler

Award of Excellence:Presbyterian News Service for “‘We cannot agree’ says marriage/unions panel” by Jerry L. Van Marter, September 21. “Good overview of the many opinions on this issue. It really caught the sense of unease that surrounds the issue and those dealing with it.”

Award of Merit:Ecumenical News International for “Churches say 'atheist buses' promote discussion about God” by Martin Revis, January 14. “The atheist campaign has been reported on before but not from this angle. Nice touch! Well-balanced reporting.”

Honorable Mention:No award given

News Story: Magazine

Judged by Jeff Strickler

Award of Excellence:The United Church Observer for “Aid under fire” by Kevin Spurgaitis, July. “Important story, well reported. Nice writing—puts a human face on a story that could have drowned in politics and statistics.”

Award of Merit:The Presbyterian Outlook for “New Jersey pastor has same-gender wedding” by Leslie Scanlon, December 28. “The story leaves me wondering how this will play out with McNeill and her church. That's a good sign.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Church Heraldfor “Cathedral in Conflict” by Terry A. DeYoung, April. •The Lutheran Witnessfor “In Bethlehem: Hope behind the wall” by David L. Mahsman, February. •U.S. Catholicfor “Fault lines: The immigration debate comes home to Catholic parishes” by J. D. Long-García.

Convention or Meeting Coverage: Newspaper

Judged by Jason L. Young

Award of Excellence:The Catholic Review for “Christ reigns for archdiocesan youth at national conference,” Christopher Gunty, editor. “The Catholic Review's stated purpose is to serve as ‘the official means of communication for the archbishop of Baltimore,’ and everything in this entry meets those goals. The writing was solid.”

Award of Merit:The Mennonite Weekly Review for “Special issue: Mennonite Church USA Convention,” Paul Schrag, editor. “The scope of coverage was solid and you provided plenty of real estate to get the stories to your readers.”

Honorable Mention:The Anglican Journal for “Anglican Consultative Council in Jamaica,” Kristin Jenkins, editor.

Convention or Meeting Coverage: News Service/Newsletter/Website

Judged by Jason L. Young

Award of Excellence:Baptist Press for coverage of the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Kentucky,” Will Hall, editor. “When you have a staff and the resources to do so, you should blanket every inch of a convention. While the Baptist Press might not have covered all possible stories, it would be hard to figure out which ones they missed.”

Award of Merit:Reporter (LCMS) for “Conference looks at reaching rural America with the Gospel” by Roland Lovstad, December 9. “The writer did a great job of grabbing the reader's attention with his anecdote about Rev. Kollbaum. It provides a perfect springboard into the story that was layered with other stories and information about rural ministries.”

Honorable Mention:Religion News Service for “Lutherans lift ban on gay clergy” by Adelle M. Banks, August 21.

Convention or Meeting Coverage: Magazine

Judged by Jason L. Young

Award of Excellence:The Lutheran for “Assembly Takes Dramatic Step” by The Lutheranstaff, April. “Well-written and -reported articles about the ELCA's vote on same-gender relations and homosexuals as clergy. Religious groups have grappled with this issue for the past decade and it would be easy for a magazine to take sides, but The Lutheranlet the Assembly speak for itself.”

Award of Merit:No award given

Honorable Mention:The Atlantic Union Gleaner for “Atlantic Union Pastors and Teachers: Together in His Calling” by Ednor A. P. Davison, September.

In-Depth Coverage: Newspaper/News Service/Newsletter/Website

Judged by Jeff Kunerth

Award of Excellence:The Alabama Baptist for coverage of bingo gambling in Alabama by Jennifer Rash Davis and Sondra Washington. “This series of stories was thoroughly reported and authoritatively written. The strength of the series was its original reporting which at times was ahead of the secular press.”

Award of Merit:The Christian Chronicle for “Global South: The changing face of the church” by Erik Tryggestad and Bobby Ross, Jr., July. “The stories were well-written and compelling. The reporting was thorough and deep, providing both intimacy of detail and the context of historical perspective.”

Honorable Mention:Baptist Press for analysis of denominational statistics by Will Hall, June.

In-Depth Coverage: Magazine

Judged by Michael Hirsley

Award of Excellence:The Covenant Companion for coverage of immigration, September. “This issue actually reveals details readers did not know before from a day with Samaritans in the desert to a small Iowa town with an amazing array of refugees.”

Award of Merit:The United Church Observer for “Miracle or dilemma?” by Richard Wright, April. “The entry has the feel of a thorough project both well-researched and well-humanized. A nice melding of scientific and humanistic concerns conveyed in quotes from multiple sources.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Presbyterians Todayfor “The faces of immigration” by Eva Stimson, September. •U.S. Catholicfor “Under the gun” and “My life after death” by Megan Sweas and Kathleen O’Hara, photos by Carlos Javier Ortiz.

Theme Issue, Section, or Series: Newspaper/News Service/Newsletter/Website

Judged by John Wylie

Award of Excellence:The Christian Chronicle for “Global South: The changing face of the church” by Erik Tryggestad and Bobby Ross, Jr, July-December. “A truly awesome effort. This took a great deal of planning and commitment.”

Award of Merit:Presbyterian News Service for “Growing Christ's Church Deep and Wide” by Jerry L. Van Marter. “The choice between 1st and 2nd was very difficult because this is such a superb example of how to use new media in church communications.”

Honorable Mention:The Presbyterian Sun for “Newsprint ends, but news legacy lives on at PNNews.org” by Shane Whisler, December.

Theme Issue, Section, or Series: Magazine

Judged by Faith Wylie

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic for special family issue by the editors, April. “Great practical topic. Useful stories. Very inviting and readable for a general audience. Uses variety of approaches: statistics, humor, how-to, personal stories. Of all the excellent entries this rose to the top because of the great topic, quality writing, tight editing, and strong graphics.”

Award of Merit:Alliance Life for graphic novel issue, Melinda Lane, editor, Denes House, Beryl Glass, Jeff Lane, and Rick Hemphill, artists, September. “The editor and her staff succeeded wonderfully in taking a ‘graphic novel’ approach to the good news. I hope this is not a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience—this approach shows great promise as we try to tell the good news of Jesus Christ across generational and cultural gaps.”

Honorable Mention:Adventist Review for “Good Health: More Than an Apple a Day” by Sandra Blackmer, June 25.

Interview

Judged by Manya Brachear

Award of Excellence:Sojourners for “The Truth Smirks” by Jim Wallis, July. “A funny, entertaining, and thought-provoking conversation between comedian Jon Stewart and the Rev. Jim Wallis. Some thoughtful commentary about the media’s role as a moral compass in comparison to the role of the Hebrew prophets.”

Award of Merit:Commonweal for “Great Art Survives” by Ian Marcus Corbin, February 27. “Artfully reveals the spiritual journey inspired by Dave Brubeck’s musical composition of the Mass To Hope!and the reason he thinks music can bring others closer to God.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Covenant Companionfor “A Conversation with the Unlikely Disciple” by Doug Bixby, October. •Ministry: International Journal for Pastorsfor “Prayer-saturated preaching” by Derek Morris, July. •The Presbyterian Outlookfor “30 minutes with Prince Hassan” by Jack Haberer, October 28. •U.S. Catholicfor “And God Created Darwin” by the editors, February.

Biographical Profile

Judged by Sam Hodges

Award of Excellence:The United Church Observer for “Rescuing Darwin” by Paul Fayter, November. “This is a clearly-written, highly-informative retrospective profile of Darwin. It has a clarifying point to make about Darwin and faith and manages to work in a good bit of his life story. I learned from it and was persuaded by it.”

Award of Merit:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “Pure Visionary” by Allan Carlson, June. “In a few pages the author does an excellent job of telling Anthony Comstock's rather surprising story. It persuaded me that Comstock is at least a more interesting and complicated figure than his cartoonish reputation.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Adventist Reviewfor "I Know He Watches Me" by Stephen Chavez, April 16. •Commonwealfor “Frankie's Secret” by Peter Quinn, February 13. • Presbyterian News Service for “Birds of a feather: Iraqi pastor makes history as first transfer to the PC(USA)” by Bethany Furkin, February 9. •Presbyterians Todayfor “The realJohn Calvin” by Christopher Ellwood, July-August.

Personal Experience/First-Person Account: Short Format

Judged by Mary Schmich

Award of Excellence:Commonweal for “Pulling Punches” by Christopher Duncan, April 24. “This piece is beautifully constructed, gracefully written, asks an important question, and suggests an answer worth arguing about. It's hard to make a personal piece bigger than the persons involved, but this piece does it.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for “The terrible brilliance” by Bryan Doyle, April 24. “A very affecting piece that draws you right in. The voice is strong, the approach original. The author does a good job weaving story and theory.”

Honorable Mention:Sojourners for “Tattoos and Bright Lights” by Chris Hoke, April.

Personal Experience/First-Person Account: Long Format

Judged by Mary Schmich

Award of Excellence:The Christian Century for “Accidental lessons: My encounter with a chainsaw” by William H. Willimon, April 21. “This piece grabbed me with the first paragraph and the energy never let go. It blends theology and reflection with wit and a good tale. The writing is crisp and graceful and there were many lines worth quoting.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for “Confessions of a repeat offender” by Molly Jo Rose, August. “This piece was a pleasure to read. It draws you into the story with good detail that plays to various senses. One of the piece's strengths is what's left unspoken.”

Honorable Mention:Lutheran Woman Today for “Applecart Lessons” by Phyllis Kersten,
April.

Column

Judged by Don Wycliff

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic for Margin Notesby Kevin Clarke. “Excellent reporting. Strong, passionate writing. Intelligent without being inaccessible. Picks important topics. I found myself saying, ‘Aha! I never thought about it that way.’ That, to my mind, is the highest compliment one can pay to a columnist.”

Award of Merit:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for Contours of Cultureby Ken Myers. “Excellent writing on important topics, marked by erudition and insight. I want to read more of Ken Myers.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Commonwealfor columns by Cathleen Kaveny. •The Covenant Companionfor Markingsby John E. Phelan, Jr. •In Trustfor Spirit Mattersby Melinda R. Heppe.

Department

Judged by Michael Hirsley

Award of Excellence:DisciplesWorld for Lean Timesby Arlene Franks, Charles Cochran, and Christian Piatt. “Very nice mix of perspectives on ‘lean times.’ Interviews make recollections of the Great Depression a vivid back story.”

Award of Merit:The Lutheran Witness for Lifelineby James H. Heine, Vicky Schaeffer, editors. “These people can write. Their stories are well edited and both poignant and straightforward. Skeptics may doubt, but these expressions of faith are forceful and unadorned.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Christian Chroniclefor Around the World, Erik Tryggestad, editor.•U.S. Catholicfor Sounding Boardby various authors.

Media Review Section

Judged by William Droel

Award of Excellence:Sojourners for Culture Watch, Molly Marsh, editor. “The section has a good variety of CDs, documentary films, and books, plus media commentary. The Web extras add to the information.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for Culture in Contextby Patrick McCormick. “The writing is popular and sufficiently light but the message is profound.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Adventist Todayfor “Less Than Absolute Certainty” by David Pendleton. •Friends Journalfor “Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship” by Richard Taylor and Catherine Wald.

Critical Review

Judged by Robert Wyatt

Award of Excellence:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “Russia's Gospel Writer” by Ralph C. Wood, July-August. “A circumspect consideration of complicated issues raised by exegetes of perhaps our most profound Christian novelist, Dostoevsky.”

Award of Merit:No award given.

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Christian Centuryfor “Humanitarian dilemma” by Chris Herlinger, June 30. •The Lutheran Witnessfor “Hack The Shack” by Stephen B. Borst, May.

Letters to the Editor

Judged by Sam Hodges

Award of Excellence:Friends Journal for Forum, Susan Corson-Finnerty, editor. “Obviously this is a forum where readers and writers expect a lively exchange of views on important subjects. So many publications have dumbed down and/or digested text. Friends Journalis holding the line.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for You May Be Right, Bryan Cones, editor. “I found this to be a very solid letters section, both in content in design. The section is very inviting to a first-time reader of the magazine.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Anglican Journalfor Letters, Kristin Jenkins, editor. •The United Church Observerfor Letters.

Poetry

Judged by Daniel deRoulet

Award of Excellence:The Mennonite for “Heavens” by Jesse Nathan, May 5. “A finely drawn poem that connects different worlds through its image. It is effectively subtle and in control of its imagery; its voice is genuine.”

Award of Merit:Baptist Peacemaker for “Ruminations from the Streets” by Love Grace Araneta Arbella, April-June. “This prose poem is effective in using images and story to deeply draw the reader into what for many is an unfamiliar situation.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Sojournersfor “Lucca” by Annie Deppe, June. •U.S. Catholicfor “Cancer Poem #5” by Terry Cahill, August.

Personally Useful Article

Judged by Marguerite M. Rourk

Award of Excellence:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “Bad Books for Kids” by David Mills, July-August. “A much needed honest commentary, clear, explicit in its compelling thesis. A superb tool for forming the character, life-outlook, and perhaps even the faith of children.”

Award of Merit (tie):•InterpreterMagazine for “Social Networking Web Sites: A Wesleyan Mission Field” by Kathy Noble, May-June. “Excellent presentation of timely information on today's communication methods. Very thorough, and sidebars help to unpack and categorize a large amount of material.” •U.S. Catholicfor “Deathbed Confusion” by Heather Grennan Gary, November. “This is an unusually cogent and helpful foray into a usually murky and theologically confusing and dicey area.”

Honorable Mention:The Covenant Companion for “I Was Sick and You Cared for Me” by Diana R. G. Trautwein, January.

Professional Resource

Judged by Santiago Cortés-Sjöberg

Award of Excellence:Sojourners for “How to Read the Bible” by Marilyn McEntyre, June. “This brief but powerful article, extremely well written, concisely presents a common topic (how to read the Bible) in a fresh way that perfectly matches the magazine’s mission and intended audience.”

Award of Merit:Reformed Worship for “Easter: A Season of ‘Social Capital’” by Cas Wepener, December. “Offers practical information and explains concepts concisely and in an understandable fashion. Good examples for leaders/committees to implement and a useful sidebar for further reading.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Covenant Companionfor “Being Intentional about the Interim” by Mick Murphy, August. •In Trustfor “Nipping Trouble in the Bud: When Board Members Behave Badly” by Rebekah Burch Basinger, New Year. •U.S. Catholicfor “Collection Racket” by Robert McClory, May.

Humor, Written

Judged by Marguerite M. Rourk

Award of Excellence:The Christian Century for “Dear John: Your Gospel does not meet our current needs” by William H. Willimon, December 1. “Finely crafted; sucks the reader right in. A painfully accurate portrait, yet pokes at what needs poking. A glorious read.”

Award of Merit:Horizons Magazine for “An Invitation to Speak” by Charlotte Johnstone, March. “A warmly amusing piece which well combines the humorous and the pensive and is never dismissive of the easily dismissible.”

Honorable Mention:Forum Letter for “Temple prostitution: a modest proposal” by Peter Speckhard, November.

Theological or Scholarly Article

Judged by Holly Taylor Coolman

Award of Excellence:The Christian Century for “Does the Promise Still Hold? Israel and the Land” by Gary A. Anderson, January 13. “Scholarly excellence: The author is clearly thoroughly knowledgeable in this area. Clear practical relevance. The exchange of view after the primary essay only sharpens and clarifies the issues.”

Award of Merit:Commonweal for “In Defense of Desire: The Theology of James Alison” by Christopher Ruddy, January 30. “The author does a great job of opening up the work of Alison to a broader audience.”

Honorable Mention:The United Church Observer for “Rescuing Darwin” by Paul Fayter, November.

Biblical Interpretation

Judged by Stephen Breck Reid

Award of Excellence:Commonweal for “How Is the Bible True? Let me count the ways” by Luke Timothy Johnson, May 22. “A well-presented hermeneutical argument.”

Award of Merit:Sojourners for “From Anxiety and Greed to Milk and Honey” by Walter Brueggemann, February. “Excellent title and good opening sentence. Good structure. The author keeps the Bible in the foreground.”

Honorable Mention:Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity for “When Gentile Meets Jew” by Peter J. Leithart, May.

Theological Reflection: Short Format

Judged by Gary B. MacDonald

Award of Excellence:The Presbyterian Record for “Love that understands” by Michael Walker, November. “The article provided a thorough and helpful analysis of the theology of the Eucharist alongside an illuminating and powerful narrative around issues of strength and vulnerability and loneliness and belonging.”

Award of Merit:Reflections: Yale Divinity School for “Minor-Key Theology” by Ray Waddle, Fall. “An engaging and insightful outline of the divide in American religion between so-called traditional and megachurch varieties, providing relevant analysis and questions.”

Honorable Mention:No award given.

Theological Reflection: Long Format

Judged by Gary B. MacDonald

Award of Excellence:The Christian Century for “How does Jesus save? An alternative view of atonement” by William C. Placher, June 2. “Clear and helpful exposition of ancient and contemporary theories. Shows strengths and weaknesses of each while presenting alternative.”

Award of Merit:Sojourners for “From Anxiety and Greed to Milk and Honey” by Walter Brueggemann, February. “The author provides a keen analysis of the underlying themes found in the current economic crisis, juxtaposing clear theological alternatives.”

Honorable Mention:Commonweal for “Thou Shalt: Sex Beyond the List of Don’ts” by Lisa Fullam, April 24.

Devotional/Inspirational: Short Format

Judged by Kathy Palen

Award of Excellence:The Christian Century for “Holy ground: A pastoral call” by M. Craig Barnes, May 19. “This entry shows how deep theological reflection can take place as the result of a personal pastoral experience if an individual is open and attentive. Beautiful writing combines with a strong personal narrative and thoughtful reflection to produce a deeply inspiring piece.”

Award of Merit:The Presbyterian Outlook for “Tall steeples” by Theodore J. Wardlaw, November 30. “Clear writing style, good illustrations, and an interesting topic.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Lutheranfor “Lenten nest: What will you add to these 40 days of waiting for new life?” by Susan Langhauser, March. •Reflections: Yale Divinity Schoolfor “In Defense of Courage” by Scott Bader-Saye, Spring.

Devotional/Inspirational: Long Format

Judged by Kathy Palen

Award of Excellence:The Adventist Review for “Seeing the Sparrow Fall” by Dixil Rodríguez, November 19. “This deeply moving and inspiring piece incorporates strong, descriptive writing with an honest and personal reflection about God's care for all of creation. It also reflects the power that connections with others can have in life.”

Award of Merit (tie):•The Covenant Companionfor “What's on your mind? How Facebook connects me to the body of Christ” by Lenora Rand, June. “This piece offers a fresh perspective of ritual as it considers how Facebook can help play that role.” •U.S. Catholicfor “Out of the Depths” by various authors, June. “This well-written collection of personal experiences offers inspiring connections between difficult times and faith-related insights.”

Honorable Mention (tie):The Cresset for “The Year without Persimmons” by Joel Kurz, Easter. •The Lutheran Witnessfor “Foolish Things of the World” by Seth Long, October. •The Presbyterian Recordfor “Requiem to Jim” by David Webber, January. •Presbyterians Todayfor “Conversations with Jesus” by Eugenia A. Gamble, Anita DuFalla, artist, January-February.

Bible Resource

Judged by Santiago Cortés-Sjöberg

Award of Excellence:Reformed Worship for “Answering the Questions or Questioning the Answer.” “Excellent and practical, step-by-step resource on a perennial question. It provides additional online resources as well as illustrations directly related to the sessions themselves.”

Award of Merit:Lutheran Woman Today for “To God’s Beloved: Paul’s Letter to the Romans” by Sarah Henrich, Summer Bible Study. “Very practical, well-structured, language appropriate to its audience.”

Honorable Mention:Sojourners for “Preaching the Word” by various authors.

Seasonal Article

Judged by William Droel

Award of Excellence:The United Church Observer for “Into the city with Jesus” by David Giuliano, April. “In two pages it provokes plenty of thought; not just for the feast at hand but for all of Holy Week—for the rest of life actually. Preachers and liturgy planners in particular have to look at what they are doing after reading this.”

Award of Merit:Commonweal for “Virgil & the Vigil: The Bees Are Back in the Exsultet” by Rita Ferrone, April 10. “Readers will more intelligently and more fully worship for reading the article. The research is good. The transitions are good. The tone is right.”

Honorable Mention:The Covenant Companion for “Reflections on Torture, Part III” by C. John Weborg, December.

Magazine Cover

Judged by Robert Ayers

Award of Excellence:Ministry: International Journal for Pastors for “Preaching Through a Storm,” 316 Creative, April. “This is a well-thought-out concept and a successful execution of the graphic. The logo color and treatment is working in concert with the overall mood of the image. The typography is all readable and in a pleasing arrangement.”

Award of Merit (tie):•Commonwealfor “Summer Reading” by Lauretta O’Connor, June 19. “The mood and the success of incorporating the books into the Seurat painting is effective. The position and balance of the main cover line is very readable and relates well to the image.” •The Presbyterian Recordfor “Canada Youth '09” by various authors, September. “An effective use of a snapshot style of the youth in a variety of situations. The pin-up of the note works well.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Christian Centuryfor the February 2009 issue. •The Mennonitefor “God is with us and vice versa?” He Qi, artist, Dee Birkey, designer, December 15.

Newspaper Front Page

Judged by Robert Wyatt

Award of Excellence:The Anglican Journal for October 2009 issue, Saskia Rowley Fielder, designer. “Nice balance of elements and variety of illustrations including line drawings and a great pair of eyes in the lower right. Plenty of stories to appeal to a variety of readers.”

Award of Merit:The Christian Chronicle for July 2009 issue, Erik Tryggestad, designer. “Great face shots. Good balance and use of spot and full color and teasers.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Alabama Baptistfor the July 25 issue. •The Catholic Sunfor October issues, Robert DeFrancesco, editor.

Magazine Design, Spread or Story

Judged by John Johanek

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic for “Under the gun,” Tom Wright, designer. “What a fabulous use of four-color and black-and-white photos to create the proper story mood. Images are provocative and the layout presents them thoughtfully and with impact.”

Award of Merit:The Lutheran Witness for “Together with All Creatures,” James M. Heine, editor, Vicky Schaeffer, designer. “Great use of the art style to represent the editorial theme while using repetition of the art to unify the story.”

Honorable Mention:Salvo for “Rest in Pieces,” James M. Kushiner, editor, Jerry Janquart, designer.

Magazine Design, Entire Issue

Judged by John Johanek

Award of Excellence:Sojourners for the December issue, Ed Spivey, Jr., designer. “The magazine delivers excellent design consistency in a very contemporary look. Fonts from the logo are carried throughout the inside. Grid has variety yet provides organization. Layouts are clean.”

Award of Merit:U.S. Catholic for the December issue, by the editors. “Very clean and organized. Concepts are creative and well-executed. Stories are easy to follow and flow is good. Art styles have a fresh look and color usage is inviting and complementary.”

Honorable Mention:Adventist Today for the Fall issue, Chris Komisar, designer.

Newspaper/Newsletter Design, Spread or Story

Judged by Kent Travis

Award of Excellence:The Christian Chronicle for “Africa: After a century of growth, church membership tops 1 million,” Erik Tryggestad, designer, July. “This page speaks with authority. It starts with solid content. I learned something by reading this page.”

Award of Merit:The Catholic Review for “Cathedral of Mary Our Queen” by The Catholic Reviewstaff, November 5. “Nice overall design. Informative and well-produced art elements combine to give me a peek inside this place. I wanted to spend some time with this page.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•The Anglican Journalfor “Burundi: Part 1,” Saskia Rowley Fielder, designer, May 1. •The United Methodist Reporterfor “Potluck Fellowship,” Kristin Del Mul, designer, October 23.

Newspaper/Newsletter Design, Entire Issue

Judged by Kent Travis

Award of Excellence:The Catholic Sun for the October 1, November 19, and December 17 issues, Julie O’Keefe, designer. “Authoritative design throughout. Each page is inviting and uses art elements, whether photos or graphics, well. Typography is solid and easy to follow. Bold headlines throughout give the reader a clean, crisp entry into each page.”

Award of Merit:The Anglican Journal for the November issue, Saskia Rowley Fielder, designer. “A well-designed piece. I really liked the feature pages. Typography is solid throughout. Overall consistency is pleasing and inviting.”

Honorable Mention:The Alabama Baptist for the July 16 issue by The Alabama Baptiststaff.

Illustration, With Article or Cutline

Judged by Robert Ayers

Award of Excellence:The Presbyterian Record for “Breaking the Silence,” Michelle Thompson, illustrator, February. “The illustration has a strong impact in both size and cropping of the elements but also in the high impact colors that are used. The main figure used in black and in a high contrast style adds the proper mood to the mental health concerns.”

Award of Merit (tie):• The Adventist Review for “Church Dropouts,” Bill Tymeson, designer, June 18. “The lighter illustration approach to this important and heavier subject is working well. It's very clear to the reader what the message is through this series of illustrations to the question of ‘Is There Any Hope?’” •Sojournersfor “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Ed Spivey, Jr., art director, June. “The use of high impact colors is effective for the conflict of this subject matter. The typography/message is designed well into the illustration and helps define the bridge.”

Honorable Mention (tie):The Anglican Journal for “Unto us a child is born,” Joyce Cosby, illustrator, December 1. •The Lutheran Witnessfor “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna,” Ed Koehler, illustrator, June.

Photography, With Article or Cutline: Newspaper

Judged by Steven Vélez Luce

Award of Excellence:The Anglican Journal for “Tiffany & Co.,” Jay Black, photographer, November. “Excellent composition, great framing, fantastic story. In a competitive category this image stands out as having it all.”

Award of Merit:Presbyterian News Service for “Hog Heaven,” John Welzenbach, photographer, April 7. “Strong composition and technique. Great visual narrative. Good use of humor.”

Honorable Mention:The Catholic Review for “A Sign for All,” Owen Sweeney III, photographer, November 5.

Photography, With Article or Cutline: Magazine

Judged by Steven Vélez Luce

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic for “Under the gun,” Carlos Javier Ortiz, photographer, July. “Powerful. Beautiful images that use technique to underscore narrative.”

Award of Merit:The Presbyterian Record for “Malawi,” Paul Jeffrey, photographer, Caroline Bishop, designer, July-August. “The quality and diversity of these photos transport me to Malawi.”

Honorable Mention (tie):•Sojournersfor “The Cross and the Crossfire,” Gustavo Amador, photographer, April.•The United Church Observerfor “Lost and Found in Guatemala City,” Kevin Spurgaitis, photographer, April.

Humor, Graphic

Judged by Steven Vélez Luce

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic for “‘Twas the fight before Christmas,” Tom Wright, photographer and designer, December. “Very creative. Use of familiar imagery makes concept immediately accessible. Good twist.”

Award of Merit:The Lutheran Witness for cartoon in Shedding Some Lightsection, June-July. “Easily accessible image, which is central to communicating humor.”

Honorable Mention:Presbyterians Today for “Jay Leno, evangelist?” Rob Hren, artist, November.

Publication Redesign

Judged by John Johanek

Award of Excellence:Sojourners. “The new design does a much better job of bringing consistency to the magazine from cover to cover while giving it continuity from issue to issue. Clean, readable, inviting layout and format.”

Award of Merit:No award given.

Honorable Mention:No award given.

Publication Website

Judged by Owen Youngman

Award of Excellence:U.S. Catholic, www.uscatholic.org. “I completely love the tag line, ‘In conversation with American Catholics,’ and the site largely lives up to that with a poll, blogs, and discussion. This is a wonderful implementation of community, which is a key role that a website can perform over and above that of a printed magazine or newspaper.”

Award of Merit:Adventist Review online edition, adventistreview.org. “This is a wonderful website that marries great design with good content and strong navigation. I read many stories with interest and applaud you for the diversity of content.”

Honorable Mention:Sojourners, www.sojo.net.

Best Blog

Judged by David Gibson

Award of Excellence:Call & Response. “This blog knows the visual and intellectual appeal of good organization, easy navigability, and strong daily content. It fosters a collegial atmosphere by using a variety of contributors, and it has a daily roundup of religion stories from elsewhere on the Internet.”

Award of Merit:Busted Halo. Visual dynamite and genuinely informative once the dust clears. And it is just plain fun as well as inspiring. The blog has fine regular features and strong essays. A Catholic-sponsored site yet it is designed for all "spiritual seekers," and it delivers on that mission.

Honorable Mention (tie):•Deacon's Word. •U.S. Catholicblog.

This Year’s Judges

S. L. Alligoodis assistant professor of journalism at Middle Tennessee State University. Prior to that he worked for a number of newspapers as a general assignment reporter in news and features, an environment reporter, columnist, and a war correspondent with assignments in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Robert Ayersis the former art director of Organic Gardening magazine and is a founding partner and president of Ayers/Johanek Publication Design, Inc.

Manya Brachearreports on religion for the Chicago Tribune.

Cathy Cobbsis the managing editor of the Dunwoodie Crier, editor and writer at the Columbia Star, and a contributor to several other publications.

Holly Taylor Coolmanis a lecturer in the theology department of Boston College.

Santiago Cortés-Sjöbergis the supervising editor of parish life resources at Loyola Press in Chicago. He is the author of two books of biblical reflections and more than 100 articles on parish ministries, homily helps. Hispanic youth, theological questions, and vocations.

Selwyn Crawfordis an assistant metro editor at TheDallas Morning News, where he helps guide public safety coverage.

Daniel deRouletis dean of the college and professor of English at Vanguard University and has written and published fiction, poetry, articles, and a book on Christian literature.

William Droelis publisher of the monthly newsletter Initiatives from the National Center for the Laity.

David Gibsonis an award-winning religion writer, author of two books on Catholicism, and a blogger for dotCommonweal, Politics Daily, and other blogs.

Andrew Herrmannis managing editor at the Chicago Sun-Times.

Michael Hirsleyis a retired reporter, national correspondent, and columnist whose beats and writing awards at the Chicago Tribune ranged from general news to religion to sports.

Sam Hodgeshas been writing about religion at the Dallas Morning News since 2005 and for newspapers since 1978. He is author of B-Four, a novel, and coeditor of a collection of Civil War letters, Letters to Amanda.

John Johanekis an internationally known magazine design partner and founding partner of Ayers/Johanek Publication Design, Inc.

Jeff Kunerthis an award-winning journalist who covers religion as senior writer for the Orlando Sentinel. He is the coauthor with his wife Gretchen of Georgia Adventures: One-Day and Weekend Getawaysand Florida's Paved Bike Trails, a guide to the state's multiuse bicycle paths.

Linda Lawsonis a freelance writer and editor and retired director of communications for Life Way Christian Resources.

Gary B. MacDonaldis director of advanced ministerial studies at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas and an elder in the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Pamela Hill Nettletonis the author of numerous books for children and young adults.

Kathryn Palenis pastor of Central Baptist Church in Jamestown, Rhode Island. She worked for 12 years in communications-related positions for denominational colleges and agencies and as the director of consulting for the Alban Institute.

Stephen Breck Reidis professor of Christian scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

Marguerite M. Rourkis pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fairfax, Virginia. Prior to that position she was director of church and public relations at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina.

Mary Schmichis a metro columnist at the Chicago Tribune.

Jeff Stricklerhas been a newspaper reporter since 1971, currently at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Kent Travisis the graphics editor at The Tennessean in Nashville with 25 years experience in print journalism.

Steven Vélez Luceis the director of creative services for the Evangelical Covenant Church, professor of creative design at North Park University, and an independent filmmaker and screenwriter.

Robert O. Wyattis rector of St. Helena’s Episcopal Church in Burr Ridge, Illinois, and a former professor of journalism and communication and newspaper book review editor.

Don Wycliff, former public editor and editorial page editor for the Chicago Tribune, is Distinguished Journalist in Residence in the School of Communication at Loyola University Chicago.

Faith Wylieis the award-winning newspaper publisher of the Oolagah Lake Leader, writer, and graphic designer and a current member of a United Church of Christ new church planting.

John M. Wylie, IIhas been an award-winning investigative reporter and political columnist and is publisher of the Oolagah Lake Leader, a weekly Oklahoma newspaper.

Jason L. Youngis an adviser to the Saint Louis University student newspaper and Onward, a magazine dedicated to global social justice. He has worked with daily newspapers including the New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Indianapolis Star, and Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Owen R. Youngmanis Knight Professor of Digital Media Strategy at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, and was the first director of interactive media at the Chicago Tribune.

Associated Church Press Best of the Christian Press Awards, Presented May 8, 2010, Arlington, Virginia

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