The Synod’s official periodicals, Reporter and The Lutheran Witness, were honored in May by both the Associated Church Press (ACP) and the Evangelical Press Association (EPA) — winning a combined total of 15 awards for work published in 2009.
Founded in 1916, the ACP is the oldest religious interdenominational press association in North America, with a membership of nearly 200 publicat
The EPA provides training, networking, recognition, and other services designed to support more than 300 religious periodicals and the people who produce them.
At its annual convention, May 6-8 in Arlington, Va., the ACP presented three “Best of the Christian Press” awards to Reporter:
- Award of Excellence (first place) in the category of “Feature Article: News Service/Newsletter/Website” for “Teacher puts Christmas gifts toward food pantry,” by Reporter Staff Writer Paula Schlueter Ross (May 5, 2009).
- Award of Merit (second place) in “Editorial or Opinion Piece: Newspaper/News Service/Newsletter” for “Rethinking our pro-life mission” by Maggie Karner, director of Life and Health Ministries with LCMS World Relief and Human Care (March).
- Award of Merit in “Convention or Meeting Coverage: News Service/Newsletter/Website” for “Conference looks at reaching rural America with the Gospel” by Roland Lovstad, a freelance writer and a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Perryville, Mo. (Dec. 9).
The Lutheran Witness magazine received seven ACP awards:
- Award of Merit in “Department” for “Lifeline,” edited by James H. Heine, director of News and Information with the LCMS Board for Communication Services and executive editor of the magazine, and Vicky Schaeffer, the magazine’s senior designer.
- Award of Merit in “Magazine Design, Spread or Story” for “Together with All Creatures,” also edited by Heine and designed by Schaeffer (April).
- Award of Merit in “Humor, Graphic” for a cartoon in the magazine’s “Shedding Some Light” section (June/July).
- Honorable Mention (third place) in “News Story: Magazine” for “In Bethlehem: Hope Behind the Wall” by Rev. David L. Mahsman, director of special assignments, Eurasia, for LCMS World Mission, and managing director of the International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg (February). This story also received a fourth-place award from the EPA (see below).
- Honorable Mention in “Critical Review” for “Hack The Shack?” by Rev. Steven B. Borst, senior pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, Riverside, Calif. (May). This story also received a first-place award from the EPA.
- Honorable Mention in “Devotional/Inspirational: Long Format” for “Foolish Things of the World” by Seth Long, a graduate student and lecturer at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, Calif. (October).
- Honorable Mention in “Illustration, with Article or Cutline” for “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” by Ed Koehler, a St. Louis cartoonist and illustrator (June).
The EPA presented its “Higher Goals Awards” during its annual convention, May 5-7 in Dallas. The Lutheran Witness received five awards:
- First place in the “Critical Review” category for “Hack The Shack?” by Stephen B. Borst.
- Third place in “Cartoon” for a “Shedding Some Light” cartoon by Ed Koe
- Third place in “Single Photo: Candid” for “Young Cambodian Christian” by Amy Riley, a missionary with LCMS World Mission (October cover shot).
- Fourth place in “Reporting” for “In Bethlehem: Hope Behind the Wall” by Rev. David L. Mahsman.
- Fifth place in “Student Writer of the Year” for “From Seminary to Starbucks — And Beyond” by Dave Ficken, a student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (May).
“We’re delighted with the affirmations from our colleagues at the Evangelical Press Association and the Associated Church Press. It’s a wonderful honor,” said Heine. “But we’re most delighted with our LCMS colleagues and partners with whom we’ve been blessed. It’s their professionalism and hard work — and their dedication to the church — that you find at the core of these awards.
“Our writers, editors, and photographers have a great heart for their vocations and for serving God, and it shows in their work.”
Judges for the competitions included working and retired journalists, authors, editors, and artists, and professors at journalism schools nationwide.
Posted May 12, 2010
