wfn.org | United Methodist publications win church press awards

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

April 4, 2000        News media contact: Joretta Purdue ·(202)
546-8722·Washington     10-71B{181}

CHICAGO (UMNS) - A magazine on spiritual matters was the big winner among
United Methodist publications in the annual awards given recently by the
Associated Church Press.

Awards were given in 43 categories of religious journalism March 30. 

Weavings, a bimonthly journal of the Christian spiritual life, garnered five
awards of excellence for four pieces of writing and for magazine graphics in
the November-December issue. The graphics were a product of artist Nelson
Kane.

The written pieces honored were the feature article, "Holy Fear and the
Wildness of God," by Robert C. Morris in the March-April 1999 issue; a
biographical profile titled "Evelyn Underhill at Pleshey," by Deborah Smith
Douglas in the January-February 1999 issue; a first-person account, "A Vow
Fulfilled," by Kristen Johnson Ingram, in the September-October issue; and a
devotional or inspirational article of more than 1,200 words titled
"Sacrament of Time," also by Ingram, which appeared in the January-February
1999 issue.

The journal, one of several specialty periodicals of the United Methodist
Board of Discipleship, also received an honorable mention for a theme issue,
the January-February 1999 edition. The magazine is edited by John S.
Mogabgab and Kathleen Stephens.

"The Upper Room Online" (www.upperroom.org) took the award of excellence for
the best World Wide Web site, edited by Beth A. Richardson. The Web site,
operated by the Board of Discipleship, serves the ecumenical devotional
publication "The Upper Room."

Christian Social Action, a magazine published by the United Methodist Board
of Church and Society, received an award of merit for "Are We Playing God -
Special Issue on Genetic Engineering."

New World Outlook, a magazine published by the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries, won honorable mentions for its mission statement and its
July-August 1999 theme issue.

The United Methodist Reporter, a Dallas-based independent newspaper,
received the award of merit in the competition for best of class among
national or international newspapers. It also received an award of merit for
editorial courage for "Keeping the lid on a boiling pot doesn't work" in the
Nov. 12 issue.

The newspaper received honorable mentions for "'No news' is bad news for the
church," in the category of editorial or opinion piece in a newspaper, and
for its 1999 media kit.

More than 900 entries vied for awards in the event. The Associated Church
Press is an 84-year-old professional association of 175 publications, which
have a combined circulation of more than 28 million.

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United Methodist News Service
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