wfn.org | United Methodist communicators honor achievers

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

Jan. 18, 2000	News media contact: Joretta Purdue·(202)546-8722·Washington
10-71BP{018}

NOTE: This report may be used with UMNS story #017. Photographs are
available.

CLEVELAND (UMNS) - United Methodist communicators paid tribute to several of
their peers Jan. 14 during the Pre-General Conference News Briefing.

The Rev. Boyce A. Bowdon, communicator for the Oklahoma Annual (regional)
Conference and editor of its newspaper, was named 1999 Communicator of the
Year. Bowden has also written three books, including The Child-Friendly
Church, published by Abingdon in 1999.

Two retirees, John William "Bill" Matthews and Lee A. Ranck, were inducted
into the United Methodist Association of Communicators Hall of Fame. 

Matthews was manager of the Russian Leadership Program for the Russian
Initiative of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries when he
retired after 36 years as a church journalist. He has served in a variety of
positions, beginning with missionary broadcasting while based in Fiji and
including assignment to the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.

Ranck retired in 1998 from the United Methodist Board of Church and Society,
where he was assistant general secretary for communications. He had been
editor of Christian Social Action and its predecessors for three decades.
Before 1968, Ranck had worked for Methodist Information and the Methodist
Board of Temperance, and he had edited an Evangelical United Brethren family
magazine. 

Both men have also taught at the college or seminary level.

Winners of awards of excellence and best of division citations for work
published in 1999, along with their categories, were:
·	Newspapers - award of excellence to Alvin J. Horton, Brenda S. Capen
and Debra Duty of the Virginia United Methodist Advocate, and best of
division to David Burgdorf of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate;
·	Newsletters - award of excellence to Gary Keene of the Denver Area
for The Sunday Vision, and best of division to Terri Hiers, Bret Haines and
Kathy Gilbert at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry
for Colleague;
·	Magazines - award of excellence Dana E. Jones, A. Victoria Hunter,
Tanya Krawciw and Nilda Ferrari of Response, and best of division to Sandra
Brands of Northern Spirit;
·	Videos/Film - award of excellence to Arvin Luchs of United Methodist
Communications (UMCom);
·	Single Page of Larger Publication - best of division to Cathy Farmer
for United Methodist Reporter of the Memphis Annual Conference
·	Television/Cable - award of excellence to Wilford Bane of UMCom;
·	Radio: award of excellence to Bill Wolfe of UMCom;
·	Internet - award of excellence to Susan Peek, Sherri Thiel, Mary
Lynn Holly, Steve Downey and Danny Mai of UMCom;
·	Writing - award of excellence to Steve Scott of the Minnesota Annual
Conference, and best of division to Yvette Moore of Response, S. Wesley
Ariarajah of New World Outlook, Jane Dennis of Arkansas United Methodist and
Alice M. Smith of the North Georgia Annual Conference;
·	Photography - award of excellence to Paul Jeffrey of New World
Outlook;
·	Brochures and Promotional Materials - award of excellence to Tim
McDaniel of North Georgia Annual Conference; best of division for brochures
to Tink Rabey Hall of Moravia, N.Y.; and best of division for promotional
materials to Kent McNish of UMCom and to Wally Athey of Desert Southwest
Conference;
·	Special Sections/ Supplements - award of excellence to Alma Graham,
Christy R. House, Roger C. Sadler and Emily Grote of New World Outlook;
·	Special Promotions - award of excellence to Kent McNish of UMCom;
·	Publicity and Advertising - award of excellence to Susan Peek, Danny
Mai, Lane Denson and Steve Horswill-Johnston of UMCom;
·	Artwork - award of excellence to Eve Faulkes of the West Virginia
Annual Conference; and
·	Special Publications - award of excellence to Terri Hiers, Bret
Haines and Kathy Gilbert for Orientation, a publication of the Board of
Higher Education and Ministry.

In addition, the organization of communicators gave 34 certificates of merit
for specific pieces of work.

UMAC will elect new officers at General Conference and will meet in January
2001.

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