United Methodist publications win church press awards

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.

See also: United Methodists win communications awards