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2023 Awards for Excellence in Episcopal Church Communications Announced 

[Camp Allen | Navasota, Texas] Episcopal Communicators announces the winners of the 2023 Polly Bond Awards for Excellence in Communications. These awards recognize excellence in church communications across 19 different categories for work completed in 2022. Independently judged by well-respected and experienced communications professionals outside of the organization’s membership, the best submissions on each category receive awards. 

All winning submissions – including Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit, and Honorable Mentions in each of the 19 categories – are showcased on the Episcopal Communicators website to inspire ideas and foster excellence in Episcopal communications across the country. 

This year, a special award was presented for Saint Stephen's Magazine, Fall 2022 Special Issue by Rebecca Bridges of Saint Stephen's in Birmingham, Alabama. The special issue was released to help parishioners and the wider community engage in remembrance, healing, and transformation following the shooting in the Parish Hall on June 16, 2022, which took the lives of three parishioners. 

General Excellence categories 

General Excellence categories are judged for the broad effort of a publication or media tool, rather than a specific issue or piece. For most of these categories, that means a full year’s worth of work, with entries offering several samples to judge to publication or tool.

Best Website

Award of Excellence: Redesign of Episcopalmaine.org | Episcopal Church of Maine  | Teresa Pinney, Katie Clark, Landslide Creative

Award of Merit: Episcopal Ministries of Long Island's Website | Episcopal Ministries of Long Island/Episcopal Diocese of Long Island | Mary Grace Puszka, Denise Fillion, DNL OmniMedia

Honorable Mention: Saint Paul's Waco Website | Saint Paul's, Waco, TX | Sarah Martin, Sidekick Creative Agency


Best Email/Digital Newsletter/Magazine for a Diocese or Organization

Award of Excellence: The Feast Online | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan | Katie Forsyth, Michelle Ruiz

Award of Merit: Vestry Papers - Young Leaders in Ministry | Episcopal Church Foundation | Charis Bhagianathan, Susan Elliott, Cathy Hornberger

Honorable Mention: The Net, a weekly eNewsletter of the Episcopal Church in Delaware | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Lola Michael Russel, Cynde Bimbi


Best Email/Digital Newsletter/Magazine for a Parish or Cathedral

Award of Excellence: Trinity Connects | Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA | Ashley Eastham

Award of Merit: St. David's at a Glance weekly eNewsletter | St. David's, Austin, TX | Holt Haley-Walker and St. David's Communications Team

Honorable Mention: E-Messenger Dec. 1. 2022 | St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Columbia, SC | Allison Askins

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Diocese or Organization

Award of Excellence: The Feast - Autumn 2022 | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan | Katie Forsyth

Award of Merit: Spirit of Wyoming: OUR ALL-EMBRACING GOD | Episcopal Church in Wyoming | Genie Osburn

Honorable Mention: Iowa Connections Magazine | Episcopal Diocese of Iowa | Traci Ruhland

Honorable Mention: 54th ABMC of Union of Black Episcopalians Commemorative Journal | Episcopal Diocese of Maryland | Carrie Graves, Heather Neil

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Parish or Cathedral

Special Award of Excellence: Saint Stephen's Magazine, Fall 2022 Special Issue | Saint Stephen's, Vestavia Hills | Rebecca Bridges

Award of Excellence: The Rubric | Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, WA | Gregory Bloch, Adam Conley

Award of Merit: The Dove | St. David's, Wayne, PA | Natalee Hill

Honorable Mention: Seasons of the Spirit | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA | Sarah Bartenstein

Best Campaign

Award of Excellence: Episcopal Ministries of Long Island's 2022 "Celebration of Ministry" | Episcopal Ministries of Long Island/Episcopal Diocese of Long Island | Mary Grace Puszka

Award of Merit: Trail of Souls: A Journey from Truth to Transformation | Episcopal Diocese of Maryland | Carrie Graves

Honorable Mention: Deeply Rooted, Branching Out - Celebrating 140 Years of Christ Church in Short Hills | Christ Church, Short Hills, NJ | Chris Whitaker, Libby Clarke

Honorable Mention: Grateful Hearts, Open Hands | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA | Sarah Bartenstein, Dillon Gwaltney, Steven Longstaff

Honorable Mention: Find a Church: You're Invited | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbi


Individual categories 

Audio/Video

Long-form

Award of Excellence: EMC Video Skit | Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX | Brant Mills, Karen Kraycirik, Cathedral Staff

Award of Excellence: Trail of Souls: A Journey from Truth to Transformation | Episcopal Diocese of Maryland | Carrie Graves

Award of Merit: Welcome Bishop-elect Spiegel  | Episcopal Diocese of Utah | Craig Wirth, Tim Phillips

Award of Merit: Racial Justice Pilgrimage | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbi, Bishop Kevin S. Brown, the Rev. Canon Martha Kirkpatrick

Honorable Mention: Goodbye Bishop Scott | Episcopal Diocese of Utah | Craig Wirth, Tim Phillips

Honorable Mention: Cathedral Giving By Design: Lake Rabun Virtual Home Tour | Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, GA | Dan Murphy

Short-form Video

Award of Excellence: An Invitation to the Table | St. Stephen's, Richmond, VA | Sarah Bartenstein, Dillon Gwaltney

Award of Excellence: The Episcopal Church Welcomes You | Saint John's Cathedral, Denver, CO | Evans Ousley, Noble Bison Productions

Award of Merit: Chapel Rock 2022 Year in Review | The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona | Laurel Way, Frank McGough

Award of Merit: On Carving the Paschal Candle | Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, WA | David Wild, Gregory Bloch

Honorable Mention: St. Peter's Rally Day 2022 | St. Peter's, Kerrville, TX | Lauren Vereen

Honorable Mention: One Diocese  | Episcopal Diocese of SW Florida | Lindsey Nickel, Sarasota Drone Guy


Podcast

Award of Excellence: The MatchUp | St. Paul's, Winston Salem, NC | Jason Franklin, the Rev. Nancy Vaders, Mark Ardrey-Graves

Award of Merit: Becoming Tapestry, Chapter 1: No Group, Only Group Formation | Digital Futures Institute | Kyle Oliver

Honorable Mention: What's in the Word?: A Bible Study Podcast for Kids | Saint John's Cathedral, Denver, CO | Evans Ousley, Tina Clark


Writing

News

Award of Excellence: Want More Pandemic Money? It’s Complicated | The Living Church | Kirk Petersen

Award of Merit: Against All Odds, Paula Clark Is Consecrated Bishop of Chicago | The Living Church | Kirk Petersen

Award of Merit: Central Florida’s canon prohibiting same-sex marriage becomes issue in bishop election | Episcopal News Service | David M Paulsen

Honorable Mention: In New Orleans, St. Anna’s works with youth to eliminate the culture of violence | Episcopal News Service | Melodie Woerman

Feature

Award of Excellence: Northern California diocese encourages churches to cultivate land to benefit others | Episcopal News Service | Melodie Woerman

Award of Merit: "A string of miracles" - Second house renovated to host Afghan refugees | Diocese of Newark | Nina Nicholson

Honorable Mention: Nourish Babylon Thrives in Controversy, Continues to Expand | Episcopal Ministries of Long Island/Episcopal Diocese of Long Island | Mary Grace Puszka, Diane Gaidon


Commentary/Reflection

Award of Excellence: I come from a family of refugees. Now it’s my turn to help displaced persons. | Episcopal Relief & Development | Rebecca Merrill, the Rev. Steven D. Paulikas

Award of Merit: Jesse's Gift | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbi, the Rev. James M. Bimbi

Honorable Mention: Pastoral Message from the Bishop | Episcopal Diocese of Northern California | Alan Rellaford, Bishop Megan Traquair, the Rev. Bayani Rico, Maria Ramirez


Visual Arts

Photography

Award of Excellence: River Baptism in the Texas Hill Country | St. Peter's, Kerrville, TX | Lauren Vereen

Award of Merit: Christmas Magic | Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX | Karolina Gwiazda, Charles Hibler

Honorable Mention: Creation | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbe


Graphic Design

Award of Excellence: 2022 Growing Conference | Episcopal Diocese of Northern California | Alan Rellaford

Award of Merit: The gospel according to Dolly | Church of the Heavenly Rest, Abilene, TX | Blaine Beyer, Corrie Cabes

Award of Merit: 175th Anniversary Logo | St. David's, Austin, TX | Lori Blewett

Honorable Mention: Rally Day Rack Card Series | St. Paul's, Rochester, NY | Sonja Slother

Honorable Mention: The True Light - Christmas Card 2022 | St. Paul's, Rochester, NY | Sonja Slother

Honorable Mention: Preservation and Rebirth | Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA | Ashley Eastham


Layout (poster, one-page spread, etc.)

Award of Excellence: Thanksgiving Food Drive and Assembly Poster | Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX | Karolina Gwiazda, Jessica Riels

Award of Merit: Concerts on the Desert, Program Cover | Saint Barnabas, Scottsdale, AZ | Amy DeCaussin

Award of Merit: Shepherd Camp Graphics | Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX | Karolina Gwiazda, Jessica Riels

Honorable Mention: Episcopal Ministries of Long Island Ministry Focus Area Sticker | Episcopal Ministries of Long Island/Episcopal Diocese of Long Island | Mary Grace Puszka


Booklet

Award of Excellence: 2021 Annual Report | Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, WA | Gregory Bloch

Award of Merit: GROUNDED Art Exhibition Catalog | Episcopal Church in Wyoming | Genie Osburn

Award of Merit: A New Season, A New Color: Colors of the Church Year | St. David's, Wayne, PA | Natalee Hill

Honorable Mention: Christ Church in Short Hills: A 140th Anniversary Commemorative Guide | Christ Church, Short Hills, NJ | Chris Whitaker, Libby Clarke, Cathy Fernandez

Honorable Mention: St. Paul's Newcomer Guidebook | St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights, OH | Nathaniel Powell, the Rev. Jessie Gutgsell Dodson

Honorable Mention: Christ Church Cathedral Parish Profile | Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX | Brant Mills, Mark Bohenick, Guy Hagstette


Social Media

Award of Excellence: 2022 New Year's Eve Labyrinth Walk | Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, WA | Gregory Bloch

Award of Merit: Max the Vax | Episcopal Diocese of Northern California | Alan Rellaford, Bishop Megan Traquair, Maria Ramirez

Honorable Mention: Trinity Cathedral (AZ) Pride Month Post | Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ | Max Walker

Honorable Mention: Generous Church, Generous People Campaign | Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte, NC | Hailey Wiseman Burns

Honorable Mention: Christmas at the Synagogue | Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA | Ashley Eastham, the Rev. Annie Knazs Jung

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