2025 Awards for Excellence in Episcopal Church Communications Announced 

[Oklahoma City, OK] Episcopal Communicators is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Polly Bond Awardsfor Excellence in Communications. These awards recognize excellence in church communications across 20 different categories for work completed in 2024. Independently judged by 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 20 categories – are showcased on the Episcopal Communicators website to inspire ideas and foster excellence in Episcopal communications across the church. 

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 for judging.

Best Website

Award of Excellence: St. Stephen's Richmond website | Sarah Bartenstein with Dillon Gwaltney, Kitty Ball, and Landslide Creative | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA

Award of Merit: The Episcopal Mission in Sunnyside | Teddy Byrne with with the Rev. Carl Adair | The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Honorable Mention: Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida | Lindsey Nickel with Landslide Creative and John Edgar | Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida

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

Award of Excellence: The Dio Log: News & Events in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine | Susan Axelrod  | Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Award of Excellence: Maine Episcopal Public Policy Network 2024 Election Engagement Issue | Susan Axelrod with Teresa Pinney | Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Award of Merit: News from Berkeley at Yale | Hannah Black | Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

Honorable Mention: Clergy and Lay Leaders Biweekly Newsletter | Susan Axelrod with Amy Redfern | Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Honorable Mention: Five Things from the Diocese of West Texas | Andrea Thompson with Meg Grant | Diocese of West Texas

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

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

Award of Merit: The Messenger | News from Christ Church in Short Hills | Chris Whitaker | Christ Church in Short Hills

Honorable Mention: St. David’s at a Glance Redesign  | Lori Blewett with St. David's Communications Team | St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, TX

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Diocese or Organization 

Award of Excellence: The Feast: Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan | Katie Forsyth with Michelle Ruiz | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan (now the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes)

Award of Merit: The Winter 2024 issue of Real Episcopal Magazine | Carole Bartolini with the Rev. Canon Katherine Doar | The Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real

Honorable Mention: laVentana, The Church News of West Texas | Meg Grant with Andrea Thompson | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Honorable Mention: Elm & Branches | Richelle Thompson with Carrie Graves and Crown Communications | Forward Movement

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Parish or Cathedral

Award of Excellence: The Rock Road | Lauren Vereen with Ginny Stehling and the Rev. Bert Baetz | St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Kerrville, TX

Award of Merit: Annual Report 2024 - Christ Church Cathedral | Desaree Welch with Anzora Lee-Starks | Christ Church Cathedral, Nashville, TN

Award of Merit: St. Paul's Epistle | Sonja Slother  | St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rochester, NY

Honorable Mention: The Anchor Newsletter | Tyler Brady with Ann Gray and the Rev. Paul Evans | Grace & Holy Trinity Church, Richmond, VA

Best Campaign

Award of Excellence: Love in Action: Annual Giving Campaign for St. Stephen's, Richmond | Sarah Bartenstein with Dillon Gwaltney, the Rev. John Rohrs, and Steven Longstaff | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA

Award of Merit: Voting Faithfully: Our Faithful Response to this Election | Dennis Boyd with Diocesan and Parish Leadership | Episcopal Diocese of Michigan

Honorable Mention: The Four Pathways  | Lindsey Nickel  | Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida

Best Bulletin

Award of Excellence: Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle — Service Leaflets | Gregory Bloch | Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle, WA

Award of Merit: A Good and Joyful Thing: St. Matthew’s Orders of Service | Nooshin Wilson  | St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Austin, TX

Honorable Mention: Calvary Episcopal Church Sunday Service Sheet | Robyn Banks with Abbey Russell | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Individual categories 

Audio/Video

Long-Form Video

Award of Excellence: Plaza de Paz, Welcoming the Stranger | Meg Grant with Rogy Productions and Andrea Thompson | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Award of Merit: "Love in Action" – Annual Giving Campaign | Dillon Gwaltney with Sarah Bartenstein | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA

Honorable Mention: Becoming the Bishop: The Geralyn Wolf Story | Teddy Byrne with Mary Grace Puszka and Denise Fillion | The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Short-Form Video

Award of Excellence: See You Next Sunday | Chris Whitaker with Duncan Pettigrew of Samgrew Productions | Christ Church in Short Hills

Award of Merit: St. Paul's Builds Bridges… | Sonja Slother with the Rev. Rob Picken and Monica Mullen | St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rochester, NY

Honorable Mention: Downtown Vision Award | Lori Blewett with Contributors from St. David’s: Holt Haley-Walker and Dianne Hardy-Garcia; Contributors from Downtown Austin Alliance: Vanessa Olson, Angela Navarro, Raven Birk; Videographer and Editor Lynae Carroll | St. David's Church, Austin, TX

Podcast

Award of Excellence: The Leader's Way Podcast | Hannah Black with Brandon Nappi | Berkeley Divinity School at Yale

Award of Merit: The MatchUp: Season 2 | Jason Franklin with the Rev. Sara Ardrey-Graves, the Rev. Nancy Vaders, and Chris Martin | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, NC

Honorable Mention: Hometown: An Interview with Professor Rebecca Hamlin | Kendall Martin with Janet Morford | Episcopal Migration Ministries

Writing

News

Award of Excellence: Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage in Southeast, particularly in Western North Carolina | Melodie Woerman  | Episcopal News Service

Award of Merit: Wisconsin community mourns church’s closing, celebrates decades of ministry and memories | David Paulsen  | Episcopal News Service

Honorable Mention: ‘Weaponizing’ Clergy Disciplinary Canons for Ideological Purposes | Kirk Petersen | The Living Church

Honorable Mention: Removed from ministry for being gay, priest is restored at service lamenting church’s past LGBTQ+ exclusion | Jordan Trumble with Melodie Woerman | The Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia

Feature

Award of Excellence: San Francisco church offers space for ‘sacred sleep,’ support services every weekday | Melodie Woerman  | Episcopal News Service

Award of Merit: Amid talk of a churchwide ‘clergy shortage,’ dioceses experiment with local leadership models | David Paulsen  | Episcopal News Service

Honorable Mention: Heavenly host of colonial-era angels revealed at Old North Church just in time for Christmas | Tracy Sukraw  | Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

Honorable Mention: The Ministry of Showing Up: The Rev. Peter Jenks reflects on his long tenure in Thomaston | Susan Axelrod  | Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Commentary/Reflection

Award of Excellence: Transforming Church to be a Radical Alternative | Cynde Bimbi & Mary Grace Puszka  | The Episcopal Church in Delaware

Award of Merit: Community of Believers | Robyn Banks | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Honorable Mention: A Song in my Heart | Robyn Banks  | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Visual Arts

Photography

Award of Excellence: Hide & Seek:  A Journey of Faith & Discovery | Jennifer Uihlein | Freelance Photographer

Award of Merit:   Life Every Voice | Jennifer Uihlein | Freelance Photographer

Honorable Mention: In the Light of a Smile | Jennifer Uihlein | Freelance Photographer

Graphic Design

Award of Excellence: Postcards for Newcomers | Lauren Vereen with Lauren Vereen | St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Kerrville, TX

Award of Merit: Diocese of West Texas 150th Anniversary Logo | Andrea Thompson with Meg Grant | Diocese of West Texas

Award of Merit: Women of Good Shepherd: Christmas Tea - Postcard Invitation | Karolina Gwiazda with Jessica Riels | The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX

Honorable Mention: "Keep Seminary Weird" Graphic | Tatiana Suggs-Perea with Grayson Dail | Seminary of the Southwest
Honorable Mention: Diocesan Logo | Nina Nicholson with Libby Clarke | Diocese of Newark
Honorable Mention: Episcopool Logo: Seminary of the Southwest Pool | Eric Scott | Seminary of the Southwest
Honorable Mention: What's Going On/Motown for Peace Concert | Brigitta Patterson  | Trinity Church, Boston

Layout

Award of Excellence: Trinity Church Annual Picnic 2024 | Ashley Eastham  | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans

Award of Merit: Coming Home | Genie Osburn | Episcopal Church in Wyoming

Award of Merit: 2024 Blessing of the Animals | Chris Whitaker | Christ Church in Short Hills

Honorable Mention: Pickleball Wars | Lauren Vereen | St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Kerrville, TX

Booklet

Award of Excellence: Pilgrimage | Cynde Bimbi with Dr. Sheridan Quarless Kingsberry | The Episcopal Church in Delaware

Award of Merit: Living Gratefully | Robyn Banks | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Award of Merit: Episcopal Ministries Annual Appeal | Mary Grace Puszka  | Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Honorable Mention: Waffle Shop Cookbook | Robyn Banks with Katie Gwin | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Honorable Mention: Leave a Legacy Planned Giving Appeal | Peggy Newton with  | St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL

Social Media

Social Media Non-Video Post

Award of Excellence: These Bricks Were Handmade: Stagville Plantation Tour | Grace Camblos with Lisa Fischbeck and Gail Albergo | St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham, NC

Award of Excellence: A St. David's Ghost Story | Natalee Hill  | St. David's Episcopal Church, Wayne, PA

Award of Merit: Austin Pride 2024  | Holt Haley-Walker  | St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, TX

Social Media Video Post 

Award of Excellence: Fighting Hunger Swiftly | Ashley Eastham with Mary Katherine Williams | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans

Award of Merit: Music Monday: History of Lessons & Carols | Audrey Black with Anna Teagarden | The Church of St. John the Divine, Houston, TX

Honorable Mention: "Thou Lovely and Beloved" performed by the Baylor Chamber Singers | Sarah Martin | St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Waco, TX

Communications Accessibility

Award of Excellence: Diocese of Lexington's BE Box: A Toolkit for Spiritual Vitality and Growth | Richelle Thompson with Carrie Graves, communications specialist and Crown Communications/Diocese of Lexington | Forward Movement

Award of Merit: Northside Episcopal Church Bilingual Enewsletter | Carol Bradsen with Rev. Carissa Baldwin-McGinnis | Northside Episcopal Church, Houston, TX, Bradsen Design

Honorable Mention: Introducing Deaf Seminarian to Worship and Parish Life  | Holt Haley-Walker with St. David's Communications Team | St. David's Episcopal Church, Austin, TX