Episcopal Communicators announces the winners of the Polly Bond Awards for Excellence in Communications covering the 2020 and 2021 award years. These awards recognize excellence in church communications across 18 different categories. Independently judged by well-respected and experienced communications professionals outside of organization membership, the best submissions on each category receive awards. After a postponement in 2020 in light of the pandemic, this year’s awards were open to submissions from the last two calendar years.

Episcopal Communicators would like to recognize all of our award of excellence, award of merit, and honorable mention recipients.

The first award was granted in 1980 to an individual, at the time called the “Polly Bond Award for Distinguished Service in Communication,” and it was expanded to more categories in 1981. The awards are named in honor of Polly Bond (1914-1979), former director of communications in the Diocese of Ohio. Among other things, Bond was known for spearheading early use of electronic media in the church. The Polly Bond Awards ceremony is held each year in conjunction with the Episcopal Communicators annual conference, which was held this year May 3-5, in Savannah, Georgia.

Winners are as follows:

Best Website

Award of Excellence: A New Website for All Saints’ Atlanta | All Saints’ Atlanta | Zack Nyein, Jocelyn Cassada, Lisa Bell, and Ekklesia 360

Award of Merit: Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans | Ekklesia360, Ashley Eastham, Helen Reed

Honorable Mention: American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem | AFEDJ | Heidi Shott

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine

Parish/Cathedral

Award of Excellence: THE ARCHANGEL MAGAZINE Fall 2021 75th Anniversary Special Edition | Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church | Steven Haal

Award of Merit: The Rubric | Saint Mark’s Cathedral Seattle | Adam Conley and Gregory Bloch

Honorable Mention: Saint Stephen’s Magazine | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church | The Saint Stephen’s Magazine Team

Honorable Mention: faith! | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Columbia, SC

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine

Diocese/Organization

Award of Excellence: The Feast | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern & Western Michigan | Katie Forsyth

Award of Merit: Delaware Communion Magazine | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | The Episcopal Church in Delaware’s Communications Team

Best Email Newsletter

Award of Excellence: The Feast Online | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern & Western Michigan | Katie Forsyth

Award of Merit: St. David’s at a Glance | St. David’s Episcopal Church | Holt Haley-Walker and Communications Team

Honorable Mention: Holy Week and Easter 2020 (April 1 and 2) | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Columbia, SC

Best Campaign

Award of Excellence: Forming Leaders At the Frontier: Campaign for Southwest | Seminary of the Southwest | Eric Scott

Award of Merit: Ring the Bell Capital Campaign | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbi

Award of Merit: 175 Years of Faithful Ministry | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans | Ashley Eastham and Raina O’Neil

Honorable Mention: Holy Land Pilgrimage | St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal | St. Martin’s Holy Land Virtual Pilgrimage

Honorable Mention: St. Francis at the Zoo | Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest | Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest

Honorable Mention: St. David’s Pride | St. David’s Episcopal Church | St. David’s Communications Team

Long-form Video

Award of Excellence: The Way of the Cross: A Liturgy | Saint Mark’s Cathedral Seattle | David Wild and Gregory Bloch

Award of Merit: EMC Dinner Skit Video | Christ Church Cathedral | Karen Kraycirik and Cathedral Staff

Honorable Mention: Imagine Church | Fall 2021 | Diocese of Atlanta | The Imagine Church Team

Honorable Mention: Service of Lessons & Carols: Dec. 24, 2020 | St. Michael’s Episcopal Church | St. Michael’s Video Team

Short-form Video, contracted shooting or editing

Award of Excellence: See You Sunday | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans | Ashley Eastham and Max Cusimano (NolaVid)

Award of Merit: Calvary’s 2020 Year in Review | Calvary Episcopal Church | Robyn Banks and Noah Glenn

Honorable Mention: Saint Stephen’s Worship Overview Video 2021 | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church | The Saint Stephen’s Video Team

Short-form Video, in-house produced

Award of Excellence: Together in Hope | St. Columba’s Episcopal Church | Bronwyn Roy, Jamal Williams and the staff of St. Columba’s

Award of Merit: Listening, Seeing, Acting | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA | Dillon Gwaltney, videographer and editor

Honorable Mention: Doxology Handwashing Timer | Nina Nicholson / Episcopal Diocese of Newark | Nina Nicholson, Emma Moyer, Vivienne Longstreet, Roy DeMarco & William Butron

Honorable Mention: Gratitude and Grace | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA | Saint Stephen’s Video Team

Podcast

Award of Excellence: For People | Body, Diocese of Atlanta – The Diocese of Atlanta Communications Team

Award of Merit: Sunday Morning Prayer Podcast, St. David’s Episcopal Church – Mark Wischkaemper and St. David’s Worship and Communications

Honorable Mention: In the Fields/ Why Church with the Rev. Chris Slane, St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal – St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Columbia, SC

News

Award of Excellence: Churches across the diocese adapt as pandemic brought building closures | Episcopal Diocese of Kansas | Melodie Woerman

Award of Excellence: Episcopalians in public office face tough calls in the COVID era | The Episcopal Church in Kansas | Melodie Woerman

Award of Merit: Black leaders quit Brotherhood of St. Andrew board, alleging racial reconciliation failures | Episcopal News Service | David Paulsen

Honorable Mention: The B012 Compromise, Three Years On | The Living Church | Kirk Petersen

Honorable Mention: Hybrid series | The Living Church | Neva Fox

Feature

Award of Excellence: The Feast 2021: Press, Fold, Turn | The Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern & Western Michigan | Theresa Williams and Katie Forsyth

Award of Merit:  Closer look at Episcopal scholarship, once limited to white recipients, reveals donor had slaveholding roots | Episcopal News Service | David Paulsen

Honorable Mention: El Camino Real Episcopalians continue jail and reentry ministries despite pandemic | Sharon Sheridan

Commentary/Reflection

Award of Excellence: Life and Joy | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA | Allison Seay

Award of Merit: Racial reckoning | St. Paul’s Memorial Church | John Reid

Honorable Mention: – 30 – | Episcopal Diocese of Kansas | Melodie Woerman

Photography

Award of Excellence: The Acolyte Guild | Church of the Good Shepherd| Jerry Woods

Award of Merit: Pandemic Pet Blessings | St. David’s Episcopal Church | Lori Blewett

Honorable Mention: COVID Communion | Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church | Steven Haal

Graphic Design

Award of Excellence: Logo Redesign | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church | Jason Franklin

Award of Merit: Every Perfect Gift: Stewardship 2022 Campaign | Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest | Blaine Beyer

Award of Merit: Jesus CEO | Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church | Steven Haal

Honorable Mention: St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral Logo | St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral | Sonja Slother

Honorable Mention: 2020 Advent Branding | St. Columna’s Episcopal Church | Lauren Devito

Honorable Mention: Sunday Morning Prayer | St. David’s Episcopal Church | Lori Blewett

Honorable Mention: St. David’s Pride Logo | St. David’s Episcopal Church | Lori Blewett

Honorable Mention: Chamber Music Concert Series Card | Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest | Blaine Beyer

Layout

Award of Excellence: Imagine: Racial Justice | The Episcopal Church in Delaware | Cynde Bimbi

Award of Merit: Cover, The Harvest, Summer 2020| Episcopal Diocese of Kansas | Melodie Woerman

Honorable Mention: The Lord is My Shepherd: Music & Meditation, 20th Anniversary of 9/11 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral | Sonja Slother

Booklet

Award of Excellence: Making Our Home for Faith | Christ Church Cathedral | Christ Church Cathedral Ministry Staff and Communications Team

Award of Merit: Christ Church Cathedral Indy 2022 Annual Meeting Report | Christ Church Cathedral | Elise Shrock

Honorable Mention: Joined Together By God: Our Shared Mission and Ministry – 2021 Annual Appeal | The Episcopal Diocese of Alabama | The Diocese of Alabama Communications and Mission Funding Teams

Honorable Mention: Saint Michael and All Angels 75th Anniversary Coffee Table Photo Book | Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church | Steven Haal

Social Media

Award of Excellence: Doxology Handwashing Timer | Nina Nicholson / Episcopal Diocese of Newark | Nina Nicholson, Emma Moyer, Vivienne Longstreet, Roy DeMarco & William Butron

Award of Merit: O Lord of Light and Dark | Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans | Ashley Eastham and Helen Reed

Honorable Mention: 9 Things You Can Do to Heal the Nation | Diocese of Atlanta | The Diocese of Atlanta Communications Team

Episcopal Communicators is a self-supporting organization of communication professionals working in The Episcopal Church for dioceses, congregations, organizations, or as independent or freelance workers. Our mission is to foster community that inspires and supports excellence in church communications.