GraceCom, Grace Cathedral's media ministry, has been awarded a silver and a bronze Summit Creative Award for its holiday special Songs of the Season and for LightWorks, the long-standing monthly topical interview program broadcast locally on KRON 4. The Summit Creative Awards® was established over ten years ago to celebrate the creative accomplishments of smaller creative companies throughout the world. In that last decade, the competition has established itself as one of the premier arbiters of creative excellence. The Summit Creative Awards is the only competition of its kind and receives entries from countries around the globe, including Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, England, Estonia, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, Ukraine and United States. GraceCom previously earned a Summit Creative Award in 2000 for its television ad Campaign, "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You."
"I am thrilled that our recent work continues to receive this level of recognition," said Rick Johnson, Executive Director of GraceCom. "As we celebrate ten years of providing innovative and rewarding broadcasting as a faith-based organization, we are grateful to the Summit Creative Awards for acknowledging the original productions we distribute on television, the web, and in video/DVD packaging."
Songs of the Season, which aired throughout December of 2004 in partnership with KRON 4 San Francisco, is a celebration of the centuries-old tradition of choral music sung by a choir of men and boys. This tradition is alive and well at Grace Cathedral, just as it has in the cathedrals of England and Europe. "Songs of the Season is Grace Cathedral's Christmas gift to the world," says Johnson, "a gift for people of all walks of life in need of the uplifting blessing of joy and hope that Christmas Carols bring during this wondrous holiday season."
LightWorks, Grace Cathedral's own TV program airing on KRON4 and available for viewing at www.gracecathedral.org, presents personal stories of spiritual transformation that address cultural and social issues from a perspective of values, spirituality, and faith. The episode "Night Minister" introduces Rev. Don Fox, who shines light on the dark streets of San Francisco's dilapidated neighborhoods. For over 25 years, Rev. Fox walks the streets of San Francisco from 10pm to 4am each night ministering to those who wrestle with grief, addiction, depression, and loneliness. These are the people we pass sleeping in doorways, panhandling on the sidewalk, and prostituting on street corners. Rev. Fox gives them personal attention by making sure they are okay, offering his cell phone with numbers to shelters in the area, and offering prayers and pastoral support. In this episode, Rev. Fox shares stories about the people he meets, the challenges he faces and why he has committed his life to this ministry.
"Rev. Fox is a truly remarkable man of great faith and compassion," says Johnson. "He is exemplary of all that we hold as good in terms of social service and charity to our fellow man and women. There are many, many Rev. Foxes out there, and it was our great privilege to be able to share his journey and work with the rest of the world through this episode of LightWorks."
About GraceCom
Now in its 10th year, Grace Cathedral's online spirituality portal presents an innovative ministry using new media technologies to encourage spiritual growth, foster understanding of spiritual diversity, facilitate reconciliation between religious traditions, and support civic conversation on social and spiritual issues. As an outreach of Grace Cathedral, GraceCom provides a public service through a variety of programming on spiritual formation, shared personal narrative, and civil discourse.
About Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church is the third largest Episcopal Cathedral in the United States and is proud to be a welcoming house of prayer for all people. One of San Francisco's most noted architectural and civic treasures, Grace Cathedral has become an international pilgrimage center for churchgoers and visitor alike. Grace Cathedral is famed for its Ghiberti doors, labyrinths, stained glass, and medieval and contemporary furnishings; its choir, carillon, and organs; and most importantly its rich tradition of hospitality, social ministry, and cultural offerings. For more information, visit www.gracecathedral.org.
