"I can't get over some of the valiant efforts I see all over the Anglican Communion to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel of inclusion and new life that the whole world is desperate to hear," Canon Jim Rosenthal told the gathering of Episcopal Communicators at Virginia Beach's Cavalier Hotel. About 120 communicators are attending the April 25-28 annual meeting of church professionals from parishes, dioceses and national agencies across the country.

"The time has come for us to make communications a priority in the life of parishes and dioceses. As technology grows, let's grow in our intention to communicate," added Rosenthal, director of communications for the Anglican Communion, who presented the Award of Excellence for editorial writing in newspapers and periodicals.

Judges for the 27th Annual Polly Bond Awards selected honorees from among 597 entries in 15 categories for work done in 2006, according to Joe Bjordal, an awards committee member. "There was an extremely profound feeling and understanding that what we were handling was your blood, sweat and tears, and extremely remarkable, talented work," he said.

A complete listing of the 2007 Polly Bond awards will be available here.

In other business, communicators elected Jim De La (Diocese of Southwest Florida) to succeed Laurie Wozniak as the professional organization's board president. Two new board members elected were: Joe Bjordal (Diocese of Minnesota) and Nancy Davidge (Episcopal Divinity School). Wozniak, who said she will continue to serve as immediate past president for a year with voice but no vote, thanked retiring board members Neva Rae Fox and Frank Ballard.

De La thanked communicators for "having this much confidence in me" and added that "we can grow together, learn together, work together, and that's something we can teach the rest of the Communion about. I'll be asking for your help. Let's work hard the next three years. Let's make some noise."

The conference concludes April 28 with a hip hop mass made possible by Church Publishing Inc.

Receiving the Award of Excellence for general excellence in newspapers and periodicals were:  Craig Stapert, editor, and Greg Rixon, director of public affairs, for the Washington National Cathedral's "Cathedral Age"; Neva Rae Fox and Nicole Seiferth, for The Episcopal New Yorker; and Richelle Thompson for the Diocese of Southern Ohio's The Interchange.

Episcopal Life staff and contributors, including Jerry Hames, Nan Cobbey, Pamela Long, Anne McConney, Martha K. Baker, Jerry Fargo, and Sue Shillinglaw, received Awards of Excellence for: editorial commentary; interviews; devotional and inspirational articles; critical reviews; editorial layout and photography. Including Honorable Mentions, the Episcopal Life staffers claimed 18 awards.

Additionally, the Washington National Cathedral's "Cathedral Age" received multi-category Awards of Excellence in single photo news and overall use of photography throughout a single issue.

Other churchwide agencies honored included Episcopal Relief and Development, for "Going ‘The Last Mile'", (Malaika Kamunanwire and Ayana Davis, editors); and the Episcopal Church Foundation, whose Vestry Papers picked up Awards of Excellence for a series of articles on disaster recovery and preparation, newsletter writing and overall excellence, and "Doing Holy Business" in the book category (editor, Lindsay Hardin Freeman).

Among regional entries, St. Bartholomew's Church in Nashville received four Awards for Excellence for interviews, youth columns, devotional/inspiration articles and critical reviews in its publication, The Branch. In the same category of regional entries, Trinity Wall Street earned six Excellence awards for: the grants program's annual report in the stand-alone complex printed piece category; for "Christmas Banners" in the non-paper promotional item category; for local and national public relations and advertising and marketing campaigns; and general excellence for its website.

Other website honors included an award to Connecting, in the Diocese of Atlanta for online publication or webzine and to the Rev. Torey Lightcap for "Judge Not" in the Diocese of Colorado.

The Dioceses of Massachusetts and Upper South Carolina each received three Awards of Excellence among the dioceses more than 12,000 members category. The Diocese of Massachusetts received Awards of excellence for an interview with Diana Butler Bass and for the balsa glider in the category of non-paper promotional item. The hand glider was created to honor Jefferts Schori as a pilot, and imprinted to serve as an investiture keepsake.

The Diocese of Upper South Carolina received Awards of Excellence in three categories for its Crosswalk publication's "Anglicans: Who We Are and Why, a series of articles on a single topic; "Spiritual Direction and Journey" for devotional and inspirational article; and for "Answering the Call to Full Humanity" in the critical review category.

Receiving several Awards for Excellence among dioceses with fewer than 12,000 communicants, were the Diocese of Southern Ohio and Kansas.

The Interchange, Southern Ohio's publication, received three Awards of Excellence for: general excellence in newspapers and periodicals and in photography, for single photo-news and overall use of photography throughout a single issue.

Similarly, the Diocese of Kansas received three Awards of Excellence for The Harvest, in the categories of: news story; front page layout and for a "Lay Leadership Academy Brochure" in the category of stand-alone pieces simple printed pieces.

Awards of Excellence in print media included categories such as: newspaper editorial writing and layout; newsletters; photography; illustration; stand-alone pieces such as promotional posters and brochures; advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns; book cover design. Electronic media categories included Awards for Excellence in video/DVD; Television; Audio/CD and Radio, webcast, audio podcast and web.

Integrity's "Claiming the Blessing" received the Award for Excellence in the Video/DVD for "Voices of Witness" (John Gibson, marketing consultant; Louise Brooks and Susan Russell, executive producers).

The Diocese of Indianapolis received the Award of Excellence in Local Television/Cable for "The Lessons and Carols of Christmas," produced, written and edited by Kathy Copas.

The awards were established in the mid-1970s to commemorate the ministry of Polly Bond, director of communications in the Diocese of Ohio who died of cancer and whose life exemplified the ideals of Episcopal Communicators. The 2007 Awards Committee included Sharon Rasmussen, Jim Naughton, Char Vink, and Joe Bjordal who received 597 entries for the awards.