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Communicators honor best in church communications

11/4/2003 News media contact: Linda Green · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn

Photos are available.

By Kathy Kruger Noble*

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United Methodist Association of Communicators logo, Photo number W03079, Accompanies UMNS #526
PHILADELPHIA (UMNS)- A television advertising director for United Methodist Communications has been selected as the "Communicator of the Year" for 2003 by church journalists.

Jackie Vaughan, a long-time employee of United Methodist Communications, was recognized and honored at the Oct. 31 awards banquet of the United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC).

Ron Council, former communications director for the North Alabama Annual Conference, and the Rev. James M. Wall, former editor-publisher of the Christian Century magazine, became the newest members of the association's "Hall of Fame" on the same evening.

The banquet was the climax of an Oct. 30-Nov. 1 meeting that drew more than 80 communicators from around the denomination to Philadelphia. UMAC is a voluntary professional organization of church communicators. The winners of the association's annual communications contest were also honored during the ceremonies.

The communicator of the year award is given to the person who exemplifies religious communication in the United Methodist Church. "Hall of Fame" induction recognizes the significant contributions to religion communications of individuals who have either retired or are deceased.

Vaughan began her career at United Methodist Communications in 1986 and is the director of the "Igniting Ministry" matching grants program. She administers the awarding of $1 million in matching grants to congregations and annual conferences for the purchase of television advertising time. Vaughan's first years at UMCom were spent with the communications education and resources staff. During most of the past 17 years, she has served with television ministries, including "Catch the Spirit."

"It's very special to me," Vaughan said of the "Communicator of the Year" award, adding that she wanted to accept it on behalf of the agency and the teams with which she has worked.

Council established the communications office and served as director of communications for the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church from 1994 to 2000. He developed strong relations with the public media and led the creation of The Voice, one of the first magazine-format annual conference publications in the country.

"In honoring me, you honor communicators throughout the United Methodist Church who achieve miraculous results with sometimes-modest resources," Council said. He cited supportive relationships with other UMAC members and with the staff of United Methodist Communications as contributing to the success of the North Alabama communications office.

Wall retired as editor-publisher of the Christian Century in 1999. He began his work with the ecumenical publication in 1972 and continues as senior contributing editor. He continues to serve as adjunct professor of religion and culture at the United Methodist-related Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology and is a representative of the National Council of Churches to the motion picture industry and a consultant to the Motion Picture Association of America's film ratings appeals board.

Wall expressed gratitude for his induction into the "Hall of Fame" saying he would "join many of my colleagues for whom I have continued admiration and appreciation."

Seventeen awards of excellence recognized the best of more than 400 entries in UMAC's annual communications contest. A total of 160 entries were honored.

Winners of awards of excellence for work in 2002 were:

Newspaper: Wesleyan Christian Advocate, Alice M. Smith, Sybil Fletcher Davidson and Anne Dukes, North and South Georgia annual conferences.

Newsletter: Horizon, Kimberly Pace and Carolyn Dandridge, United Methodist Board of Discipleship.

Magazine: Interpreter, Garlinda Burton, Gwendolyn Colvin, Joey Butler, Mike Dubose, Tanya Simmons and Suzanne Story, United Methodist Communications.

Brochures and Promotional Material: "Camping in the Wesleyan Spirit," Cindy Feldman, Iowa Annual Conference.

Special Publications: [the] re: source, Kimberly Pace and Carolyn Dandridge, United Methodist Board of Discipleship.

Videos Costing More than $10,000: "Repair the Breach, Restore God's Community," John Coleman, Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference.

Videos Costing Less than $10,000: "Change of Heart," Dan Moore and the North Central New York Conference Resource Ministries Team, North Central New York Annual Conference.

Television/Cable: "Duct Tape" television spot, Steve Horswill-Johnston, "Igniting Ministry," United Methodist Communications.

Radio: "The United Methodist Hour," Connie Shelton, The United Methodist Hour of Mississippi, Inc.

Internet: www.ngumc.org, Mark Nugent, North Georgia Annual Conference.

Writing: "Surviving Child Trust Offers Hope to Africa's AIDS Orphans," Linda Green, United Methodist News Service, United Methodist Communications.

Photography: "Mission to Zimbabwe," Cindy Feldman, Iowa Annual Conference.

Artwork: Commemorative Issue Cover: Kristin Del Mul, United Methodist Reporter.

Language Communications: "United As One" Korean television spot, Steve Horswill-Johnston, "Igniting Ministry," United Methodist Communications.

Publicity and Advertising: Conference Promotion, Cindy Feldman, Iowa Annual Conference.

Special Section or Supplement: "John Wesley-300 Years," Cynthia B. Astle, Susan Barton, Michael Clements, William Fentum, Don Mayer, Vijay Michael, Steve Smith and Kristin Del Mul, United Methodist Reporter.

Work from Church-Related Institution, Local Church, District, Other Denomination, Secular: www.akronbugle.com, Ken and Marilyn Kasperek, Tim Finucane and Karlyn Kasperek, Akron (NY) Bugle.

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*Kruger Noble is a member of the Conference Resourcing Team at United Methodist Communications.

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