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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose The Rev. Steve Horswill-Johnston, with the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, accepts the 2006 Communicator of the Year Award.

INDIANAPOLIS (UMNS) — Steve Horswill-Johnston has been named "Communicator of the Year" for 2006 by the United Methodist Association of Communicators.

He was among the denominational communicators honored at an awards banquet during the association's Oct. 18-21 annual meeting in Indianapolis.

Currently director of communications and brand strategy for the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, Horswill-Johnston has more than 20 years of experience as a television/video producer, radio broadcaster and communications director.

In his previous position at United Methodist Communications, he launched the agency's Conference Resourcing Team and was instrumental in steering legislation for a denomination-wide advertising and welcoming initiative called Igniting Ministry through the 2000 General Conference, the church's top legislative body. He also was a leader of the Igniting Ministry campaign, with its theme of "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors. The People of the United Methodist Church."

Horswill-Johnston called the campaign "the biggest ride of my life."

An ordained elder in the California-Pacific Conference, Horswill-Johnston received his master of divinity degree from Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology in 1989. He also has a bachelor's degree in film production from San Diego State University and has worked in radio and television in the San Diego and Los Angeles markets, as well as on network television dramas, including "Simon & Simon" on CBS.

His previous honors have included 13 Awards of Excellence from the Religion Communicators Council in video production; 12 Awards of Excellence in visual media and electronic online media from UMAC; and a 2002 Telly Award for a United Methodist Church television spot.

Awards of Excellence

UMAC also presented an Award of Excellence in each of seven categories. Woody Woodrick, communicator for the denomination's Mississippi Annual (regional) Conference, was the winner for print publications for the special edition of the Mississippi United Methodist Advocate on Hurricane Katrina.

Paul Jeffrey, a United Methodist missionary and photojournalist, received two awards of excellence, one for writing and one for visual design, for "Sighs Too Deep for Words" in Response Magazine.

The Award of Excellence for video/film was presented to Hilly Hicks, United Methodist Communications, for "Faith Battle," and the Award of Excellence for audio was given for "Time that Makes the Difference" by Shane Stanford, Keith Tonkel and Mike Boucher of "The United Methodist Hour."

Wendy Whiteside, Nancy Carter and Mitch Anthony received the Award of Excellence for Internet for the new Web site of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The Award of Excellence for publicity and advertising was given for "Ap/portion/ment" by the Rev. Art McClanahan, Iowa Conference.

Best of Division

A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose The Rev. Lloyd Nyarota, a United Methodist communicator in Zimbabwe, greets well-wishers.

• Publications: Local Church Newsletters, Special Publication and Special Section of Supplement, Laurie Rees, Ingomar United Methodist Church, Pittsburgh; National Newsletters, Vital Theology, David Reid; Regional Area Newspaper and Special Section or Supplement, Mississippi United Methodist Advocate, Woody Woodrick and Cindy Clark; National Newspaper, United Methodist Reporter, Robin Russell; Regional Area Magazine, Michigan Christian Advocate, Ann Whiting and Bonnie Emerson; National Magazine, Zion's Herald, Stephen L. Swecker; Regional Area Special Publication, Voices of Katrina, Gwen Green, Mississippi Conference; and National Special Section or Supplement, "UM Deaconesses: Love, Justice, Service," Dana Jones, Yvette Moore, Paul Jeffrey and Tanya Kraweiw, Response Magazine.
   
• Internet: Regional Area Website, Melissa Lauber, Baltimore-Washington Conference; National Website, Wendy Whiteside, Nancy Carter, Mitch Anthony, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries; Regional Area e-Newsletter, Tim McDaniel, North Georgia Conference; National e-Newsletter, Cynthia Astle, UMNexus.
   
• Video/film: Video costing more than $10,000, "Following the Path: The Women of Color Scholars Program," Hilly Hicks, United Methodist Communications; Video costing less than $10,000, "Faith Battle," Hilly Hicks, United Methodist Communications; Television/Cable, "Sailing Against the Wind," Shane Stanford, Keith Tonkel, Mike Boucher, "The United Methodist Hour."
   
• Publicity/Advertising: Regional Area Campaign, "Come and See! Summer Camp 2006," Millie Meese, Holston Conference; Local Church Brochure, "Spiritual Fitness" Christian Education Brochure, Laurie Rees and Jan Lamm, Ingomar United Methodist Church; Regional Area Brochure, North Georgia Conference Budget Interpretation, Tim McDaniel, North Georgia Conference.
   
• Visual design: Regional Area Photography, "Still Waiting," the Rev. Art McClanahan, Iowa Conference; National Photography, "Sighs Too Deep for Words," Paul Jeffrey, Response Magazine; Regional Area Artwork, Hope Award Poster,  Gwen Green and Cindy Clark, Mississippi Conference; Regional Area Print Design, Volunteers in Mission Share Magazine, Donald Collier, New York Conference; National Print Design, "Border Crossing: Stories from India and Pakistan," Terri Chang, Frank DeGregorie, Mary Kass, Melanie Reim, New World Outlook Magazine; Regional Area Internet Design, "Monday Morning in North Georgia," Tim McDaniel, North Georgia Conference.
   
• Writing: Regional Area Story, "Darfur Observer Shares Horrors of Modern Genocide," Matthew Oates, Dan Gangler, Tim Tanton; National Story, "Rape: A Tool of War in Sudan," and National Series, "Making Space for Women," Paul Jeffrey; Regional Area Series, "New Church Starts in Arkansas," and Regional Area Opinion/Editorial, "Giving Love Away," Jane Dennis, Arkansas United Methodist; National Opinion/Editorial, "Bizarre Banality," Stephen Swecker, Zion's Herald; Regional Area Print Newswriting, "Following God to 'Goula," Woody Woodrick, Mississippi United Methodist Advocate; National Print Newswriting, "Katrina Highlights Plight of Impoverished," David Reid, Vital Theology; and Regional Area Internet Newswriting, "Baby Noor: Countdown to a Miracle," Diane Durie, North Georgia Conference.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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