CHICAGO, IL (May 7, 2012) – The Covenant Companion has been honored with 10 top awards by the Associated Church Press (ACP) in its annual competition for the best in Christian press.

The awards for content published during 2011 were announced during the ACP’s annual convention in Chicago this past weekend. ACP is the oldest religious press association in North America representing a broad spectrum of Christian print and online publications. Click on the linked title to download and read each award-winning article.

Two first-place awards were presented to Companion writers. Doreen Olson won for “Grandma’s Time with St. Ignatius” in the Devotional/Inspirational: Long Format category. Rebekah Ann Eklund’s article, “Discovering the Gifts of Lament,” received first place in the Theological or Scholarly category – it also won second place in the Theological Reflection: Long Format category.

Three additional second-place awards include:
Feature Article: Long Format – “A Broken Trust” by Jenny Rae Armstrong.
Biblical Interpretation – “Relentless Compassion” by Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom.
Seasonal Article – “Moving Beyond a Sentimental Piece” by Steve Norman.

Four third-place awards include:
News Story – “A Profile in Courage and Compassion” by Stan Friedman.
Professional Resource – “Let’s Talk” by Robert Bates.
Devotional/Inspirational: Short Format – “Grace in Tucson” by Dan Johnson.
Theological Reflection: Short Format – “Benediction” by Gary Walter.

“The recognition by peers of the Companion’s high-quality content is affirming and appreciated,” said editor Don Meyer of the awards. “The awards also recognize the excellent work of the Companion staff – writers, editors, proofreaders, designers, production and distribution personnel – whose professional skills are respected by their peers, many of whom work for much larger publications.

“But, perhaps the greatest award of all,” Meyer observed, “are the readers who each month continue to welcome the Companion into their homes and congregations. That vote of confidence and appreciation for the rich content is what really matters.”