Awards for Faith Today work from 2024

Join us in congratulating writers and other contributors whose work has been judged excellent (updated content).

Awards for work done by the Faith Today team last year are always a source of encouragement. Such awards come from contests we enter each year, which involve independent judges giving us advice and kudos about our work so that we keep serving our readers better.

We have three sets, the most recent being from The Word Guild, which announced winners Oct. 4. Below those you'll find more from this year's Canadian Christian Communicators Association awards (announced in late May) and this year’s Evangelical Press Association awards (announced in early May).

Seven articles related to Faith Today won first place in The Word Awards, which has 14 article categories, 26 book categories, and a few more. The list of winners includes:

• 1st place, blog, topical: Matthew Ruttan and Sarah Joy Covey for “Recovering the lost art of porch-sitting and the evening constitutional”
• 1st place, column, single: David Guretzki for “Speaking the(ir) truth: How Pontius Pilate demonstrates abuse of power”
• 1st place, long feature, Randal Rauser and Bob Stenhouse for “Disabusing the Church: How can we protect the people we love and our shared institutions?”
  • (also shortlisted: Julie Fitz-Gerald for “Rethinking global mission: New opportunities in changing populations, attitudes and technology”)
  • (also shortlisted: Lynda MacGibbon for “Interrupted by astonishment: Taking in the mysterious and surprising work of God around us”)
• 1st place, news, Ilana Reimer for “The Church’s global future: Canadians look ahead to collaborating at Lausanne 4 in Korea”
• 1st place, personal experience, Philip Serez with Robyn Serez for “The terrifying delight of losing everything: Embracing the joy of Emmanuel”
  • (also shortlisted: an article Faith Today adapted and republished in 2025 is up for an award for its original 2024 publication in Evangelical Missions Quarterly: Jenna Sanderson and Chantelle Sanderson for “Image bearers of God's love unite!”)
• 1st place, personal opinion, Aimee Patterson for “Making room for inefficiency: Learning from cancer and Mary of Bethany”
  • (also shortlisted: Jamie Munday for “Mission inversion: A radical reorientation of mission from the inside out”)
• 1st place, profile / human interest:  Patricia Paddey for “Making waves for justice’s sake: Courageous leadership invigorates antislavery work”
• (shortlisted, devotional: Maxine Hancock for “Wide-angle nativity: Minor characters matter in telling the Christmas story”)
• (shortlisted, poetry: Luke Sawczak for "They said nothing to anyone")
• (shortlisted, book, Christian living and personal growth: former senior editor Karen Stiller for Holiness Here.)

The Word Awards also give what they call speciality awards, and Jamie Munday received the Harvey/Mackey Award for a bright newcomer in journalism for “Mission inversion: A radical reorientation of mission from the inside out.” (By the way, The Word Awards shortlist was released Aug. 12.)

Our awards from the Canadian Christian Communicators Association, announced online May 23, include eight first-place awards, one honourable mention, three seconds and five thirds. The contest offers about 40 categories, going beyond text to include awards for audiovisual production, design, social media and more.

• 1st place, editorial: David Guretzki for “Speaking the(ir) truth: How Pontius Pilate demonstrates abuse of power”
• 1st place, news story: Ilana Reimer for “The Church’s global future: Canadians look ahead to collaborating at Lausanne 4 in Korea” (and related sidebar) “Gaps in fulfilling the Great Commission”
• 1st place, service journalism: Patricia Paddey for “Deeper in the life of faith? A spiritual director could help you. Here are four Canadian examples”
• 1st place, first-person account: Philip Serez with Robyn Serez for “The terrifying delight of losing everything: Embracing the joy of Emmanuel”
• 1st place, feature design (magazines): Janice Van Eck for “Interrupted by astonishment” (with illustration by Eva Bee)
• 1st place, podcast: Interviewers Karen Stiller and Bill Fledderus, producer and editor David Auyeung for three samples (“A chat with the writers of the Jesus drama The Chosen,” “Inside investigations into spiritual abuse,” “Single in the Church? A discussion for everyone”)
• 1st place tie, blog: for FaithToday.ca/Blog based on three samples: “Collaboration in Quebec” (author Paola Barerra), “International Bible societies meet in Toronto” (author Jaidyn Bremer), “Growing curly endive brought healing and more” (author Irene-Grace Bom)
• 1st place tie, video production: Brian Lopez for “The Raw Carrot: Creating disability-friendly work (Church in Community Episode 6)”
• Honourable mention, A.C. Forest Memorial Award for socially conscious religious journalism (circ 10,000+): Patricia Paddey for “Making waves for justice’s sake”
• 2nd place, general excellence (magazines): based on three sample issues from 2024 (Jan/Feb, May/Jun, Nov/Dec)
• 2nd place, front cover (mags 10,000+): Graphic designer Janice Van Eck for Nov/Dec 2024 Front Cover “Courage in Action” featuring Anu George Canjanathoppil photographed by Christopher Wahl
• 2nd place, audio/video interview: Bill Fledderus for “A Chat With the Writers of the Jesus Drama The Chosen” (with videographer and video editor Joel Gordon)
• 3rd place, feature series: Julie Fitz-Gerald, Jamie Munday, Adam MacInnis for “Rethinking global mission: New opportunities in changing populations, attitudes and technology,” “Mission inversion: A radical reorientation of mission from the inside out,” and “Five missionaries we should know from the past 175 years”
• 3rd place, opinion piece: Jamie Munday for “Mission inversion: A radical reorientation of mission from the inside out”
• 3rd place, column: David Guretzki for Cross Connections
• 3rd place, media review: Bill Fledderus for Review of My Effin’ Life
• 3rd place, poetry: Luke Sawczak for “They said nothing to anyone”

Our awards from the Evangelical Press Association, perhaps the largest of the three contests since its constituency is mainly based in the United States, include a first-place award, a third and a three fifth places. Awards were announced in Branson, Missouri on May 5-6.

• 1st place, infographic: designer Janice Van Eck for “Highlights from the State of the Great Commission report.” The judge says, "An excellent presentation of significant amounts of data in a helpful way."
• 3rd place, poem: Luke Sawczak for "They said nothing to anyone." The judge says, "Nice use of momentum in this poem. The intersection of biblical and present-day experience is intriguing and appropriately challenging."
• 5th place, standing column: David Guretzki for Cross Connections. The judge says, "This writer knows how to pull readers in and draw them into biblical truth that's relevant to their lives. Both columns are well-constructed, carefully paced, and contain deep but reader-friendly insights. Well done."
• 5th place, table of contents: designer Janice Van Eck. The judge says, "Overall. it's a nicely functional TOC. The readers can decipher where to turn, and return to it without confusion."
• 5th place, department: editor Bill Fledderus for Books+Culture. The judge says, "The reviews are well-written and make a case for the timeliness of the work, and author interview adds an nice entry point to the page and a compelling add to the experience."