2026 Awards for Excellence in Episcopal Church Communications Announced 

[San Diego, CA] Episcopal Communicators is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Polly Bond Awards for Excellence in Communications. These awards recognize excellence in church communications across 20 different categories for work completed in 2025. Independently judged by respected and experienced communications professionals outside of the organization’s membership, the best submissions on each category receive awards. 

All winning submissions – including Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit, and Honorable Mentions in each of the 20 categories – are showcased below to inspire ideas and foster excellence in Episcopal communications across the church. 

General Excellence Categories 

General Excellence categories are judged for the broad effort of a publication or media tool, rather than a specific issue or piece. For most of these categories, that means a full year’s worth of work, with entries offering several samples for judging.

Best Website

Award of Excellence: The Priest & The Prof | Carl Thorpe with Sarah Herzog | Trinity Episcopal Church in Rochester, New York

Award of Merit: Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Jacksonville Website | Elyse Gustafson with Zach Goldstein, Gina Olson, and Laura Ammons

Award of Merit: St. Stephen's Richmond website | Sarah Bartenstein with Dillon Gwaltney and Kitty Ball

Honorable Mention: A new purpose of invitation for our website | Stephen Richards with Sarah Herzog, Kara Wagner Sherer, Mike Burke, and Lil Red Head Studios | Episcopal Diocese of Rochester

Best Email/Digital Newsletter/Magazine for a Diocese or Organization

Award of Excellence: Five Things | Andrea Thompson with Meg Grant | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Award of Merit: Monthly Updates from EDS | Mary Grace Donohoe | Episcopal Divinity School, New York, NY

Honorable Mention: The Dio Log  | Susan Axelrod | Episcopal Diocese of Maine

Best Email/Digital Newsletter/Magazine for a Parish or Cathedral

Award of Excellence: Calvary e-Pistle | Robyn Banks | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Award of Merit: The Messenger: News from Christ Church in Short Hills | Chris Whitaker | Christ Church, Short Hills, NJ

Honorable Mention: The Welcome Matt | Natalie VanDeVeire | Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church, Chandler, AZ

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Diocese or Organization 

Award of Excellence: The Peace: The Publication of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee (Summer and Winter 2025) | Emily Austin | Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee

Award of Merit: laVentana, The Church News of West Texas | Meg Grant with Andrea Thompson | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Honorable Mention: The Historiographer |  David Skidmore | National Episcopal Historians and Archivists

Best Print Newsletter/Magazine for a Parish or Cathedral

Award of Excellence: Semi-annual Saint Stephen's Magazine | Kristyn Bara with Charles Buchanan and Karin Fecteau | Saint Stephen's, Vestavia Hills, Alabama, AL

Award of Merit: The Rock Road | Lauren Vereen | St. Peter's Episcopal Church | Kerrville, Texas

Honorable Mention: Calvary Chronicle | Robyn Banks from Calvary | Memphis, TN

Best Campaign

Award of Excellence: The Every Member Canvass Campaign | Leslie Barrera with Mark Bohenick, Eric Tung, Amanda DeViney, and The Very Rev. Nathaniel Katz | Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX

Award of Merit: To Bless the Space Between Us - 2026 Stewardship Campaign | Ashley Eastham with The Rev. Lex Breckinridge and Hillary Lowry Trinity Episcopal Church New Orleans in Louisiana

Honorable Mention: The Easter Joy Jukebox | Carrie Graves with Richelle Thompson, Crown Communications, and The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington | Creative Monastery

Best Bulletin

Award of Excellence: Calvary Episcopal Church Sunday Service Sheet | Robyn Banks with Abbey Russell and Ebet Peeples | Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, TN

Award of Merit: Easter and Christmas 2025 Bulletins | Sarah Bartenstein with Chris Edwards, The Rev. John Rohrs, and Diana Chou | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA

Honorable Mention: 2025 Holy Week Bulletins | Chris Whitaker | Christ Church, Short Hills, NJ

Individual categories 

Audio/Video

Long-Form Video

Award of Excellence: Welcoming & Walking with Refugees: The Episcopal Church and Europe's Refugees | Audrey Shankles with Courtney Moore, Tony Di Tata and Rich D'Elia | The Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe

Award of Merit: The Light Will Always Come | Dillon Gwaltney with Sarah Bartenstein | St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA

Honorable Mention: When the Church Leaves the Building | Meg Grant with Rogy Productions and Andrea Thompson | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Honorable Mention: Courageous Love in San Diego | Chris Tumilty with Jason Evans | Episcopal Diocese of San Dieg

Short-Form Video

Award of Excellence: Micah Breakfast Ministry at St. Barnabas, Brooklyn - Celebration of Ministry 2025 | Teddy Byrne with Jack Smith | The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Award of Merit: It's Your Cathedral | August Kissel with Nidal Qannari, Emma Reber and Laura Fois Bosley  | The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, New York, NY

Honorable Mention: The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana: Faith, Hope, Love | Nicole Eiden with Andrew Boyd | The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana

Podcast

Award of Excellence: The Priest & The Prof | Carl Thorpe with Rev. Deborah Duguid-May, Dr. M. Elizabeth Thorpe and Sarah Herzog | Trinity Episcopal Church, Rochester, NY

Award of Merit: Questions for GAFCON | Mark Michael with Amber Noel, Matthew Olver and Mark Michael | The Living Church

Honorable Mention: Cross Connections: Paul's Letter to the Romans with Douglas Campbell | Natalee Hill | St. David's Episcopal Church, Wayne, PA

Writing

News

Award of Excellence:  Episcopal churches, food pantries prepare to aid 42 million Americans on food assistance | Melodie Woerman with Lynette Wilson | Episcopal News Service

Award of Merit: New York Deconsecration Pilgrimage Rekindled Sacred Memories | Caleb Galaraga | The Living Church

Honorable Mention: Grasslands Network, the first Episcopal eco-region, hosts event in Kansas for people to learn about, reflect on environmental issues  | Melodie Woerman with Lynette Wilson  | Episcopal News Service

Feature

Award of Excellence:  A Martyr for Justice, A Call to Action: How the Spirit of Jonathan Daniels Continues to Call us to Activism | Mary Grace Donohoe | Episcopal Divinity School, New York, NY

Award of Merit: What a Rare Thing | Summerlee Walter | Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina

Honorable Mention: In This Place: Remembering the Sacred Legacy of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mason, Tennessee | Emily Austin | Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee

Commentary/Reflection

Award of Excellence: The Faithful in Politics | Richelle Thompson | Crown Communications

Award of Merit: Resurrection OB: Finding Church When You Work for the Church | Chris Tumilty | Episcopal Diocese of San Diego

Honorable Mention: No Place to Call Home: Voices from the Streets and a Faithful Response | Cynde Bimbi with The Rev. Patrick Burke | The Episcopal Church in Delaware

Visual Arts

Photography

Award of Excellence: Commended to God | Jennifer Uihlein | The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island

Award of Merit:  Sunday Safe Place | Lauren Vereen | St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Kerrville, TX

Honorable Mention: A Holy Embrace | Nina Nicholson | The Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Graphic Design

Award of Excellence: Discovery Weekend | Andrea Thompson | Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Award of Merit: Pilgrimage logo | Nina Nicholson with Libby Clarke |  The Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Award of Merit: Divine Gifts Logo | Andrea Meier | The Church of St. John the Divine, Houston, TX

Honorable Mention: Christmas Collects for the Episcopal Church | Jason Franklin | St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, NC

Honorable Mention: NOLA Mahjong Classic | Ashley Eastham | Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans LA

Layout

Award of Excellence: Voice & Piano Music Recital Poster | Karolina Gwiazda with Jessica Riels | The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX

Award of Merit: St. Paul's Christmas Card, 2025 | Sonja Slother | St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York

Honorable Mention: No Place to Call Home | Cynde Bimbi | The Episcopal Church in Delaware

Booklet

Award of Excellence:  Women of Good Shepherd Retreat Guidebook | Karolina Gwiazda with Jessica Riels | The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, TX

Award of Merit: Ministry Fair Booklet | Natalie VanDeVeire | Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church, Chandler, AZ

Honorable Mention: Elevate Capital Campaign | Peggy Newton | St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL

Social Media

Social Media Non-Video Post

Award of Excellence: Happy Pride Month! | Grace Camblos | St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham, NC

Award of Excellence: Prayer Vigil at the Federal Detention Center | Leslie Barrera with The Migration with Dignity Coalition | Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX

Award of Merit: Bishop's Crozier Ransom Letter - April Fools' | Nicole Eiden with The Rt. Rev. Shannon Duckworth | The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana in New Orleans

Social Media Video Post 

Award of Excellence: View from Pride Flag Camera | Grace Camblos | St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham, NC

Award of Merit: Hispanic Heritage Voices: Bishop Héctor Monterroso | Walter Rivera with Daniel Villarreal | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Honorable Mention: EDOLA Diocesan Staff Walkup Video | Nicole Eiden | The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana

Communications Accessibility

Award of Excellence: The Episcopal Diocese of Texas Spanish Website | Albina Velasco with Daniel Villarreal | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Award of Merit: 2025 Advent Meditations and Prayers Booklet | Tatiana Suggs-Perea with Eric Scott | Seminary of the Southwest

Honorable Mention: BE Box | Richelle Thompson with Carrie Graves | Crown Communications, Fort Thomas, KY