Episcopal Press and News
Episcopal Communicators Share the Joy and Pain of Their 'Holy Occupation'
Episcopal News Service. May 24, 1991 [91127]
James Thrall, Director of Communication of the Diocese of Connecticut
When 110 Episcopal Communicators gathered in New York City for their annual meeting, it was to share the joy but also some of the pain of their particular role in the church. While honoring members for outstanding work in the past year, the group also participated in workshops dealing with pressing issues such as censorship, rising costs, and how to handle sexual scandals.
The organization, comprised of professionals who have communication responsibilities in print and electronic media on the national and diocesan level, chose as its theme this year, "Holy Occupation: Church Communicators as Heralds." As with anything holy, however, it was clear throughout the meeting that the occupation has both light and dark moments.
"We love good news, and we love the people who bring good news," said Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning in his homily at the opening Eucharist for the communicators at the Episcopal Church Center. "Those who bring what does not seem to be good news may be putting themselves at risk," he added.
"My idea of bad news might be your idea of good news -- that is why we so desperately need to listen to one another, to keep the conversations going," holding up "the value of discussion so that the deep truth can be found -- so that the good news at the heart of our story comes through. Good news can prevail," Browning concluded. If that happens, "even the bad news can be good in the sense that Good Friday is good when you look at the full story."
The daylong session at the Church Center provided an opportunity for the communicators to meet representatives of various units of the national church, hear plans for news coverage of General Convention, and participate in an open conversation with the presiding bishop.
Browning, who was on his way to the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., for dinner with President George Bush and Queen Elizabeth II, expressed his support and appreciation for communications in the church during a question-and-answer period with the communicators. "I learned early in my episcopate how dreadfully important communications is for the future of the church." He expressed regrets for any "manipulation" of the church press and urged the communicators to continue telling the truth.
Calling attention to the large number of awards won by Episcopal communicators at the recent Associated Church Press meeting, he said, "I've got to believe something good is happening."
The relationship between bishops and communicators was a recurring topic at the conference, starting with the opening dinner's entertainment. "No News is Good News," a humorous one-act play written by Lucy Germany, editor of the Texas Episcopalian. It featured the theatrical talents of communicators and decried censorship by those who want to control certain views or events.
In one of the more dramatic moments of the meeting, the Rev. Stephen R. Weston, former canon for program and communication of the Diocese of Dallas, described his recent dismissal over what he said was a conflict over control of the diocesan newspaper's content. Colleagues showed their sympathy for Weston by giving him a standing ovation.
Michael Barwell, director of communications of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, shared in the presentation titled "Hazards of Holy Occupation," and called for an in-depth workshop at the next annual meeting on how communicators might handle crises and controversies, especially on the diocesan level.
The Rev. Dorsey McConnell, rector of the Church of the Epiphany in New York City and former Episcopal chaplain at Yale University, served as theologian in residence, a position funded for each annual meeting by a grant from the Episcopal Church Foundation.
"How clever of you to stage a communicators' conference on the Eve of Pentecost!" he said. The disciples' experience of miraculously speaking the Gospel and having others hear it in their own languages captures the promise that God will work through the efforts of communicators "so that others can hear."
"The word of grace does this for you, you see," McConnell said, "and the point of it is to relieve from you the burden of trying to get through all the time."
A new format incorporating slide and video presentations of winning entries for the annual Polly Bond Awards added a heightened air of professionalism to the awards dinner held at St. Thomas's Choir School. The awards honor former communicator Polly Bond of the Diocese of Ohio, and acknowledge excellence and achievement in church communications. The visual presentations were prepared by the electronic media staff of the Episcopal Church Center.
Winners of the coveted General Excellence awards for overall quality of publications were:
- Magazine Division: a tie between Cathedral Age and The Witness
- Newspaper for Corporate Parish/Cathedral/Agency/Institutions: The Ascension Banner of Knoxville, Tennessee
- Newspaper under 12,000 circulation: The Advocate of the Diocese of Lexington
- Newspaper over 12,000 circulation: The Episcopal Times of the Diocese of Massachusetts.
- Radio Public Service: Trinity Church for "Accomplishment"
- Radio Broadcast: Episcopal Radio and TV Foundation for "Episcopal Series of the Protestant Hour"
- Video Broadcast/Cable: Trinity Church for "A Visit to Morin"
- Video Non-Broadcast/Educational: Washington National Cathedral for "The Consecration of Washington National Cathedral"
- Specialized Media: Washington National Cathedral for "The Dream Realized"
The communicators elected two new board members: Sarah Moore, Diocese of Utah, and Ann Ball, Diocese of Louisiana.
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