Kirk Petersen, TLC’s associate editor, received the Polly Bond Award for Excellence in news writing for “Presiding Bishop’s Health Looms Over Election of Successor” (Dec. 19, 2023). The Polly Bonds have been presented annually by Episcopal Communicators since the 1970s, and are named in honor of one of the group’s founding members, a former director of communications for the Diocese of Ohio.
“This lengthy article is an excellent example of enterprise reporting,” the judges said of Petersen’s piece, which was published while Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry was recuperating from an emergency brain surgery.
“The author cites general medical commentary on various conditions, and also describes contingency plans that are either in place or under study for possible revisions to the canons. He likely took heat for even asking some of these questions,” the judges added. “But the issues, particularly a lack of canonical clarity about what to do if the Presiding Bishop is incapacitated but unwilling or unable to step down, are important for the entire Church.”
Petersen’s recent success follows on receiving two Polly Bond awards in 2023 for his stories on a pandemic-related tax credit and the inspiring consecration of Chicago bishop Paula Clark after a long medical recovery.
Episcopal Communicators presented Polly Bond awards in 19 categories at the banquet ending its annual conference, held April 16-18 in Portland, Maine.
The group also made a special presentation of the Janette Pierce Award to Melodie Woerman, who served as director of communications for the Diocese of Kansas from 2004 to 2021, and as president of Episcopal Communicators for several years. Woerman now writes for Episcopal News Service as a freelance reporter.
This award “is given occasionally in recognition of a person who has made exceptional contributions to the ministry of communications and who exemplifies the ideals of Janette Pierce,” who was managing editor of The Episcopalian at the time of her death. It was last presented in 2019 to Carol Barnwell, former communications director for the Diocese of Texas.
Woerman also received four Polly Bond awards for newswriting at the conference, including the award of excellence in features for her February 2023 story “A new form of Episcopal mission in New Hampshire reflects new community vitality.”
