Four awards for The Canadian Lutheran in this year’s CCCA Awards

CANADA – The Canadian Christian Communications Association (CCCA) held its annual awards ceremony on May 3, and The Canadian Lutheran received four awards in the categories of Feature Series, Media Review, Biblical/Theological Reflection, and First Person Account.

The Canadian Lutheran received first place in the Feature Series category for its November/December 2024 issue. This category acknowledges feature articles that are connected by a common theme. Recognized for their work in this issue are editor Mathew Block’s column “Comfort and Joy?”; Rev. Oleksiy Navrotskyy’s article “Christmas Peace in a Land of War: Reflections from Ukraine”; Bishop Juhana Pohjola’s article “Who Are You Bowing To?”; and Michelle Heumann and Scott Gamble’s joint article “Advent Blues.”

“In each piece, I discovered vulnerability offered with faith in honour of our Lord,” the category judge wrote in response to the articles. “The writers, each in their own way, presented pain and healing, sorrow and hope, tears and joy. There’s an old saying among writers: ‘Go for the heart.’ These pieces can be held up as an example of how to do precisely that…. I was so moved by the hymns, the confessions, the prayers woven throughout. Bravo and thank you.”

This year’s awards also saw Rev. Ted Giese take home another award in the Media Review category. A regular winner in this category, Rev. Giese received third place this year for his review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. “This well-written review… provides a solid critique of the film as well as a fascinating theological reflection,” the category judge said of Rev. Giese’s work. “[This] is the kind of well-written review and reflection on a popular film that will hopefully persuade viewers to engage in their own reflections and discussions on what they have watched.”

Rev. Navrotskyy, whose article was acknowledged as part of the Feature Series award mentioned above, also saw his article receive third place in the category of Biblical/Theological Reflection. “It is inspiriting to read about how God is at work in Ukraine through a surprising spiritual renewal, illustrated by the number of Ukrainians who are for the first time turning to God and the church, finding in the church comfort, a faith to live by, strength to cope with suffering, and community,” said the category judge. “The article points out that the proclamation of the birth of Jesus Christ… is perceived differently when it is heard in a country at war. The gift of this article is that, by explaining the significance of this proclamation for Ukrainians, it also helps deepen the significance of the proclamation for readers living elsewhere.”

The Canadian Lutheran’s final award in the 2024 CCCA Awards was a third place finish in the First Person Account category for Rev. Daniel W. Barr’s feature “Sharing Jesus on the Streets of Canada’s Murder Capital.” “This is a gritty and engaging story of the author’s experience working as a padre with the down-and-out in ‘Canada’s Murder Capital,’ Thunder Bay Ontario,” the category judge said. “Not content to minister solely from the comfort of the Street Reach Ministries building, he walks, talks, and sits with addicts and others in the grimy streets and alleys.”

The Canadian Lutheran’s editor, Mathew Block, acknowledged the awards with gratitude. “Lutheran Church–Canada works hard to produce a quality magazine that both informs and edifies our readers,” he said. “I am grateful for all of those who contribute to The Canadian Lutheran with their writing, copyediting, art, photography, and design. And I’m delighted to see that excellence recognized by the broader Canadian Christian community with this year’s awards.”

———————

Print this article