Four Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related publications won a total of 10 awards in the 95th annual “Best of the Christian Press” competition sponsored by the Associated Church Press (ACP), the oldest and largest religious press association in North America.

Three publications ― Presbyterian News Service (PNS), Presbyterians Today and HORIZONS — took home plaques in the prestigious “Best in Class” category.

The awards were announced April 29 at a banquet during the ACP’s annual convention. Awards were given in 60 categories and were chosen from nearly 1,500 entries judged by an independent panel of experts.

PNS led the way, winning four awards. HORIZONS won three awards, the independent Presbyterian Outlook won two and Presbyterians Today won one.

In addition to its second place finish in the “Best in Class” competition for news services (behind Washington-based Religion News Service), PNS won:

  • Honorable Mention (3rd place) in the “Theme Series” category for its “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide” series;
  • Honorable Mention in the “In-Depth Coverage” category for Jerry L. Van Marter’s stories last summer on southeast Alaska’s island village churches; and
  • Honorable Mention in the “News Story” category for Bethany Furkin’s Oct. 5, 2010 story “Approach of winter complicates Pakistan flood relief.”

In addition to its second place “Best in Class” award for special interest magazines, HORIZONS scored:

  • Award of Excellence (1st place) in the “Personal Experience/First Person Account” category for “To Be Restored” by PW/HORIZONS staff in the November/December 2010 issue; and
  • Honorable Mention in the “Magazine Feature Article” category for “The Simple Living Journey: Joy and Freedom and Life” by PW/HORIZONS staff in the January/February 2010 issue.

Presbyterians Today won its third place “Best in Class” award in the ”Denominational Magazines” category.

The Richmond, Va.-based Presbyterian Outlook won an Award of Excellence (1st place) in the “Magazine Photography” category for a photo by Erin Dunigan of a Palestinian child surrounded by Israeli border guards. The magazine also won an Award of Merit for “Publication Redesign.”