The Great Plains Conference’s communications team won eight awards, including four first-place honors, during the United Methodist Association of Communicators awards gala, conducted online March 31.
Awards were presented from McKendree United Methodist Church in Nashville.
Winning first place among all annual conferences and local churches:
Best website — Presented to social media/website specialist Jayna McFarland and communications director Todd Seifert.
Best eNewsletter — GPconnect, edited by David Burke.
Best streaming — The conference’s Christmas Full Worship Service, by multimedia producer Eugenio Hernandez and Seifert.
Best video news story — The Great Plains Conference memorial tribute to Rev. Junius B. Dotson, by Hernandez.
“It’s always fun to receive recognition for work,” Seifert said. “It’s even better when you consider the talent and high-quality work that goes on across the denomination. Each of the awards represents effort to tell the story of discipleship in Kansas and Nebraska and providing resources for churches across the Great Plains Conference.”
Second-place awards were presented to Burke, in the series category for articles titled “Under One Roof,” about United Methodist Churches in the Great Plains that are multi-denominational; McFarland for the Great Plains app’s Spiritual Fitness Tracker, in the mobile apps category; and Seifert, for four episodes of “In Layman’s Terms” about the new normal in churches after the COVID-19 pandemic, in the best podcast or internet stream category.
Third place was awarded to Hernandez and the Rev. Hollie Tapley, disaster response coordinator, for “Go Get Tested,” in the best television ad or promotion category.
“I think we all know what is ahead of us as we get closer to the launch of the Global Methodist Church and changes on the horizon for The United Methodist Church,” Seifert said. “Our communications team will be doing its best to keep people informed about what is happening while continuing to provide resources for local congregations of all kinds while also telling stories of people serving Christ across our conference.
“I think all of us truly feel blessed to be serving in this way in ministry in this area at this time.”