‘Reflections’ takes top honors at Associated Church Press awards

Reflections journal took top national honors last week, winning two Awards of Excellence from Associated Church Press.

Produced twice a year online by the School, Reflections won Best in Class in the Seminary Publication/Journal category. The ACP awards were announced May 12.

The Fall 2021 Reflections issue, “Divine Access: Disability and Belonging,” won the Award of Excellence for best journal theme issue.

Tim Ahrens ’85 M.Div. was the top winner in the Devotional/Inspirational (long form) category for his essay “Can We Answer Them When They Cry to Us?” in the Spring 2021 issue called “Making Good: Can Faith Repair the World?”

“I celebrate the 288 tweens in my time at our church who have received the anointing oil of confirmation,” wrote Ahrens, senior minister at First Congregational Church in Columbus, Ohio. “They have inspired me all the days of my ministry. But it is the 15 who said ‘no’ whose voices I hear calling in the night.”

Two other Reflections contributors were honored. Nancy Taylor ’81 M.Div., senior minister of Old South Church Boston, received the Award of Merit in the Professional Resource category for her essay “Minding the Church’s Door” in the Fall 2021 issue. Baptist minister and writer Kyle Stevenson earned the Award of Merit in the Personal Experience (long format) category for his essay “Finding Healing in My Disability” in the Fall 2021 issue as well.

ACP is the oldest interdenominational religious press association in North America. The full list of 2021 “Best of the Church Press” is here.

With more than 17,000 subscribers, Reflections focuses each issue on one ethical or social theme. Each edition features essays, interviews, poetry, and artwork in an effort to extend the YDS mission of promoting faith and intellect in the church and world. The publisher is YDS Dean Greg Sterling; editor, Ray Waddle; website manager, Campbell Harmon ‘04 M.A.R.

Sign up here to receive email notifications of future issues. The latest issue, “Called into the Unknown: Church and Pandemic,” was released earlier this month.

May 18, 2022