Tabs connect the viewer quickly to insight such as learning whether you should submit for a Wilbur or DeRose-Hinkhouse Award, info for those interested in serving on the awards judging panel and, of course, the online form for registering for the annual convention. 

Note that early bird rates for the convention registration are available until February 29 and the deadline to register is noon on March 25.

For attendees’ convenience, there are several pricing options, including full convention (covering all three days of workshops and plenaries, as well as the DeRose-Hinkhouse Awards banquet and the Wilbur Awards banquet); day-only that includes all workshops and plenary sessions for the day or your choice; and tickets for additional guests for the awards dinners. Group rates are also offered when paying for four or more attendees at the same time.

RCC has arranged special pricing for our members at the Brown Hotel; rooms must be booked on or before Friday, March 10 by 5 p.m. to receive the special rate of $188 (plus tax). The link to make online reservations is provided on the convention site.

The executive committee consists of president Rev. Donna Frischknecht Jackson, communications specialist, United Church of Christ, Cleveland, OH, and founder of Old Stone Well Farm Media & Ministry, Vermont; vice-president Teresa Faust, senior manager of Research and Metrics for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, TN; treasurer Ryan John Koch, director of the New York Office of Public and International Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, New York, NY; and secretary Dr. Addie Hudson Lisby, with All Media Communications, Harrisburg, NC.

Rev. Brian Fesler, senior pastor and director of special affairs for the Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre, Nashville, TN, will continue on the Board as past president.

“I am so very honored to be stepping into the role of president for RCC,” states Rev. Frischknecht Jackson, an eight-year member of the organization. “I consider our work of supporting religious and faith-based communicators more and more vital in the world. By sharing with and learning from one another, our members continue to strive for excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena, while encouraging understanding among religious and faith groups.”

She adds, “From our founding in 1929, RCC has delivered outstanding professional development, networking and encouragement for our members. I’m eager to see how we continue to help our members grow as professionals and people.”

Class of 2024 Board of Governors representatives are: Anuttama Dasa, director of Global Communications for ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Potomac, MD; Steven Havira, communications manager for Hartford International University, Hartford, CT;  Nancy Jubb, communication director for Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, New York, NY; and Kathy Williams, director of communications and public relations for Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, KY.

Class of 2025 Board of Governors representatives are: Jonathan Ammons, associate director of Public and International Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, New York, NY; Adlai Amor, associate general secretary for communicators, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Washington, D.C.; Fr. James “Jim” Gardiner, director of special projects, Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, Washington, D.C.; and Brad Pomerance, senior vice president of programming & host, Jewish Life Television, Los Angeles, CA.

Class of 2026 Board of Governors representatives are: Ibrahim Anli, executive director of The Rumi Forum, Washington, D.C.; Affiong Inyang, communications manager for The Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, PA; Joyce Litoff, associate director of communications for the Baha’i National Center, Evanston, IL; and James “Jay” Rollins, director of communications, United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to Rev. Brian Fesler, past-president of RCC’s Board of Governors, “The Religion Communicators Council is appreciative of these members who generously devote their time and talents to lead our organization. We especially thank outgoing Board of Governors representatives Jacqueline Fuller and Jeff Long for their dedication to RCC and the furthering of religious communication.”

The ideal candidate has a background and experience in communications, public relations, or another of the disciplines our membership represents.

He or she will also have a heart for interfaith cooperation, collaboration and education, and be comfortable working with and helping people of a wide variety of faith traditions.

This position will report to and take direction from the board, through the president.

Duties

• Communicate with and report to the RCC President on a regular basis
• Update the RCC website with news and events (ours is based on WordPress – very easy to learn)
• Compile, compose and send a monthly newsletter (we use MailChimp – also easy to learn)
• Manage member services, solicit new members and renewals. (we manage our membership on Wild Apricot, but are interested in other options)
• Schedule, send reminders about and attend board meetings
• Assist with:
  • soliciting funds from members, sponsors and foundations
  • our annual convention (planning, promoting, on-site assistance, misc. administrative tasks, etc.)
  • our two awards programs – the Wilbur Awards and DeRose Hinkhouse Memorial Awards
  • various webinars and virtual events

What does “assist with” mean? In the past, we had an outstanding executive director who was the driving force behind our convention and awards. We would like that again! But we realize a part-time executive administrator may not have the capacity to run all these programs. So we would want you to assist board members and others who are already working on these programs. This may involve such activities as:

• attending planning meetings
• communicating with potential program participants or sponsors
• soliciting entries for the awards program by email, phone, social media etc.
• helping with logistics at the convention
• promoting and organizing webinars
• arranging volunteers to help with any of the above

Additional Duties

We are interested in your input. What else would you like to do to forward the RCC mission? What would you change or suggest about the above?

Time commitment

• This is a part-time position
• Averaging about 10 hours / week.
• Start as soon as possible!
• Busy season is in the fall and spring as we head into our awards program and convention
• We do not wish to micro-manage your time. There may be weeks during the busy season where you work 20 or 30 hours. There may be weeks in the summer where you work 10 minutes.
• We will start with a 6-month contract. After that, we’ll look at how best to proceed.

Location

• Remote! You can work from home or anywhere.
• One known exception to remote: you will be needed in person at the annual convention.
• You will need to pay for your own office supplies, computer, phone, Internet etc. We figure you already have these and you can use what you’ve got.
• You’ll need a good Internet connection for virtual meetings
• We will forward an RCC phone number to your phone, and you can make outgoing calls through the RCC number if needed

Pay

• This is a contract (“1099”) position. We are not offering benefits, and you will be responsible for your own taxes, self-employment tax, etc.
• We will have you submit an invoice at the end of each month, detailing hours worked and what you were doing. (You should keep a journal throughout the month, or use a spreadsheet or maybe an app like Clockify.)
• Paid monthly, after we receive the invoice
• $35 – $40 / hour, depending on experience

Full Time?

Does the above sound like a full-time job? Well, all of the above has been being done by board members in their spare time. And with all our combined might, we have not really put in 10 hours a week on average.

But–we are open to change and set on growth, and this could certainly go full time. If you enjoy working with the most amazing religion communications professionals ever, it is our goal to work up to a full-time office and staff. How soon? Help us build, and it will be as soon as we can!

Indicate your Interest

Want to know more? Want to apply? Contact our president, Rev. Brian Fesler: brianfesler@gmail.com

Deadline to apply: December 20, 2022

NEW YORK — The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) announces 19 Wilbur Award winners to honor excellence by individuals in the secular media for communicating religious issues, values, and themes. As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and tumultuous events rattle the globe, the 2022 Wilbur Awards competition offers a counter-narrative, providing hope, strength, and resilience. These awards were given for work completed in 2021 in the fields of print and online journalism, book publishing, broadcasting, and film.

The 2022 Wilbur Award winners highlight stories from across the country, and around the world. CBS News 60 Minutes looked in depth at the story of six Tongan teenagers who ran away from a boarding school on the island of Tonga in 1965, stole a boat, and shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. The story could have ended, but instead brought the boys closer together and forged ties that continue to today. Another winner was Michael Waters’ semi-autobiographical Children’s Book, “Liberty’s Civil Rights Road Trip” which serves as an early introduction to places, people, and events that transformed history. Non-fiction awards go to Netflix’s “The Starling,” which details how a battle with a territorial bird provides an unlikely avenue for a woman’s grief following a significant loss, as well as the courage to heal her relationships and rediscover her capacity for love. Mitch Albom also received an award for “The Stranger in the Lifeboat,” which explores the question, “What would happen if we called on God for help and God actually appeared?”

Other Wilbur winners include “With God On Our Side,” a documentary by RTÉ in Ireland; “Martini Judaism: for those who want to be shaken and stirred,” a featured blog with the Religion News Service; and reporting from Kevin Tibble’s NBC Nightly News exploration of the return to the pews after the pandemic.

The Wilbur program is coordinated by RCC New York Chapter president Ryan Koch. Of the entries, he noted, “I am in awe of the way the awardees were able to communicate religious and inspiring themes with dedication, grace, and sensitivity. It is an honor to associate with professionals such as these, and I look forward to collaborating, coordinating, and communicating with them long into the future.”

The awards ceremony took place virtually, on Friday, May 13, 2022, during the RCC’s annual convention, Bridging Cultural Divides: Better Ways to Tell Our Stories, held in conjunction with the Associated Church Press (ACP) and the Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA).

The Religion Communicators Council has presented Wilbur Awards annually since 1949. Secular communicators enter work in seven categories. Juries of media professionals, coordinated by council members across the country, evaluate submissions on content, creativity, impact and excellence in communicating religious values. The award is named for the late Marvin C. Wilbur, a pioneer in religious public relations, longtime council leader and former Presbyterian Church executive. Each winner will receive individually crafted stained-glass Wilbur trophies.

2022 Wilbur Award winners (for work produced during 2021)

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES print and online

• National or Top 15 metro markets (single article, series of articles, special section, religion page)
  • “Prayer and politicking: Churches become a center of the California recall campaign,” Faith E. Pinho, reporter; Allison Wisk, editor; Shelby Grad, editor; Wally Skalij, photojournalist; Los Angeles Times, El Segundo, California

• All other markets (single article, series of articles, special section, religion page)
  • “Catholic sisters’ dramatic decline in Michigan forces congregations, Church to change,” Patricia Montemurri, journalist; Patricia Montemurri Communications LLC freelancing for Detroit Free Press, Dearborn, Michigan

MAGAZINE ARTICLES print and online

• National or Top 15 metro markets (single article, series of articles, religion page)
  • “The Redemption of a Televangelist,” Jonathan Merritt; The Atlantic, New York, New York

BOOKS

• Fiction
  • The Stranger in the Lifeboat, Mitch Albom, author; Harper Collins, New York, New York

• Non-fiction
  • Learning to Pray, James Martin, author; Michael Maudlin, editor; Harper Collins, San Francisco, California

• Youth/Children
  • Liberty’s Civil Rights Road Trip, Michael W. Waters, author; Nicole Tadgell, illustrator; Flyaway Books and Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky

FILMS AND VIDEO

• Feature Length Film
  • The Starling, Theodore Melfi, producer and director; Dylan Sellers, producer; Matt Harris, writer; Melissa McCarthy, cast; Chris O’Dowd, cast; Kevin Kline, cast; Netflix, Los Angeles, California
• Documentary (30 min. +)
  • With God On Our Side, Mary McAleese, presenter; Ashling Fallon Casey, producer & director; Rania Atamna, Daráine Mulvihill, Anne-Marie Staunton, research; Liz Walshe, editor; Roger Childs, executive producer; RTÉ, Dublin

ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS

• Blogs
  • “Martini Judaism: for those who want to be shaken and stirred,” Jeffrey Salkin; Religion News Service, West Palm Beach, Florida
• Online News Stories
  • “Afghan war’s end quiets chaplain’s litany of funeral prayers,” Matt Sedensky, newsperson; Jessie Wardarski, video journalist; Carolyn Kaster, photographer; The Associated Press, New York, New York

TELEVISION & CABLE

• Drama
  • “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia,” Kenny Leon, director; Linda Berman, executive producer; Robin Roberts, executive producer; Sebastian Dungan, executive producer; Mekita Faiye, executive producer; Danielle Brooks, co-executive producer; Kenny Leon, co-executive producer; Charles Cooper, producer; Allen Lewis, producer; Rock’n Robin Productions and Lincoln Square Productions For Lifetime, Manhattan Beach, California
• News – network or national syndication (up to 4 min.)
  • “A COVID Easter,” Kevin Tibbles, correspondent, NBC Nightly News; Mary Godie, producer; Matt Frucci, executive producer; NBC, Highland Park, Illinois

• News – network or national syndication (4-8 min.)
  • “CBS Sunday Morning Two Hats,” Lee Cowan, correspondent; Aria Shavelson, producer; George Pozderec, editor; Rand Morrison, executive producer; CBS Sunday Morning, New York, New York

• News – network or national syndication (8 min.+)
  • “60 Minutes: Survival,” Bill Owens, executive producer; Tanya Simon, executive producer; Holly Williams, correspondent; Michael H. Gavshon, producer; Daniel J. Glucksman, editor; Nadim Roberts, associate producer; CBS News 60 Minutes, San Francisco, California

• Documentary (up to 30 min.)
  • 60 Minutes: The Ritchie Boys, Bill Owens, executive producer; Tanya Simon, executive editor; Jon Wertheim, correspondent; Katherine Davis, producer; Stephanie Palewski Brumbach, editor; Robert Zimet, editor; Jennifer Dozor, associate producer; CBS News 60 Minutes, San Francisco, California

• Documentary (30 min.+)
  • Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story for Our Times, Tom Gallagher, creator and executive producer, writer, director & producer; David Gibson, writer, producer, and director; Marc Bell, executive producer; Ari Bernstein, executive producer; Stephen Breskin, executive producer; Eli Epstein, executive producer; David Gibson, executive producer; Mitchell Grabow, executive producer; Gary VandenBergh, editor producer; Religion Media Company, Riverside, Connecticut

RADIO OR PODCASTS

• Single program
  • “Marketing Mysticism,” Naheed Musafa, producer; Greg Kelly, executive producer; CBC Radio One IDEAS, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Series of programs (two or more)
  • “Saved by the City,” Roxanne Stone, host; Katelyn Beaty, host; Jonathan Woodward, producer; Religion News Service, New York, New York

• Opinion/Commentary
  • “The Francis Effect – Ep. 2107 – “Anti-Trans Legislation, Religious Liberty Cases, and Earth Day”,” Fr. Daniel P. Horan, OFM, co-host, producer; Heidi Schlumpf, co-host; David Dault, co-host, engineer, and executive producer; Sandburg Media LLC, Chicago, Illinois

About the Religion Communicators Council
The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, marketing and development.