Vestry Papers has consistently been privileged to be acknowledged nationally for its editorial excellence, winning 26 awards since 2002.  In 2005 Vestry Papers was particularly honored to receive not only three Polly Bond Awards, but was also cited by The Associated Church Press. 

The Polly Bond Awards are announced annually at the meeting of the Episcopal Communicators.  Named for the late religious journalist Polly Bond, the awards honor those entries and publications which hold true to particularly high journalistic standards. Hundreds of entries are submitted from throughout the United States. Vestry Papers is judged in the newsletter category, and thus, competes with a wide range of submissions from around the country.

The 2006 Polly Bond Awards are:

Award of Excellence for Overall Excellence in Churchwide/Agency Newsletters
Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer; Ira Berkowitz and Kim Pawlowicz, Design and Production.

Award of  Excellence for Churchwide/Agency Newsletter Writing
Issue:  July/August 2006 Parish Communications. Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer; Karen Greenfeld, Editorial Assistant.

Award of Excellence for Churchwide/Agency Series of Articles on a Single Topic
Issue:  March/April 2006 Disaster Recovery and Preparation.   Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer.

Award of Excellence for Book Writing
Doing Holy Business:  The Best of Vestry Papers:  Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer.

Award of Merit for Devotional/Inspirational Writing
Issue:  November/December 2006 Change, "Losing Our Loves to Save Them.   Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor; Dick Kurth, Writer.

Award of Merit for Newsletter Graphic Design
Issue:  March/April 2006 Disaster Recovery and Preparation.   Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer; Ira Berkowitz and Kim Pawlowicz, Design and Production.

Award of Merit for Humor
Issue: July/August 2006 Parish Communications, "Communication Lessons from the Bible".   Recipients:  Lindsay Hardin Freeman, Editor and Writer.

Vestry Papers is published by the Episcopal Church Foundation and is the only regular publication for vestry members.

For more information on Vestry Papers please contact ECF at 800-697-2858.