The Observer came home from the ACP’s annual convention in Chicago in early May with a total of 19 awards. By comparison, U.S. Catholic won a total of 17 awards, the non-denominational Sojourners magazine won 10, and The Christian Century won eight. With seven Awards of Excellence, The Observer received more first-place honours than any other magazine in the competition. The Observer also had four second-place Awards of Merit, and eight third-place Honourable Mentions.

The Observer’s 2011 reader survey, “What you believe,” and Toronto science writer Alanna Mitchell’s April 2011 cover story, “To the ends of the earth,” led the way with a total of eight awards for writing and graphics.

Founded in 1919, the Associated Church Press is the oldest interdenominational press association in North America. Its mostly American membership includes mass-circulation publications produced by U.S. mainline denominations, as well as independent magazines, specialty journals and websites.

Other Canadian publications that distinguished themselves in this year’s ACP competition were The Presbyterian Record, with six awards, Winnipeg-based Geez magazine, which won five awards, and the Anglican Journal, which dominated the newspaper category with a total of 14 awards.

“I am pleased that the hard work of everyone on the Observer staff has been recognized in this way,” said editor/publisher David Wilson. “And I am doubly pleased that Canadian denominational publications are measuring up so well against their American counterparts.”