The United Church Observer
made a splash at the National Magazine Awards!

The United Church Observer joined the likes of The Walrus, Maclean's and Maisonneuve as a multiple medal winner in the 37th National Magazine Awards competition for editorial excellence. The Observer took home a gold medal, a silver medal and two honourable mentions from the National Magazine Awards gala in Toronto on Friday, June 6, in Toronto.
 

Brian Platt writes on Page 45  of November Observer about Social Media and the UNited Church. There is a slight mention of Emerging Spirit Project and how  it came a few years too early. However, Platt does not mention WonderCafe.ca. Why is this do you think?

He concludes by saying "Social Media should be a part of communications strategy for the church at every level. The only way to make it so is to let the imagination run wild and start trying a few new things." Just saying..................

There is an ad in the Observer about an insurance company. It is owned by a charitable trust and is called Ecclesiasticals. www.ecclesiastical,ca. Would you think that insurance companies like this are more reputable than the standard insurance companies?

Just wondering.

The new issue of the United Church Observer arrived in the mail this morning. It is encased in a plastic shrink wrap. It iscludes the annual Gifts With Vision catalogue. The GWV catalogue is on line. Bad environmental stewardship decision.

Have people had the chance to read "Alone Together," the United Church Observer's new article on social media? It's an interesting, wide-ranging piece that includes a variety of perspectives (thanks to them for quoting me too!). But I'm a little frustrated that it doesn't really convey the community and (for some) spiritual experience we've had here on WonderCafe and that is possible on social media in general. What do you think?

http://www.ucobserver.org/living/2011/05/social_media/

I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Observer and freelance writer Larke Turnbull for not only the article on Cindy Bourgeois, but the choice of language and thus a true and meaningful understanding of the transgendered.

What wording has me so overjoyed?

In the lead in, in large letters it reads "Rev. Cindy Bourgeois is the first known transgender person to be ordained in the United Church."

"Known".

In one word, it embraced.