The Dakotas-Minnesota communication team is the recipient of several awards from the United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC). The Dakotas Conference Virtual Annual Conference earned three awards.   

The team of Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference director of communications, Karla Hovde, Minnesota Conference communications specialist, Christa Meland, Minnesota Conference director of communications, and David Stucke, Dakotas Conference communications associate, were recognized at the organization’s virtual awards celebration March 10. For the past nine years, the four communicators have worked closely to maximize their collective and complementary skill sets and tell the stories across the Dakotas-Minnesota Area more effectively.

Members of the secular media served as judges for the contest and selected the winners from hundreds of submissions—many of which this year told stories of ministry during COVID-19 and highlighted anti-racism and racial justice efforts. The awards recognized communicators’ achievements within annual conferences, general agencies, and local churches for materials completed between November 1, 2019, and October 31, 2020. Their entries bore witness to the passion and dedication each UMAC member brings to the ministry of communication. This most unusual past year resulted in incredibly intense competition.

Work was submitted across ten classes of communications, with a best in class for each and first, second, and third place winners selected for each category. The Dakotas-Minnesota communicators received the following awards in the annual conference/local church division:

• 1st place internet communication online content: 2020 Dakotas Virtual Annual Conference
• 2nd place video production costing $500 to $2,000: Standing Against Racism video series
• 2nd place multi-media: 2020 Lenten study series, “Reckless Love” featuring members of the Dakotas and Minnesota Appointive Cabinets
• 2nd place motion graphics: Dakotas Conference’s Annual Conference 2020 bumpers 
• 3rd place video production costing less than $500: Deacons heal a broken world

• 3rd place video production TV ad: Easter Worship promos

View all of the award winners here.