Sydneyanglicans.net has won gold for the best website at the 2008 Australasian Religious Press (ARPA) Awards.

The team behind Sydneyanglicans.net also won three silvers for their work on sister print publication Southern Cross.

ARPA has 173 member publications and some of the categories were fiercely contested.

In the top writing category " Best Feature " Jeremy Halcrow and Andrew Robinson won silver for “Why Aussie men hate church”.

Silver also went to editor Jeremy Halcrow, journalist Joseph Smith and designer Steve Mason in the "Most Original Item' category for the “Emo Therapy” glossy Youth Supplement in the July 2007 edition.

Contributor Cath Finney was also honoured for her article “Caring for Divorcees” in the "best devotional article applying faith to life' category.

War Cry wins top award

ARPA's top award The 2008 Gutenberg Prize for Excellence in Religious Journalism jointly went to both War Cry in Australia and New Zealand, recognising their 125th year of production.

War Cry is almost unique amongst ARPA members, with its entire purpose being to connect Christians with the unchurched, and the unchurched with the gospel of Christ.

The judges said they recognised that the publication's unwilting commitment to reaching outwards had made it "the best-known Christian publication amongst the secular community' whilst at the same time reinventing itself to remain fresh and relevant.

In accepting the award, War Cry NZ editor Christina Tyson paid tribute to the service of her staff.

"I praise my editorial team for their stewardship of God's work," she said.

Joint winner Laurie Robertson of War Cry Australia explained the vision for evangelism that lay behind the publication, adding that this aim would remain the same "until the Lord returns'.

In Laurie's words War Cry does not aim "to preach at people', rather "it is a tool' which is designed to help church members connect with the unchurched through the regular, weekly task of neighbourhood distribution.

Perhaps there is a lesson here for Sydney Anglicans looking forward to Connect09?