The New Zealand panellists in the Press Service International young writer program with Christian Today has a rich history determining the winners of the annual New Zealand Basil Sellers writers awards.
The 2017 New Zealand writer winning award is presented at the annual young writer awards on 12 August on the Sunshine Coast. The New Zealand panellists mark the sport young writers articles out of 10 points.
New Zealand Panellists
Brian Carrell
Liz Hay
Tash McGill
Sophia Sinclair
Peter Rope
Christina Tyson
Brian Carrell
Brain Carrell is a retired Anglican Bishop and the young writer program came to his knowledge in his capacity with oversight of the New Zealand Church Missionary Society (CMS). At that time New Zealand young writer Sophia Sinclair was the NZ CMS media / magazine editor and Brian Carrell readily put his hand up to help. He has since become a theological consultant to the young writer ministry and is regularly sent ministry questions for his brief.
Liz Hay
Liz is a well recognised New Zealand editor including books and the spouse of Ron Hay an Anglican minister and author. Over the years Liz has been involved as the CMS editor and attended the April 2014 New Zealand young writer conference held in Wellington and then sent a very welcome report. Liz is a grand-ma and a senior writer with the Press Service International program with Christian Today.
Tash McGill
Tash McGill has been around New Zealand Christian youth work for many years and a highly recognised writer. Associated with this, Tash is part of an international youth ministry target group and spends some of her valuable time in the US. Tash McGill is a speaker and spoke at the Press Service International young writers annual conference in Sydney and became a New Zealand Panellist last year. Tash is now a senior writer for Christian Today and works in the corporate world.
Sophia Sinclair
Sophia is a foundation member of the New Zealand young writers back in 2012 when editor of CMS in Christchurch. Sophia Sinclair spoke at the April 2014 New Zealand young writers conference in Wellington and later than year at the annual Press Service International young writers conference in Tweed Heads and preached in a local church. Sophia Sinclair coordinated the 2015 and 2016 young writer conferences in Sydney, became editor of the young writers in 2015 and chief editor 2016. Sophia last year was an international panellist and with New Zealand Christian Today being established, transferred across as a New Zealand panellist. Sophia spoke at ARPA and One Day in Melbourne last year on social media and is a mum with second baby due. Husband Andrew is in his final year at Sydney Missionary Bible College.
Peter Rope
Peter Rope is a former New Zealand young writer and attended the 2013 New Zealand young writer conferences in Auckland and then again 2014 in Wellington. Peter Rope is a philosopher by nature and his Facebook posts regularly feature such luminaries for our thinking and philosophical insight. It was not surprising therefore to find Peter Rope employed in the retail book trade and then the corporate sector. Peter became a New Zealand panellist last year and has the distinction of being the most travelled 2016 panellist with his girl friend living in LA.
Christina Tyson
Christina Tyson has returned as a New Zealand young writer panellist after the sudden passing (Leukaemia) of 2016 Panellist Brent Costley. Christina has been a foundation member of the New Zealand young writer panellist groups from 2013 and presented the Kiwi young writer awards in Wellington at the New Zealand young writer conference in 2014. Christina Tyson heads up the New Zealand Salvation Army media unit in Wellington, husband is Salvation Army Capt Keith Tyson (as Aussie) – their family is close to flying the coup.
The policy is as-far-as-possible to have current or former young writers as Panellists – in 2017 these 10 young writers are Panellists.
Panellists as former young writers
Laura Veloso
Stephen Urmston
Tash McGill
Peter Rope
Sophia Sinclair
Daniel Stott
Nathanael Yates
Tim Wilson
Rosie Timmins
Danielle Stott
2017 looks to be a fabulous marking period from January to July.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html