The 'Best of the Best' in the Press Service International's columnist writer program, a concept drawn up by Christchurch's the Rt Rev Brian Carrell one of the New Zealand Panellists, have now been named for an end of the year celebration.
This Best of the Best concept involves the top columnists from both Australia and New Zealand where in this final Cycle concluding the 2014 program, the articles will be marked by both sets of Panellists – Australia and New Zealand - for an end of year 'acknowledgement' award.
The Press Service International PSI columnist writer awards were held in September on the Gold Coast where awards were determined by seven Australian Panellists and seven New Zealand Panellists over an eight month period.
No one knew who the top Australian columnists and the top New Zealand columnists as determined by the Panellists were until after the awards and they have been kept under wraps until now.
Australian top columnist
Danielle Carney - Gold Coast
Sarah Young - Melbourne
Kandima Awendila - Gold Coast
Thomas Devenish - Hobart
Sarah Urmston - Melbourne
New Zealand top columnists
Jeremy Suisted - Cambridge (Hamilton)
Sophia Sinclair - Christchurch
Sam Burrows - Auckland
Brad Mills - Auckland
Tash McGill - Auckland / Dale Wang - Christchurch
Different
This end of year 'Best of the Best' will therefore be run differently from the eight month Panellist program, in that:
a) Only the top Aust and NZ columnists are involved
b) All Aust / NZ Panellists are involved
Australian . New Zealand Panellists
Bruce Stark
Euan McDonald
Aira Chilcott
Gavin Lawrie
Deidre Tronson
David Chang
Brian Carrell
Christina Tyson
Liz Hay
Peter Grace
Vic Matthews
John Skinner
This is in effect a significant difference, as it will be the first occasion when the Australian and the New Zealand Panellists will be marking unfamiliar columnists.
Likewise the top Australian and top New Zealand columnists will be marked by unfamiliar Panellists.
This in itself will provide much interest to the Best of the Best at the end of the year as published in Christian Today.
Creating interest
Creating additional interest is the name of the game in that as much as this ministry is unique with 72 columnists being published monthly in Christian Today providing them a 'Voice' – there are new ideas brimming forth constantly.
The winners will be announced in 2015 when the new year's columnist program is initiated.
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.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html