Advocate wins four SCPA awards

The Advocate has been honored with four more writing awards by the S.C. Press Association.

Advocate Editor Jessica Connor took home first place for Best Published Feature Story for her article, Feeding Mouths, Feeding Souls, which appeared in the Advocate's November 2011 edition.

Connor also won second place for Best Published News Story for her article Fighting Goliath, which ran in the August 2011 edition; honorable mention for Best Published Feature Story for her article Pastor Ink, which ran in the September 2011 edition; and honorable mention for Best Published Feature Story for her article Spirit Singers, which ran in the February 2011 edition.

Connor accepted the awards for the Advocate March 17 at the association s annual meeting in Folly Beach.

Outstanding work in an extremely competitive contest, wrote one judge about Connor s first-place win. Tight lead, strong writing. Narrative without being cheesy. A perfect example of great writing.

Marilyn Murphy, chair of the Advocate s Board of Trustees, said the honors are significant not only because they indicate the quality of writing, but also because of the positive results from the stories themselves. Murphy recounted a recent conversation with Jim Conley, of St. Mark United Methodist Church s Homeless Center for Men, who shared that after a previous award-winning story Connor wrote, Shelter from the Storm, Conley had three contacts from churches wanting to start a similar shelter.

The Advocate board is grateful for stories, winners or not, that further the cause of the Kingdom, Murphy said.

Connor said she is honored and humbled to receive recognition for the work she said belongs solely to the Lord.

I m only His instrument, Connor said. All we do through our newspaper ministry is glorify Him and shine His light throughout the state and beyond.