Matt Browning from Rotorua and Kara Greening of Taranaki have won as joint winners the 2016 Basil Sellers NZ Young Writer Award at the Press Service International (PSI) young writers conference in Sydney on the weekend with $1000 each.
The Press Service International program sees these New Zealand young writer's articles published in 'Christian Today – which is part of CMCI – Christian Media Corporation International, the largest Christian news provider around the world.
To ascertain a winner each year, six panellists marked all the Kiwi young writers' articles from January to July allocating points out of 10 for each article.
Matt Browning's marked articles
30.6.16 - Searching for the magic answer
26.5.16 - Thoughts from inside prison
21.4.16 - Trump is the modern day Jesus
17.3.16 - Flag the system's problems
11.2.16 - This will be the best week of your life
Kara Greening's marked articles
28.6.16 - Value in suffering
24.5.16 - Will Christianity make me boring?
19.4.16 - The kingdom of worry
15.3.16 - The real enemy
9.2.16 - Churches just want your money
New Zealand Panellists
Brian Carrell - Retired Anglican Bishop, Christchurch
Mrs Liz Hay - Retired Editor, Journalist, Writer, Christchurch
Dr Deidre Tronson - Retired Chemistry academic, Sydney
Mr Brent Costley - Retired Teacher, North Palmerston
Ms Tash McGill - Professional Manager, Youth Director, Auckland
Mr Peter Rope - professional book-seller and bookologist
Basil Sellers Awards
Mr Basil Sellers AM has been a long term supporter of Well-Being Australia (under which the PSI program functions) and our ministries for 30 years, establishing those links when I was the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years.
Over these many years Basil Sellers has funded Well-Being Australia elite athlete respite facilities which also encompasses missionaries needing rest and recuperation – Moruya, Tweed Heads and Laguna Quays.
Mr Sellers has funded art galleries – Moruya and Tweed Heads, along with art prizes in Moruya, Melbourne's famous $100,000 Sport-Art Prize and more recently since 2013 the Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize (Laguna Quays).
He has supported Country Town Tours with athletes and coaches to rural Australia along with other ministry projects.
He initiated the Basil Sellers Young Writer $1000 awards in 2013 after the New Zealand young writer connection was initiated in 2012.
Basil Sellers NZ Winners
2013 - Daniel Jang – Wellington
2014 - Casey Murray - Auckland
2015 - Sophia Sinclair (Christchurch), Jeremy Suisted (Cambridge)
2016 - Matt Browning (Rotorua), Kara Greening (Taranaki)
Matt Browning
Matt Browning is a storyteller and lover of ideas. He has a food caravan for youth unemployment called Shake Up, and recently made an app called Show Me, for people to find out what to do in Rotorua, New Zealand.
Matt Browning's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/matt-browning.html
Kara Greening
Kara Greening trained in biology, works in chemistry and wonders about the physics of the TARDIS. She is passionate about exploring her faith and being wholehearted in life. She is married to a primary school teacher and they have two cats.
Kara Greening's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/kara-greening.html
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