Episcopal News Service has announced changes to its editorial and production teams.
Matthew Davies has transitioned into the role of advertising and web manager for the Episcopal Digital Network, which includes Episcopal News Service (ENS); Lynette Wilson has been named the news service’s managing editor; the Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg’s title has changed to senior reporter/editor; and David Paulsen has joined the staff as a reporter/editor.
ENS offers in-depth reporting and analysis of local, regional, national and international news for Episcopalians and others interested in the church’s mission and ministry. Providing written and multimedia coverage, it is the officially sponsored online news source of the Episcopal Church.
“This is an exciting time for Episcopal News Service,” said Wilson, who joined the ENS staff in 2009 as a reporter and editor after working for daily newspapers in the South and as the editor of the Diocese of New York’s The Episcopal New Yorker. “We’re about to begin a redesign of the website, and we’re strengthening our coverage of issues that impact people in communities across the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.”
Davies served as an editor, reporter, international correspondent, video journalist and web manager for ENS since February 2004 and has been filling in as interim advertising manager for more than a year.
“It’s an exciting time to be serving on the presiding bishop’s staff as we strive to share the good news of the Jesus Movement, tell our story with the utmost of integrity and explore creative partnerships in advertising and sponsorship,” said Davies.
“Our audience has grown more than 30 percent over the past two years with more than 950,000 unique users visiting our website in 2016 and more than 16,700 opt-in subscribers receiving our newsletters,” he added. “With a combination of editorial excellence and strategic marketing, I believe we can achieve great things and offer a truly vital service to our readers.”
The Episcopal Digital Network also includes Sermons That Work and Lesson Plans That Work and offers weekly worship resources such as bulletin inserts and Bible studies as well as opportunities for advertising and classified listings. Davies can be reached at Matthew MacDonald.
Paulsen, a reporter and editor based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, succeeds Davies. Paulsen, who worked for ENS as a freelancer for six months, began his journalism career reporting for small Gannett newspapers before taking on editing roles at FoxNews.com in New York and, more recently, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where he was the breaking news editor.
“The Episcopal Church is filled with inspiring people, fascinating stories and dynamic issues,” Paulsen said. “That’s a great feast for any reporter’s plate, and I’m honored to be able to talk to so many in the church, to get their perspectives and tell their stories.”
Meanwhile, Schjonberg has assumed the title of senior reporter/editor. She spent nearly 25 years working as a newspaper reporter, editor, photographer, copy editor and page designer before being ordained in 2000. She began working for ENS in September 2005, having been a volunteer on the staff of the Convention Daily during the 2003 General Convention.
Schjonberg began her work with ENS as national correspondent and was editor of Episcopal News Monthly.
“I remain excited about helping to fulfill ENS’ mission to help tell Episcopalians about the breadth and depth of our church, and to tell the world about the Episcopal Church’s expression of Christianity,” she said. “It is a privilege to tell the stories about the ministry of Episcopalians around the world and by doing so perhaps inspire others to find their calling in the Jesus Movement.”
While Paulsen, Schjonberg and Wilson are all reporting generalists, each will contribute to the news services’ reporting on racial reconciliation and specialize in certain issues and aspects of Episcopal Church life.
Paulsen will focus on the criminal justice system, institutionalized racism, education inequality and how Episcopalians live into their faith in the public sphere. He can be reached at David Paulsen.
Schjonberg continues to cover a broad range of stories related to church governance and polity, legal issues and issues affecting clergy, as well as stories about the Episcopal Church’s mission and ministry. Recently, she was responsible for the bulk of ENS’ coverage of the church advocacy with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation about the Dakota Access Pipeline. She can be reached at mfschjonberg@episcopalchurch.org.
Wilson will continue to cover the immigration, migration and refugee issues, as well as the environment and climate change. She can be reached at Lynette Wilson.