The Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) voted to cease operations at its final conference on the Gold Coast 23-24 September.

ARPA was formed by editors and writers of Christian publications in Australia 50 years ago initially to lobby for cheaper postal services for religious publications. New Zealand publications were soon invited to join the Association which not only welcomed an ecumenical membership but also gave professional support and encouragement to editors and writers.

Over the years ARPA annual conferences offered in venues around Australia and New Zealand were well attended by members. The awards presented at the conference dinner were like religious Oscars. At one notable award ceremony held online in the aftermath of Covid, the then president Sophia Sinclair dressed up adding glamour to the occasion at a fairly bleak time for both countries.

ARPA membership declined significantly after the pandemic with most religious print publications either closing or moving into digital communications. The final conference celebrated the service of presidents and executive members from over the 50 years, some who had died and others who sent messages. Former president and Salvation Army Major Peter McGuigan sent a video message from Sri Lanka where he was stationed. He remembered that when he held office in 2009 there were 179 publications and 70 publishers as well as individual members. At this time too, writers of religious publications were not usually journalists.

This landscape has changed from predominantly print publications to a variety of digital offerings and churches employ more professional journalists and communications people.

Tui Motu magazine is proud to have received many ARPA awards over the years including Publication of the Year in 2014 and 2016. It was also awarded ARPA's premier Gutenberg Award in 2010, which recognised the work of Michael Hill IC, Frances Skelton and Kevin Toomey OP.

At the final conference dinner the final ARPA Gutenberg Award was presented to a very surprised but well-deserving, long-serving treasurer Allan Sauer by ARPA president Sophia Sinclair.

We gathered for prayer at the end of conference with sadness at ARPA's closing and also with gratitude for the Association's contribution to Christian publication over the years. We prayed for all that has been and for what will unfold in the creative landscape of religious media.