News in brief

Annual celebration banquet to honor Brush Country laity
Christian-based counseling now available in district
New Life Institute to present 2 ‘Healthy Congregations’ events
Articles, photos are welcome for Witness
Aransas Pass church celebrates 115 years
Scholarship funds offered to students for seminary, college

Annual celebration banquet
to honor Brush Country laity
Laypeople in the northern “Brush Country” portion of the Corpus Christi District who have made significant contributions to furthering the work of Jesus Christ are to be honored at a banquet next month.
The annual Brush Country Laity Celebration is set for Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The event is to be at First UMC, Beeville. Theme for the evening’s program is “Disciples Transform Our Hearts.”
Among the festivities is the presentation of the Bishop’s Exemplar Award. The award is given to laypeople selected by each district board of laity “for witness, commitment and service after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Bishop Joel N. Martinez is expected to confer the award.
The 2005 Exemplar Award winner was James Weiss, a member of Karnes County UMC, Karnes City.
Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased from your church’s lay leader. The last day to purchase tickets is Feb. 8.

Christian-based counseling
now available in district
A program of Methodist Health-care Ministries of South Texas is now offering counseling in Corpus Christi, Kingsville and Falfurrias.
First UMC, Corpus Christi; St. Luke’s UMC, Corpus Christi; First UMC, Kingsville; and First UMC, Falfurrias, are sponsoring sites.
Christian Based Counseling Service offers counseling to individuals who don’t have health insurance or cannot afford the cost of counseling despite insurance. Fees range from $1 to $15 per session, based on household size and income. Average fee is $2 to $3. The first session is always free. No one is ever denied service because of inability to pay.
Counselors are Carlton Harrison, LCSW, and George Phillips, both licensed professional counselors.
You may contact Harrison at (361) 548-3801 or Phillips at (361) 442-3670 for information or an appointment.

New Life Institute to present
2 ‘Healthy Congregations’ events
Creating Healthy Congregations seminars are to be offered Saturday and March 18. They will be at Northwest Hills UMC, Austin. The seminars run from 9 a.m. until noon.
Both are to be presented by Peter Steinke. New Life Institute is the sponsor.
Each seminar includes two sessions:
n Creating healthy congregations, and healthy congregations respond to anxiety and change.
n Relationships in healthy congregations, and healthy congregations develop caring and generosity.
Tuition is $50 for both sessions. Scholarships are available.
For information call the New Life Institute, (512) 469-9447.

Articles, photos are
welcome for Witness
The Corpus Christi District pages of The Witness are your pages.
If you have news or information for these pages, please send it to Sheila Campbell at the District Office. E-mail your articles and photos to ccdistrict@bizstx.rr.com. Fax number is (361) 852-3370.
Please send articles in Microsoft Word and photos in jpg format.

Aransas Pass church
celebrates 115 years
First UMC, Aransas Pass, celebrated 115 years of “Sharing Christ’s Love, Making Christ’s Disciples” Jan. 22. Congratulations to Aransas Pass UMC!

Scholarship funds offered
to students for seminary, college
The Southwest Texas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry offers a $10,000-per-academic-year scholarship for full-time seminary education.
Criteria for selection are financial need, prior academic performance and promise for long-term service in the conference.
Applications are available from Linda Wright at the conference office, (888) 349-4191, Extension 545, or lwright@ umcswtxorg.
Scholarship deadline is April 1.
The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry also offers scholarships. These grants are for full-time undergraduate students enrolled in or admitted to a United Methodist-related institution.
For information on these undergraduate scholarships, contact the Rev. Jack Gause at (830) 379-3414, or tamjacjer@aol. com.