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Victoria District United Methodists recognized a retired missionary March 16 for continuing Christian service in Port Lavaca.
Ruth Ann Caufield, First UMC, Port Lavaca, received the 2007 Bishop’s Exemplar Award during the 12th annual Victoria District Celebration. More than 320 people witnessed the presentation at the Yoakum Community Center
“I never expected anything like this to happen in my life,” Caufield said after accepting the award. She expressed appreciation for her experiences as a missionary but noted “this is home for me.”
Sixty-three other individuals, three congregations and 11 groups were also honored for Christian outreach and service.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez gives the Exemplar Award annually to laypeople selected by each district board of laity “for witness, commitment and service after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Caufield served as a United Methodist missionary from 1954 until her retirement in 1994. Assignments took her to Angola, Bolivia and Ecuador. She also worked as a New York-based missionary-in-residence for the United Methodist mission board.
Since moving to Port Lavaca, Caufield has continued to champion various mission causes. She led efforts to sponsor several animals for people in developing countries through Heifer Project International.
Caufield introduced the Port Lavaca congregation to the Personal Energy Transportation project and brought representatives to the church. Hand-powered P.E.T. vehicles provide transportation for handicapped individuals in developing countries.
Caufield has encouraged Port Lavaca church members to support aid efforts in the United States and abroad through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Besides teaching adult Sunday school classes, Caufield chairs the missions committee. She has also served on the Southwest Texas Conference mission team.
“Ruth Ann’s spirit is infused with the spirit of the living God and shows great love and compassion to all she meets,” the nomination from the First UMC Committee on Lay Leadership said.
Seven other Exemplar Award nominees were given Distinguished Discipleship certificates:
> Fay Coldeway, First UMC, Yoakum.
> Lawrence Winston Fryer Jr., Henson Chapel UMC, Gonzales.
> J.R. and Lucille Gaskamp, First UMC, Seadrift.
> Ernest Glover, Wesley Chapel UMC, Altair.
> Raymond Mitchell, First UMC, Palacios.
> Michelle Wilson, First UMC, El Campo.
District Lay Leader Judy Johnson of Seguin presented three congregations a special one-time Perseverance/Sanctification of Paul Award. It recognized their efforts to continue functioning as active faith communities without pastors from December 2005 to June 2006:
> First UMC, Bloomington.
> Nursery UMC.
> First UMC, Shiner.
Eleven groups took home Spirit of Christ Awards for outstanding community service:
> First UMC, Columbus—After School Ministry.
> First UMC, Edna—Heritage Commission.
> First UMC, Point Comfort—United Methodist Women “Bazaar Women.”
> Lolita UMC—Scout and Church Committee.
> First UMC, Port Lavaca—40 Days of Purpose Steering Committee.
> Wesley Harper UMC, Seguin—United Methodist Women.
> First UMC, Shiner—United Methodist Women.
> Thompsonville UMC—Worship Committee.
> Waelder UMC—Worship Committee.
> Webster Chapel UMC, Victoria—Prayer Team.
> First UMC, Yoakum—Yoakum Fellowship Committee.
Fourteen teens were given Youth Disciple Awards for their Christian attitudes and actions in church, school and community:
> Matthew Behrens, First UMC, Point Comfort.
> Kristin Binag, First UMC, Weimer.
> Baeleigh Carson, First UMC, Hallettsville.
> Jacquelyn Chinn, Webster Chapel UMC, Victoria.
> Katelyn Davenport, First UMC, Port Lavaca.
> Fred Fearance, Oakman Chapel UMC, Hallettsville.
> Jessica Garrison, Brown Chapel UMC, Hallettsville.
> Shanice Haynes, Johnson Chapel UMC, Hallettsville.
> Sarah Holcomb, First UMC, Seguin.
> Taylor Jenkins, St. Paul UMC, Columbus.
> Ralph Miller, Wesley Harper UMC, Seguin.
> Michelle Mindieta, Waelder UMC.
> Zachary Robinson, Richardson Chapel UMC, Hallettsville.
> Tarin Russell, First UMC, Edna.
Forty-two individuals from 36 congregations, listed alphabetically by community, were awarded Witness and Discipleship certificates for work in their churches and communities:
> Austwell UMC—Ida Bell Payne.
> Belmont UMC—Kathy Collins.
> First UMC, Bloomington—Ruth Higginbothom.
> Altair UMC, Columbus—Edward E. Glover.
> St. Paul UMC, Columbus—Teresa Fitzgerald.
> First UMC, Columbus, Barbara and Bill Hartley.
> First UMC, Edna—Walter and Lenora Dollar.
> First UMC, El Campo—Linda Collins.
> St. Paul UMC, El Campo—Pam Laitkep.
> Freyburg UMC—Gaye Nell Baetz.
> Evans Chapel UMC, Gonzalez—James Smith.
> Henson Chapel UMC, Gon-zales—Thelma Greathouse.
> Brown Chapel UMC, Halletts-ville—Oneal Steven.
> First UMC, Hallettsville—Sharon Hooten.
> Johnson Chapel UMC, Hal-lettsville—Ervin Flowers.
> Oakman Chapel UMC, Halletts-ville—LaRoyce Robinson.
> Richardson Chapel UMC, Hal-lettsville—Martha Goode.
> Kingsbury UMC—Larry and Conchita Poovey.
> Lolita UMC—Emma Joe Wheeler.
> Monthalia UMC— Mary Lou Philippus.
> Nursery UMC—Ann McCor-mick.
> First UMC, Palacios—Carolyn Kubecka.
> First UMC, Point Comfort—Kathleen Shott.
> First UMC, Port Lavaca—Jodi Weaver.
> Rock Island UMC—Betty Mit-chell.
> Stevens Chapel UMC, Schu-lenburg—Ivan Runnels.
> First UMC, Seadrift—Vee Swan-son.
> First UMC, Seguin—Terry and Dean Webb.
> Wesley Harper UMC, Seguin—Clarence Little.
> First UMC, Shiner—Paul and Delise Koone.
> Staples UMC—David and Peggy Phillips.
> Thompsonville UMC—Eva Bos-camp.
> St. Mark’s UMC, Victoria—Cathy Currie.
> Webster Chapel UMC, Vic-toria—James Clifton.
> Waelder UMC—Mickey Wal-lace.
> First UMC, Weimer—Brian Barton.