UMC numbers lag behind
trend in booming areas

Southwest Texas included four of the 100 fastest growing counties in the United States during 2005 and one of the 10 slowest.
United Methodist membership growth and worship attendance last year lagged behind population trends in three of those four fast-growing areas. Preliminary United Methodist statistics for 2005 bucked the population trend in the slow-growing region.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported March 16 that Williamson County ranked 46th among the nation’s 100 fastest growing areas from July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2005. Kendall County came in at 55th, Comal County at 58th and Hays County at 65th.
Lampasas County registered the nation’s third largest population decline last year—4.7 percent.
Of four fast-growing counties, United Methodist membership changes matched population trends only in Hays, which is just south of Austin. Hays County’s population grew 4.3 percent (or 5,158) to 124,432 last year.
Hays County’s seven congregations recorded a 4.4 percent (or 148) increase in membership and an 8.4 percent (or 129) increase in average worship attendance, 2005 year-end reports show. The count of United Methodists in Hays County stood at 2,296 in 2005. Average weekly worship attendance ran 922.
A partnership of five Austin District congregations is currently working to start CrossRoads UMC in Hays County between Buda and Kyle, said the Rev. Harry G. Kahl, congregational growth director.
In Williamson County, just north of Austin, the population grew 4.8 percent (or 15,308) from 2004 to 2005 to 333,457. The county’s four Southwest Texas Conference congregations saw membership increase 3 percent (or 102) to 3,495, but average worship attendance fell 5.5 percent (or 65) to 1,893.
Most of Williamson County is in the Central Texas Conference, Kahl noted. “There’s not much room for us to expand in Williamson County,” he said.
The Southwest Texas Conference began The Rock UMC, Cedar Park, in Williamson County nine years ago, Kahl said.
Kendall County’s population climbed 4.6 percent (or 1,265) to 28,607 last year. The two United Methodist congregations in the county, just northwest of San Antonio, registered a 1.5 percent (or 31) increase in membership to 2,149 and a 2.2 percent (or 17) increase in average worship attendance to 749.
Comal County, just northeast of San Antonio, also grew by 4.6 percent (or 4,179) from 2004 to 2005 to 96,018. The county’s five congregations reported a 1.7 percent (or 73) rise in membership to 4,414 and a 3.6 percent (or 65) jump in average worship attendance to 1,863.
Alamo Heights UMC, San Antonio, and Canyon Lake UMC are helping form new congregations in Comal County, Kahl said. Those are in Bulverde and north of Canyon Lake. Another new congregation is planned for New Braunfels.
Despite population decline last year in Lampasas County, membership in the area’s four United Methodist congregations grew by 7.3 percent (or 52) to 763. Worship attendance went up 6.2 percent (or 21) to 361.
Southwest Texas was also home to four of the 100 U.S. counties with the largest numeric growth from July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2005.
Bexar County (San Antonio) ranked 12th on that list. The county population grew by 26,009 (or 1.7 percent) last year to 1,518,370.
Hidalgo County (McAllen, Edin-burg) ranked 22nd. The population went up 20,965 (or 3.2 percent) to 678,275.
Williamson County ranked 32nd.
Cameron County (Brownsville, Harlingen) ranked 90th. The population increased 7,482 (or 2 percent) to 378,311.
Lagging United Methodist membership growth in booming areas shows that church members are not living out the Southwest Texas Conference vision of offering Christ to all, Kahl said.
“The ‘all’ are there,” he said. “But we get so bogged down in a narrow focus on our parishes, rather than looking at what’s happening in the areas around us. You see that in our church budgets and the way we spend our money. … It’s hard for congregations to understand what it means to reach beyond themselves.”