Victoria man called ‘marvelous
presence’ for Christ

Superintendent gets check,
plaque to mark 7 years of
district service
Victoria District United Methodists honored a Victoria layman and their retiring superintendent March 24 for serving Christ in significant ways.
Robert Tripson, First UMC, Vic-toria, received the 2006 Bishop’s Exemplar Award for the Victoria District.
The Rev. William B. “Bernie” Sandberg received a $3,006 check and special plaque from the Victoria District Committee on Superintendency. The gifts honored his seven years of service as Victoria District superintendent.
Sandberg, 64, plans to retire from active ministry during the June 7-10 Southwest Texas Annual Conference session in Corpus Christi.
Both presentations were made during the Victoria District Celebration at the Yoakum Community Center. More than 350 people attended.
Along with Tripson and Sandberg, 51 individuals and eight groups were recognized 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.”
Sandberg presented the award to Tripson on the bishop’s behalf. Martinez could not attend because he was heading to Cuba to meet with Methodist leaders there.
A retired high school teacher, Tripson was cited as a good neighbor, servant leader in both community and church, and “marvelous presence” for Christ with everyone he meets.
“He is willing to serve to help somebody in need, whether it is to come running over to the parsonage to help with damage from a water leak or to come at any hour of the day or night and stand vigil and pray with someone at the hospital who has been severely injured,” the award nomination said. “Robert is one of the first persons who come to mind … when a need arises and someone needs to be called upon who is dependable, capable and ready to serve at a moment’s notice.”
Tripson has worked with the American Red Cross and local mission organizations to serve the Victoria community.
At First UMC, he has chaired the administrative board, pastor-parish relations committee and board of trustees. He has coordinated efforts to reach new people for Christ, presided at United Methodist Men’s meetings and been active in the Walk to Emmaus spiritual renewal movement.
In the Victoria District Tripson has been district lay leader, a member of the district Council on Ministries and been district United Methodist Men president twice.
Tripson has been a lay member of the annual conference session from his congregation and served on the conference Committee on Episcopacy and Board of Laity.
He is a certified lay speaker and Partners in Ministry trainer.
Four other nominees for the Exemplar Award received Distinguished Discipleship certificates:
> Ernest Glover, Wesley Chapel UMC, Altair.
> Tyanne Radowitz, First UMC, Ganado.
> Tom Warner, First UMC, Seguin.
> Sandy Warnken, Freyburg UMC.
Nine teens were given Young Disciple Awards for their Christian attitude and actions in church, school and community:
> Tiffany Burgess, Kingsbury UMC.
> Chris Cook, First UMC, Port Lavaca.
> Sarah Galvan, First UMC, Edna.
> Cade Graff, First UMC, El Campo.
> Karolyn Jones, St. Mark’s UMC, Victoria.
> A.J. Kuizinas, Thompsonville UMC.
> Christy Salinas, First UMC, Victoria.
> Ashley Terry, Belmont UMC.
> Courtney Truman, First UMC, Shiner.
Eight groups took home Spirit of Christ Awards for outstanding community service:
> First UMC, El Campo—El Cam-po Stephen Ministers.
> First UMC, Gonzales—Prayer Shawl Ministry.
> First UMC, Hallettsville—Alma Circle.
> First UMC, Point Comfort, and Lolita UMC—Men’s Tuesday Morning Emmaus Reunion Group.
> First UMC, Port Lavaca—Pioneer Club.
> First UMC, Shiner—United Methodist Women partnership with Johnson Chapel UMC, Shiner.
> First UMC, Victoria—Ladies of Twice-Blessed Showroom.
Thirty-eight individuals from 31 congregations—listed alphabetically by city—were awarded Christian Witness and Service certificates for work in their churches and communities:
> Wesley Chapel UMC, Altair—Billie Ruth Axel.
> Belmont UMC—Sarah Roecker.
> Eagle Lake UMC—Bob and Betty Wilcox.
> First UMC, Edna—Peggie Bezoni.
> Scruggs Chapel UMC, Edna—James Bryant.
> First UMC, El Campo—Jackie Condra.
> St. Paul UMC, El Campo—Raymond Bergstrom.
> Flatonia UMC—Loretta and David Ehler.
> Freyburg UMC—June Rodecap.
> Henson Chapel UMC, Gon-zales—Linda Wilson.
> Evans Chapel UMC, Gonzales—Eva Smith.
> Brown Chapel UMC, Halletts-ville—Audelia Garrison.
> Johnson Chapel UMC, Hal-lettsville—Willie Flowers.
> Oakman Chapel UMC, Hal-lettsville—Eva Watson.
> Richardson Chapel UMC, Hal-lettsville—Ladell Hogan.
> First UMC, Hallettsville—Cynthia Matula.
> Kingsbury UMC—Dennis and Delphine Ivey.
> Lolita UMC—Joann Dyson.
> Monthalia UMC—Robert A. Young.
> First UMC, Palacios—Betty and Dee Dee Stork.
> First UMC, Point Comfort—Becky Dorsey.
> First UMC, Port Lavaca—Billie Marie Dierlam.
> First UMC, Seguin—Barbara Kuit.
> Wesley Harper UMC, Seguin—Cheryl Johnson and Anne Bean.
> First UMC, Shiner—Glynn Myers.
> Staples UMC—Mildred and Garland Powers.
> Thompsonville UMC—LaVern Cox.
> First UMC, Victoria—Gloria Dorris.
> St. Mark’s UMC, Victoria—Willie Dan Rowell.
> Waelder UMC—Juanita Gosch.
> First UMC, Yoakum—Jack and Sandra Ehlers.
Forty congregations took home special rosebud vases signifying their status as 5-star mission churches.
As he looked forward to retirement, Sandberg said he was proud that 15 laypeople had answered the call to ministry during his tenure as superintendent.
They had become licensed local pastors serving congregations in the district, he said. Seven people were now attending seminary classes.
Sandberg challenged the Victoria District’s 52 congregations to continue encouraging church members to recognize and respond to God’s call to ordained ministry.
“If your church hasn’t seen a young woman or young man go into candidacy for ordained ministry in the last 25 years, then you need to watch out,” Sandberg said. “God is being shortchanged, and in the next 25 years we may not have enough pastors to go around.”