4 more churches earn welcoming status

Four more churches—including the Southwest Texas Conference’s largest—joined the list of welcoming congregations in recent weeks.
The Southwest Texas Conference now has 52 certified welcoming congregations. That’s the most of any conference in the United States.
The 5,484-member University UMC, San Antonio, became the 49th certified welcoming congregation in Southwest Texas April 25. University, the largest congregation in Southwest Texas, is the seventh to earn certification in the San Antonio District.
Grace UMC, Corpus Christi, joined the welcoming congregation list May 1. The 973-member congregation is the sixth in the Corpus Christi District to be certified.
First UMC, Victoria, was also certified May 1. The 1,362-member congregation is the sixth in the Victoria District to earn welcoming status.
Wesley UMC, Austin, received its certification notice May 5. The 316-member congregation is the fifth in the Austin District to get a welcoming plaque.
The count of welcoming congregations by district now stands at:
> Austin—5.
> Corpus Christi—6.
> Kerrville—6.
> McAllen—20.
> San Angelo—2.
> San Antonio—7.
> Victoria—6.
Lay Leader Jay Brim set a goal of having at least 200 Southwest Texas congregations certified by this year’s annual conference session. He announced that goal during his lay leader’s report to the 2005 meeting in Corpus Christi.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means a congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers.
Congregations need to renew their certification annually.
The certification program is part of the denominationwide Igniting Ministry hospitality and image campaign. Certificated congregations earn a plaque and a special designation in the “Find a church” database at www. unitedmethodist.org.
To earn certification, congregations must qualify for at least 100 points on a yearly checklist of welcoming activities. Those activities include designating a welcoming coordinator, training church members in welcoming techniques and doing various things around the church to make it more welcoming to visitors.
Checklists are available at ignitingministry.org or umcswtx.org.
District superintendents must sign each checklist to confirm the information reported.