Conference welcoming
congregation total reaches 128

The Southwest Texas Conference began its 149th annual session this week with 128 certified welcoming congregations.
That number—37 percent of the 344 congregations in the region—is the most of any conference in the United States.
First UMC, Three Rivers, in the Corpus Christi District joined the list in April, but the notification to the conference office was delayed.
St. Mark UMC, McAllen, renewed its certification May 31 for the second straight year.
Welcoming status must be renewed annually.
The count of welcoming congregations by district now stands at Austin, 27; Corpus Christi, 26; Kerrville, 17; McAllen, 25; San Angelo, 7; San Antonio, 16; and Victoria, 10.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means a congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers.
The certification program is part of the denominationwide Igniting Ministry hospitality and image campaign. The goal is to help congregations do a better job of relating to visitors and encouraging them to return.
Certified 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.
To earn recertification, welcoming congregations must earn an additional 100 points doing things they didn’t do the first year.
Checklists are available at ignitingministry.org or umcswtx.org.
District superintendents must sign each checklist to confirm the information reported.