Banquet celebrates Rio Grande, Soutwest Texas ministries
1,300 attend 1st joint
session of conferences
with common ministry
Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conference United Methodists jointly celebrated ministry accomplishments June 3 at a historic awards banquet in Corpus Christi .
Nearly 1,300 people from the two conferences attended the dinner and awards presentation in the American Bank Center Grand Ballroom. The gathering was the first official combined meeting of the two conferences—which share a common heritage and bishop—in nearly 150 years.
The Rio Grande Conference includes some 100 Spanish-speaking congregations in Texas and New Mexico . The Southwest Texas Conference comprises 350 English-speaking congregations in the southern third of Texas .
The boards of laity of the Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conferences worked together to stage the event.
Thirteen individuals, 20 congregations and two groups from Southwest Texas received awards during the evening. Another 25 individuals from the Rio Grande Conference took home honors. In addition, 214 Southwest Texas congregations were recognized as 5-Star Churches.
Among Southwest Texas honorees, Robbie Youngblood , First UMC, Austin , received the first Older Adult Minister of the Year Award . The Council on Adult Ministries developed the award to honor outstanding servant leadership in and passion for ministry by, for and with older adults.
Youngblood was cited as a catalyst for older adult ministries across Southwest Texas for more than 30 years.
Christopher J. Elford , St. John's UMC, Corpus Christi, and Sarah R. Fry , First UMC, Kingsville, received conference merit scholarships for the 2005-06 school year. The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry gives at least one merit scholarship annually to a student attending a United Methodist-related college. Money comes from the annual United Methodist Student Day Offering collected in November in congregations across Southwest Texas .
Elford is to begin studies at Southwestern University , Georgetown , in the fall. Fry is to be an entering freshman at McMurry University , Abilene .
Marisa L. Mauldin , Utopia UMC, was named United Methodist Foundation Annual Conference Scholar . The honor includes a $1,000 scholarship from the United Methodist Foundation in Nashville , Tenn. The designation goes to a first-year student entering a United Methodist-related college or seminary. The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry nominates the recipient.
Other individual awards went to:
> Pastor Carol M. Pifer , First UMC, Odem, and Marilyn Shirah , Wesley UMC, Corpus Christi — Harry Denman Evangelism Awards . These awards go annually to a laity and a clergy recipient for significant work in helping The United Methodist Church be faithful to its evangelistic commitment. Sponsored by the Foundation for Evangelism, the award is named for the onetime chief executive to the Methodist Board of Evangelism.
> The Rev. Mark Adams, First UMC, Schulenburg— Francis Asbury Award . The honor, named for one of the first Methodist bishops in the United States , recognizes significant contributions to United Methodist higher education. Asbury helped establish the first Methodist-related college in the United States . He urged all congregations to erect schools “to give the key of knowledge in a general way to your children and those of the poor.”
> The Rev. J. Charles Merrill , a pastor from Austin on incapacity leave— Martin Luther King Jr. Award . The Commission on Religion and Race gives this plaque annually to an individual committed to nonviolence, racial equality and social justice.
> Colleen Bailey , Laurel Heights UMC, San Antonio— Public Educator of the Year Award . The Board of Church and Society presents this honor to active United Methodists who have been classroom teachers of poor or at-risk children for at least 10 years.
> Phil Middleton , Oxford UMC, San Antonio— Lay Speaking Ministry Award . Given by the lay speaking ministry program of the Board of Laity, the honor recognizes a certified lay speaker for significant contributions to lay speaking ministries in Southwest Texas . Middleton has been conference director of lay speaking as well as San Antonio District director of lay speaking.
> J'Nevelyn Lloyd , First UMC, McAllen — Kathleen Jones Christian Educator of the Year Award . Named for the longtime minister of education at First UMC, Austin, the award recognizes excellence and effectiveness in sharing knowledge of God's saving love through Christ. The Board of Discipleship Christian Formation Committee presents the honor.
> Dana Reese , First UMC, Boerne, and Gertrude Batiste , Windcrest UMC— Methodist Children's Home Award. The honor recognizes support for the Waco home's mission. Both Reese and Batiste had served on the home's board.
Six individuals were recognized for completing Parish Christian Educators School :
John Engstrom, First UMC, Columbus; Kim Farrow, First UMC, Victoria; Nancy Larson, St. Luke UMC, San Angelo; Lori Hunt, Tarrytown UMC, Austin; Mollie Schulter, Tarrytown UMC, Austin; Lisa Shelley, Travis Park UMC, San Antonio.
Seven congregations—one in each district—earned Arthur J. Moore Awards for evangelism in their communities:
> Buda UMC ( Austin District ).
> First UMC, Odem (Corpus Christi District).
> First UMC, Hondo (Kerrville District).
> St. John UMC, Rio Grande City (McAllen District).
> Wesley UMC, San Angelo (San Angelo District).
> Travis Park UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> First UMC, Shiner ( Victoria District ).
The Moore award is named for a bishop and onetime pastor of Travis Park UMC. He was known for his evangelistic preaching.
The Commission on Religion and Race presented Inclusiveness Awards to congregations in each district for intentional participation in activities—inside and outside the church—that build relationships across racial and ethnic barriers:
> Memorial UMC, Austin ( Austin District ).
> First UMC, Taft (Corpus Christi District).
> First UMC, Eagle Pass (Kerrville District).
> First UMC, Mercedes (McAllen District).
> First UMC, El Mesias UMC and a new church in Brady (San Angelo District).
> Epworth UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> Wesley Harper UMC, First UMC and La Trinidad UMC, Seguin ( Victoria District ).
First UMC, Kingsville, received the Kate Warnick United Methodist History Award . Presented by the Texas Methodist Historical Society, the honor recognizes the best church history published each year. The church won in the 500-to-1,000-member category.
Bethel UMC, San Antonio , took home the Youth Service Fund Project Award . The fund is the only mission account supported and administered by youths to benefit youths.
Chapter 19 of the National Camping Methodists , known as the Hill Country Roadrunners, was given the Mount Wesley Bolivian Cross Award . It recognizes the group's support for Mount Wesley Conference Center in Kerrville.
A cluster of San Antonio congregations received a special Habitat for Humanity Award .
The Reflections United Methodist Women Circle at Coker UMC, San Antonio , was given the Methodist Mission Home Award for supporting the San Antonio-based adoption and rehabilitation agency.
The count of 5-Star Churches by district was:
> Austin District—35.
> Corpus Christi District—32.
> Kerrville District—32.
> McAllen District—21.
> San Angelo District—27.
> San Antonio District—27.
> Victoria District—40.
To earn 5-Star status, a congregation must pay its annual apportionments in full and then contribute to designated mission causes in five specific national and international categories.
