Associates surprise retiring conference lay leader with gift

Lay Leader Carol Loeb admires her surprise gift June 3. Looking on are Associate Conference Lay Leaders Nell Martin and Rick Mantooth.

Individuals, churches
recognized for service
during June 4 dinner

Members of the Board of Laity surprised outgoing Lay Leader Carol Loeb with a special gift last week in Corpus Christi.
Loeb, incoming Council on Ministry chair, received a ceramic statue of Jesus walking on the water and saving Peter from the stormy sea.
Associate Conference Lay Leaders Nell Martin of Seguin and Rick Mantooth of San Angelo presented the gift at the start of the June 3 Annual Conference Awards Dinner and Celebration. The Board of Laity sponsored the event.
In addition to Loeb, 25 individuals, 22 congregations and five groups took home awards. Another 214 congregations were honored as 5-Star Churches.
Loeb, a member of Asbury UMC, Corpus Christi, served as conference lay leader for the past four years. Before that she was Corpus Christi District lay leader.
Chelsea Elaine Edge, First UMC, Taft; Elizabeth Ann Knox, Bulverde UMC; and Jeremy Lee Ross Jackson, Webster Chapel UMC, Victoria, each received conference merit college scholarships for the 2004-05 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 taken in November in congregations across Southwest Texas.
Kimberly Erin Negoescu, Schertz 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 Mary Powell, First UMC, Cotulla—Bishop’s Ecumenical Award. Established by the Council of Bishops, this annual honor goes to individuals who promote ecumenical cooperation. The Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns nominates the candidate to Bishop Joel N. Martinez.
> Pastor Robert Glenn, E.T. Dixon UMC, San Antonio—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.
> Ellen J. Evans, 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 are outstanding classroom teachers of poor or at-risk children for at least 10 years.
> Tom Kurtz, Laurel Heights UMC, San Antonio, and the Rev. Bob Allen, Coker UMC, San Antonio—Harry Denman Evangelism Awards. These annual awards go to a laity and clergy recipient for significant leadership 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 of the Methodist Board of Evangelism.
> Cynthia Deaton, Bulverde UMC—Kathleen Jones Christian Educator of the Year Award. Named for the longtime minister of education at First UMC, Austin, the award signifies excellence and effectiveness in sharing knowledge of God’s saving love through Christ. The Board of Discipleship Christian Formation Committee presents the honor.
> The Rev. Cora Poteet, a retired clergy member from San Antonio—Upper Room Ministries Award. Given by the Upper Room division of the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, this award recognizes noteworthy contributions to spiritual formation among clergy and laity.
> Jeanne and Frank Heffern, Covenant UMC, Austin, and Ryan Smith, University UMC, San Antonio—Methodist Mission Home Award for support of the San Antonio-based adoption and rehabilitation agency.
> Wilbur Jackson, St. John’s UMC, San Antonio—Lay Speaking Ministry Award. Given by the lay speaking program of the Board of Laity, the honor recognizes a certified lay speaker who has made a significant contribution to lay speaking ministries in the Southwest Texas Conference.
> Elizabeth Westbury, Alamo Heights UMC, San Antonio, and San Antonio Campus Ministry—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 urged all congregations to erect schools “to give the key knowledge in a general way to your children and those of the poor.”
Nine people were recognized for earning Parish Christian Educator certificates:
Stephanie Creech, Mary Garza, Linda Gwathmey, Belia Kahl, Beth Seward, Vanessa LeVine, Diane Bleibdrey, Pamela Dudley and Michelle Kirby.
Seven congregations—one in each district—earned Arthur J. Moore Awards for evangelism in their communities:
> Tarrytown UMC, Austin (Austin District).
> First UMC, Portland (Corpus Christi District).
> Fredericksburg UMC (Kerrville District).
> First UMC, McAllen (McAllen District).
> Trinity UMC, San Angelo (San Angelo District).
> Chapel Hill UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> John Wesley UMC, Victoria (Victoria District).
The Moore award is named for a bishop and onetime senior pastor of Travis Park UMC, San Antonio.
Board of Laity Discipleship Awards went to the congregation in each district with the largest percentage membership gains by confessions of faith during 2003:
> Oak Hill UMC, Austin (Austin District).
> St. Paul UMC, Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi District).
> Blanco UMC (Kerrville District).
> First UMC, San Benito (McAllen District).
> Sierra Vista UMC, San Angelo (San Angelo District).
> Northwest Hills UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> Wesley Chapel UMC, El Campo (Victoria District).
The Commission on Religion and Race presented Inclusiveness Awards to one congregation in each district for intentional participation in activities—inside and outside the church—that build relationships across racial or ethnic barriers:
> St. Mark’s UMC, Austin (Austin District).
> St. Peter’s by the Sea UMC, Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi District).
> First UMC, McAllen (McAllen District).
> Wesley UMC, San Angelo (San Angelo District).
> Browning UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> First UMC, Seadrift (Victoria District).
University UMC, San Antonio, received a special Habitat for Humanity Award for building 10 homes in 10 years.
Tarrytown UMC, Austin, and Asbury UMC, Austin, earned special recognition from the United Methodist Committee on Relief for help with resettling refugees in Texas.
The youth group at First UMC, Mathis, directed by Cindy Diller, took home the $1,000 Youth Service Fund Project Award. This money is raised by the Council on Youth Ministries. The fund is the only mission account supported and administered by youths to benefit youths. The Mathis group plans to use the money for a mission trip to Appalachia.
Youth groups at Northwest Hills UMC, San Antonio; Buda UMC; and Universal City UMC were given Mount Wesley Bolivian Cross Awards. Crosses go to individuals, groups or congregations supporting the mission of Mount Wesley Conference Center, Kerrville. The three youth groups built an outdoor labyrinth.
The count of 5-Star Churches by district was:
> Austin District—36.
> Corpus Christi District—30.
> Kerrville District—32.
v McAllen District—23.
> San Angelo District—28.
> San Antonio District—26.
> Victoria District—39.