Awards banquet honors
individuals, groups, churches

Fifteen individuals, 15 congregations and two groups received honors June 9 in Corpus Christi.
Another 223 congregations were cited as 5-Star Churches during the Southwest Texas Annual Conference Awards and Dinner Celebration.
Some 1,000 people attended the gathering at the American Bank Center.
Individual awards went to:
> Edwin A. Thorpe, Universal City UMC, and the Rev. Janne Clinton, Trinity UMC, McAllen—Harry Den-man Evangelism Awards. These awards go annually to a laity and a clergy recipient for significant work 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.
> The Rev. Charlie Parker, New Fountain UMC, Hondo—Francis Asbury Award. The honor, named for the first Methodist bishop in the United States, recognizes significant contributions to United Methodist higher education.
> Katy Fitzhugh, University 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.
> Wanda Renee Sessions Perry, St. Paul UMC, Corpus Christi—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.
> Clyde Allen, Sierra Vista UMC, San Angelo—Rocky Eubank Lay Speaking Ministries Award. Named for the first conference director of lay speaking, the award is 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. Allen has been the longtime director of lay speaking in the San Angelo District.
> Kristi Forister, Oxford UMC, San Antonio—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.
> Wilma Williams, First UMC, Corpus Christi—Older Adult Minister of the Year. The Council on Adult Ministries gives the award to recognize outstanding servant leadership in ministry by, for and with older adults. Williams was cited for cutting-edge work with older adults in her congregation, the Corpus Christi District and the conference at large.
> The Rev. Virgilio Vazquez-Garza, San Antonio District superintendent—Lifetime Membership Award in United Methodist Men. The conference United Methodist Men presented the special award for Vazquez-Garza’s support for United Methodist Men in the San Antonio District.
> Chelsea Rumbo, Wesley UMC, Harlingen; Erin Roe, Highland Lakes UMC, Buchanan Dam; and Katherine Maples, First UMC, El Campo—Conference Merit Scholarship Awards for the 2006-07 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 the Southwest Texas Conference.
> Phil Hoeflinger, First UMC, Harlingen—Youth Service Fund Project Award. Given by the Council on Youth Ministries, the award recognizes work by youths from the Harlingen congregation with McAllen District summer camps.
Two individuals were recognized for completing the Parish Christian Educators School: Cynthia Grilk-Engstrom, First UMC, Columbus, and Jenny Ozment, Fannin UMC.
Seven congregations—one in each district—earned the Arthur J. Moore Award for evangelism in their communities:
> First UMC, Pflugerville (Austin District).
> South Bluff UMC, Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi District).
> First UMC, Eagle Pass (Kerrville District).
> First UMC, Harlingen (McAllen District).
> Mertzon UMC (San Angelo District).
> Manantial de Vida UMC, San Antonio (San Antonio District).
> St. Paul UMC, Columbus (Victoria District).
The Moore award is named for a bishop and onetime pastor of Travis Park UMC, San Antonio. He was known for his evangelistic preaching.
The Commission on Religion and Race presented the Inclusiveness Award to congregations in each district for intentional participation in activities—inside and outside the church—that build relationships across racial and ethnic barriers:
> First UMC, Austin (Austin District).
> St. John’s UMC, Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi District).
> St. Paul’s UMC, Kerrville (Kerrville District).
> First UMC, Weslaco (McAllen District).
> Day Memorial UMC, San Angelo (San Angelo District).
> Resurrection UMC, Adkins (San Antonio District).
> St. Mark’s UMC, Victoria (Victoria District).
First UMC, Kerrville, and St. Paul’s UMC, Kerrville, both took home Mount Wesley Bolivian Cross Awards for their help with Hurricane Katrina evacuees who stayed at the Kerrville facility in September 2005.
Bend UMC and the Come One Come All Sunday school class at First UMC, Victoria, received the Methodist Children’s Home Award. The award recognizes many years of faithful financial support and hours of volunteer service to the Waco home.
The Single Friends Sunday school class at Alamo Heights UMC, San Antonio, was given the Methodist Mission Home Award. It recognized many years of contributions to, volunteer service to and prayers for the San Antonio-based adoption and rehabilitation agency.
The count of 5-Star Churches by district was:
> Austin—38.
> Corpus Christi—32.
> Kerrville—33.
> McAllen—24.
> San Angelo—26.
> San Antonio—30.
> Victoria—40.
To earn 5-Star status, a congregation must pay its apportionments in full and then make second-mile gifts to mission causes in five specific national and international categories.