2 more McAllen District churches
join welcoming-congregation list


Two more McAllen District churches joined the list of certified welcoming congregations July 23.
New welcoming congregations are Zapata UMC and First UMC, Kings-ville.
The Southwest Texas Conference now has 136 certified welcoming congregations.
That total is the most of any conference in the United States.
The count of welcoming congregations by district stands at Austin, 28; Corpus Christi, 27; Kerrville, 18; McAllen, 28; San Angelo, 7; San Antonio, 17; and Victoria, 11.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means a congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers.
Welcoming certification must be renewed annually.
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.
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.
District superintendents sign checklists to confirm reported information.