2 more churches join welcoming congregation list

Two more Southwest Texas churches have joined the list of certified welcoming congregations.
First UMC, Boerne, became the first congregation in the Kerrville District Sept. 26 to earn the welcoming-congregation designation.
John Wesley UMC, Victoria, was named a welcoming congregation Oct. 3. John Wesley is the fifth certified congregation in the Victoria District.
Southwest Texas now has 20 certified welcoming congregations, the most of any conference in the eight-state South Central Jurisdiction. The 14 other welcoming congregations are in the McAllen District.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means each congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers. Congregations need to renew their certification annually.
The certification program is part of the denominationwide Igniting Ministry hospitality and image campaign. Certified congregations earn a special designation in the “Find a church” database at www. unitedmethodist.org.
Lay Leader Jay Brim of Austin set a goal of having at least 200 Southwest Texas congregations certified by June 2006. He announced that target June 3 during his lay leader’s report to the Southwest Texas Annual Conference session in Corpus Christi.
To earn certification, congregations must qualify for at least 100 points on a yearly checklist of welcoming activities. Those include designating a welcoming coordinator, training church members in welcoming techniques and doing various things around the church to make it more inviting to visitors.
District superintendents must sign each checklist to confirm the information reported.
Checklists are available at ignitingministry.org or umcswtx.org.