2 congregations earn 3rd-year welcoming status

Two Southwest Texas Conference churches earned welcoming-congregation status this
month for the third straight year.
Another congregation renewed its welcoming certification for a second year.
First UMC, Yorktown, and First UMC, New Braunfels, became the second and third Southwest Texas congregations to be certified three times. First UMC, Schulenburg, was the first in 2006.
The Yorktown congregation renewed its welcoming status Jan. 7. The New Braunfels congregation was recertified Jan. 16.
St. Paul UMC, Corpus Christi, earned welcoming certification for a second year Jan. 16.
Welcoming status is to be renewed annually.
The number of certified welcoming congregations in Southwest Texas stands at 153. That’s the most of any conference in the United States. Forty-four percent of Southwest Texas
congregations have been certified.
Of the total, 33 congregations have renewed their certifications at least once.
The count of welcoming congregations by district stands at Austin, 33; Corpus Christi, 29; Kerrville, 18; McAllen, 28; San Angelo, 9; San Antonio, 21; and Victoria, 15.
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.
Granted by the General Commission on Communication, certification means a congregation has systematically evaluated its hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers.
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 www.ignitingministry.org.
District superintendents sign checklists to confirm reported information.