4 congregations join welcoming list;
5 more renew certifications

Four more Southwest Texas Conference churches joined the list of certified welcoming congregations in recent weeks.
Five others renewed their welcoming status for another year.
New welcoming congregations are:
> First UMC, Goldthwaite, Kerrville District, certified Jan. 24.
> Buda UMC, Austin District, certified Jan. 28.
> Wesley UMC, San Angelo, San Angelo District, certified Feb. 11.
> Alamo UMC, San Antonio, San Antonio District, certified Feb. 11.
First UMC, Rockport, became the fourth Southwest Texas congregation to be recertified for a third year. The Corpus Christi District congregation was recognized Jan. 22.
Four congregations renewed their welcoming status for a second year:
> LaVernia UMC, San Antonio District, recertified Jan. 24.
> First UMC, Laredo, McAllen District, recertified Feb. 5.
> Shepherd’s Gate Community UMC, San Antonio, San Antonio District, recertified Feb. 8.
> Rolling Hills Community Church, Lago Vista, Austin District, recertified Feb. 13.
Welcoming status is to be renewed annually.
The number of certified welcoming congregations in Southwest Texas stands at 157. That’s the most of any conference in the United States. Forty-five percent of Southwest Texas congregations have been certified.
Of the total, 38 congregations have renewed their certifications at least once.
The count of welcoming congregations by district stands at Austin, 34; Corpus Christi, 29; Kerrville, 19; McAllen, 28; San Angelo, 10; San Antonio, 22; 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.