Special events boost community visibility

September activities
build relationships,
increase attendance

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
Congregations across Southwest Texas say Open House Month activities during early September have helped them increase community visibility and boost attendance.
“It’s made a huge difference,” said Pastor Janna Hawes of First UMC, Raymondville. “We’ve tried different ways to reach out to the community. We try to be intentional in doing outreach and finding ways to make this a more welcoming church. There are a lot of people in Willacy County who are unchurched.
“We have a feeding ministry, and people know they can come here if their families are hungry. Once you establish a relationship with people, and they know they’re not going to be judged, they come to you for help. We’re trying to do as many things as we can to have open hearts and open minds.”
The 152-member Raymondville congregation scheduled its annual “Invite a Friend Sunday” for Sept. 9.
This year church members intentionally invited parents of children in the preschool program and made a conscious effort to target new teachers in the community by meeting them all personally, Hawes said.
“It’s about relationships,” Hawes said. “When we get out there and meet people and are friendly to them, that’s what the church is about. Jesus Christ taught relationships.”
After worship Sept. 9, guests were invited to stay for a covered-dish lunch and a cake.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez has proclaimed each September through 2008 as a time for Southwest Texas congregations to plan special events that might attract visitors.
Industry UMC planned a special community social Sept. 8. Members served free ice cream and offered games to fellow citizens.
Leaders of the 256-member congregation mailed 1,000 fliers to area residents and added an announcement in the church newsletter and in the bulletin every Sunday, said Sharlene Husky,
one of the event organizers.
The event featured a duck pond for youngsters, prizes, a beanbag toss, a water slide, volleyball, checkers and dominoes, sack races, and face painting. Members served ice cream sundaes, floats (root beer, Coke and Big Red) and cookies.
To further publicize the event, Husky said, members handed out business-card size magnets to neighbors. The magnets showed the church name, address and worship times.
She said the event was the first large community gathering the church had staged.
“We’ve had a fall festival,” she said. “But it was more for the church members and friends and family. We’re reaching out and hoping we can get some new members from this.”
St. Peter’s UMC, Austin, encouraged church members to invite friends, relatives, associates and neighbors to worship services and other special activities from September through December.
The 272-member congregation staged a picnic and community festival Sept. 8. The event included a beanbag toss, moonwalk, ring toss, basketball, egg race and cake walk. Members served snow cones, popcorn, hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, punch and cookies.
Gaddis Memorial UMC, Comfort, provided lunch for Comfort Independent School District educators Aug. 21 as part of a teachers’ in-service day. Members passed out door hangers in the community inviting people to church. Water bottles with the church picture and address printed on them also were distributed to community members.
New Hope UMC, Converse, joined Universal City UMC to provide a public servants breakfast Sept. 8, said the Rev. Dennis Thompson, pastor of New Hope.