Blanco United Methodist Church has been recognized by United Methodist Communications (UMCom) as an official “Welcoming Congregation” for the second year.

“Welcoming Congregations” are a select group of United Methodist congregations nationwide that meet criteria including embracing newcomers and providing opportunities in discipleship. The recognition program is part of a larger effort launched in late 2000 by UMCom, the denomination’s communications agency, to use modern technology and the common language of television to spread the Good News of Christ to a world in need. Projects undertaken to achieve this award included updating church information on its own website, blancoumc.org, as well as the Find-a-Church portion of the United Methodist Church website.

For the past eight years, “Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors” has been the theme of the denomination, supported with a series of national cable TV advertising, supplemented by regional and local church participation. The overall aim of the effort was to invite people to enter into connection with the Christian community as they seek meaning and purpose in their lives. The new campaign, Rethink Church, seeks to capitalize on the previous campaign, targeting 18-34 year olds and inviting churches to think of the motto as a verb, not just an adjective as in: “Together we can …Open hearts, Open minds and Open doors”.

Blanco United Methodist Church is located at 61 Pecan Street in Blanco. Its pastor is the Reverend Ken Greene, who has announced that the education department recently added a Sunday school class exclusively for 20 to 39 year olds. The first sessions revolve around the topic “Balance Living with Life Demands.” The class meets at 9:45am, the regular time for all Sunday morning classes. Also recently begun is Children’s Church for children age 4 years through fifth grade, which is held following the “Time With Young Disciples” during the second Sunday worship service. It is a time for sharing, learning, praying, and singing to provide young hearts and minds with God’s word.