Shepherd’s Gate Community UMC, San Antonio

Pastor K. Vanessa LeVine of Shepherd’s Gate Community UMC, San Antonio, said the congregation’s first new members came as a result of a community outreach event, though it was not done in conjunction with Open House Month.
She said she is hoping that the three events Shepherd’s Gate offered in September might encourage visitors to try out the church.
“We’re hoping that we can build a sense of trust and camaraderie with the community,” LeVine said. “We hope they can understand that we are here to serve them, that we want to be an asset in the community and that we love them and care about what’s happening to them and their future.
“Sometimes you gain a few regular visitors or members. We just want to reach out and invite the community in, and we’ve seen a positive response.”
Shepherd’s Gate leaders organized a gospel choir concert; La Noche Mexicana, celebrating Mexican Independence Day; and an information session with Project Quest, which helps provide education scholarships to residents of the area.
Carol Sutton, secretary of Wesley UMC, Corpus Christi, said the church’s picnic under the stars musical Sept. 21 and 22 brought several visitors the following Sunday and encouraged a former member to return.
The Rev. Sharon Stewart, associate pastor of Coker UMC, San Antonio, said that the 20 parking spots designated for visitors were filled during the church’s Sept. 16-19 revival with Johnny Hobbs.
“We had a full house pretty much every night of the revival,” she said. “It turned out well. People’s hearts were rekindled.”
People came down to the front for prayer or rededications every night, Stewart added.
The church provided transportation for residents from the San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries shelter to the revival and had a van pick up seniors from one retirement home.
It’s still too early to tell if Coker will gain members from the event, Stewart said, but the church has seen some visitors.
“It provided us with visibility,” she said. “And it was just so exciting to see people welcoming and happy to be there. The spirit was really there.”
More than 200 people showed up for the free dinner each night, she added.
Joey Glowka of Oak Island UMC, San Antonio, said 26 people took part in the church’s blood drive. Leaders started a Kids Night Out program with nine children Sept. 12 and had 30 the second night, she added.
“There were quite a number of (children) from the community who did not attend church regularly,” Glowka said.