San Benito fiesta planned to draw visitors

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
It will take hours of planning, truckloads of food and a smattering of cultural music.
But it’s all in the effort to offer Christ to all.
Every year Danny Longoria, associate pastor of First UMC, San Benito, organizes a daylong Fiesta celebration—an attempt to attract more Latinos to the church.
This year, in observance of the sixth annual United Methodist Open House Month during September, the celebration will span three days.
“Food is a big attraction,” Longoria said. “Music, too.
“We are a downtown church, and we are so strategically located that anything we do outside, people driving and walking by will notice. People who have had a couple of drinks, they end up here.
“Our intent is to bring people in from the community. And what better way to celebrate the gifts that the Hispanic people bring to us than through word and worship?”
Many Southwest Texas congregations have similar plans to celebrate Open House Month during September. Bishop Joel N. Martinez designated the month as a time for United Methodists to focus on planning events that would reach people outside their congregations with Christ’s message.
The San Benito celebration is to begin Sept. 1 and conclude Sept. 3. It features the Rev. Mario Aman, associate pastor of Frazier Memorial UMC, Montgomery, Ala. Rosalio Martinez Jr. is to provide musical entertainment.
The San Benito congregation plans to sell foods that are relevant to the Hispanic culture and provide face painting and moon walks for the children, Longoria said.
In Beeville First UMC plans to offer its community a carnival Sept. 10 after church services conclude. Slated for the church’s gym, the event is to include a clown who makes balloon critters and paints children’s faces, a moon walk, various carnival games and a hot dog lunch.
Vivian Woods, minister of education, said the church has sponsored similar events in the past and has seen several new faces in the church as a result.
“This is a chance to welcome into our midst new people who may not be associated with our church and show them what we have to offer so they can see if it’s a good fit,” Woods said.
“And we’re letting the children and youths know that they are important to us. This is very much focused on them.”
Lytle UMC is joining other area churches in organizing a free community presentation, “Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flames.” It is scheduled for the Lytle High School Auditorium Sept. 17 through 19.
The play, directed by personnel from Reality Ministry but including actors, actresses and stage crew members from local congregations, is about reaching the unchurched.
The 282 members of the Lytle congregation are to receive five tickets each. Church members are to give those tickets to unchurched neighbors and friends and write the names of people they might invite on prayer cards.
East St. Paul UMC, San Antonio, is celebrating its 81st anniversary and homecoming Sept. 10 at 11 a.m.
The Rev. Zan Wesley Holmes Jr., pastor emeritus of St. Luke’s “Community” UMC, Dallas, is to preach at the morning service. A fellowship dinner is to precede evening worship.
“We’re hoping to bring former members back and make our church have a better presence in the San Antonio community,” said the Rev. Maurice Washington, pastor.
First UMC, Bishop, has scheduled “Bring a Friend Sunday” for Sept. 10, a volunteer Sunday for Sept. 17 and a “Civil Servant Sunday” for Sept. 26. The civil servant event is to include a luncheon.
Church leaders recently began distributing welcome cards, which members leave at restaurants or stores as a nonthreatening way to invite strangers to church.
“Our purpose has been to grow the church and reach out to the unchurched,” said Pastor Barbara Aziz. “I would hope that our community would see that we appreciate them.
“In this small town, it’s all about the people. This is just one more way to make contacts with people in the community and let them see that we are not just sitting here behind closed doors.”
Open House Month has been celebrated annually in Southwest Texas since 2000 as part of the denom-inationwide Igniting Ministry hospitality and image campaign.