New congregation established at Canyon Lake

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
Bleak weather didn’t deter members of the Southwest Texas Conference’s newest congregation from officially organizing Dec. 10 and breaking ground for a new church.
North Shore UMC, Canyon Lake, begins with nearly 180 charter members. Many gathered inside Rebecca Creek Elementary School following a 10:30 a.m. worship service for a constituting conference. That meeting officially established the new local church in the San Antonio District.
The group then moved to the proposed site for the new church for a groundbreaking.
North Shore is a daughter congregation of Canyon Lake UMC. The established congregation is helping start the new church.
Though Bishop Joel N. Martinez couldn’t attend the constituting conference, he sent a letter with the Rev. J. Michael Lowry, executive director of new church development and transformation.
“Today you are part of a historic new beginning,” Martinez wrote in his letter, which the Rev. Malford Hierholzer read. “I rejoice and celebrate the work of God’s grace among you.”
Hierholzer is serving the new congregation as pastor.
Lowry also brought a letter from San Antonio District Superintendent Virgilio Vazquez-Garza. He authorized the constituting conference and added some personal notes praising the pastor and congregation for having a vision and remaining faithful to it.
Lowry said the Southwest Texas Conference would contribute $150,000 to the new congregation over the next four years.
“You’re not in this alone,” Lowry said. “The great help is the Savior, but you also have a larger Methodist church supporting you—including people from places like Bastrop and Uvalde and Zapata.
“This day you have done a great thing on behalf of the Lord. Every church is a mission post of advancing the kingdom of God. It is my pleasure to congratulate you, and may you always be the light that shines on the hill of this side of Canyon Lake.”
Marty Chrismon, one of the church’s music leaders, led the congregation in a final song, “This Little Light of Mine.”