Churches of San Antonio

In a city that is the eighth largest of these United States there will be numerous churches. Of course. I've already posted about "sacred spaces" here in San Antonio, and have commented about church architecture. But herein I would like to list my candidates for top ten churches in this community that began its permanent settlement as a Christian mission station.

First, in terms of being the oldest continuously-active congregation or parish, would be San Fernando Cathedral. Not only is this church extremely prominent historically and an attraction to tourists, but it hosts numerous community events as well as opening to the public major Catholic celebration such as La Gran Posada and also the regular Mass schedule. And Archbishop José Gómez has been prominent in the local news and has himself published several very good writings!

First as far as being my original "home church" is Alamo Heights Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This church helped me above and beyond expectations during my first weeks here in January of A.D. 2002. Which led to my joining the congregation on my first visit for Sunday worship that same month!

Most beautiful church building, in my estimation, is Laurel Heights United Methodist Church. Like the first two churches I've commented on this church in earlier blog-postings.

Just two blocks south of Laurel Heights on Belknap Street is Christ Episcopal Church. Like Laurel Heights UMC, this church is of the classic Gothic style architecture. The stain-glass windows are breath-takingly beautiful, and in some subject matter rather Catholic in appearance.

Up in the Hill Country portion of the city, west of the vast medical center, sits Western Hills Christian Church (Disciples). It's also been spotlighted in my postings.

I've been to many events, including Emmaus and Kairos team formation meetings, at Alamo Heights UMC. This is one la-a-a-arge facility, very visible from nearby US 281 on the other side of Quarry Market. Indeed, I'm told that when it was built in the 1990s (earlier AHUMC had been on Broadway in "downtown" Alamo Hts.) it was nicknamed "The Methodome"!

On the South Side of the city, not far from Stinson Field (airport), is Ashley Road Baptist Church. If any church is named as being the home in San Antonio for Southern Gospel music, it would be Ashley Road! Every Second Saturday the little church hosts a local or regional gospel artist or group. Every Saturday they air "The Gospel Train" radio broadcast of my beloved music. And every New Years Eve they have a watch nite service and concert.

One of many small churches scattered on the Westside is Soldiers of Christ Church. It's a storefront church, or so I would have described it when I first noticed it there on West Martin Street. Back then one could still discern that the building had earlier served as a business. But the congregation and pastor Alfonso Gonzales have worked hard to upgrade their facility, so that now one can hardly tell the building didn't always house a church. I used to attend their afternoon service, to sing the Spanish praise songs and listen to preaching in Spanish. But alas! the service go dropped due to fallign attendance.

Also on the Westside is of course my other church home, Mexican Christian Church (Disciples). This church is called the "mother church" of Hispanic Disciples churches, because it was the first Disciples church founded to minister specifically to Spanish-speaking and Hispanic heritage people, over a century ago. It also has the distinction of being the oldest Disciples of Christ church of ANY type in San Antonio!

In La Villita historic neighborhood is Little Church. The formal (or official) name is "Little Church of La Villita". I think it's a non-denominational church now, but was founded as a Methodist of Lutheran church. Nowadays it holds a worship on Sundays, that features a guest preacher. And often when I'm passing thru that historic district that's now the downtown home of arts, crafts and culture, I will notice a wedding going on in the picturesque little church!

This list contains ten churches of personal significance to me, and not always in order of personal importance. It still leaves out some congregation of significance for yours truly. And then there are other church buildings and/or congregations which are better known. Such as Oak Hills Church of Christ, where Max Lucado is senior pastor. He is an excellent, inspirational Christian author! The ever-growing church has moved out beyond Fiesta Texas on IH Ten, recently dropped "of Christ" from its name (so as to not be denominational-specific), and Brother Lucado has just announced that due to a medical condition he will step down from the senior pastor post, but remain on the church staff and continue to preach.

Also well-known nationally is Cornerstone Church, where John Hagee preaches and conducts a television ministry. Cornerstone is another very large church, sitting on the north side of Loop 410 in the Stone Oak area of Loopland. Oh, and back downtown is St. Mark's Episcopal Church beside Travis Park. This oldest Anglican congregation in S.A. once had Robert E. Lee as a member. Also downtown is St. Joseph's Catholic Church, founded to serve Catholics among the flood of German immigrants who came to S.A. in the mid-1800s. Joske's Department Store, which was originally built beside the church, expanded around the back and other side to completely surround it, leading wits to nickname it "Saint Joske's Church." But that joke doesn't work any more, now that Joske's had become on of the Dillard's chain of stores! Over on the Westside is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. It's not much to look at on the outside, but the interior is beautiful, and it had a notable pastor in Father Carmelo Tranchese, called "the rumpled angel of the slums" or something similar. He was a strong advocate that public housing be built so that impoverished chicanos could move out of the jacales (shacks or hovels) in which they had been living on the Westside. Fr. Tranchese was also responsible for preservation of the script for and continuance of the performance of Los Pastores morality play about the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem to see the newborn Jesus. Los Pastores is performed annually at Guadalupe Church and at Mission San José. Speaking of which, I do NOT want to omit the old Spanish missions, certainly not those like Mission San Jose that continue to serve as active parishes.

And finally, back out in Loopland is University UMC, located between the campuses of UTSA and USAA. If anything it appears larger than AHUMC and should be the church nicknamed "The Methodome"! Just about every time I'm inside for an Emmaus event or something else, I get lost in the way it wraps around itself (AHUMC, by contrast, has two "wings" going straight out from the central portion that has the sanctuary and offices)!