Church is on mission

By Kelly Drake

In March of last year, the congregation sold their property on Garland Road. The church was born in the LGBTQ community in 1991 during the AIDS crisis. At that time in Dallas there weren’t many houses of worship that welcomed someone gay. In addition to caring for the spiritual needs, the Friend’s Ministry was formed in 1992 to assist many members suffering and dying of AIDS.

WRCC still provides a spiritual home for the LGBTQ community. Throughout the years like many churches, there have been challenges and times of transition.

Selling the property has provided the resources and freed up members to fully engage in ministry. Instead of worrying about the costly upkeep and maintenance of  a large aging building, there has been a deliberate shift in building a ministry and relationships in a new neighborhood.

Worship space was acquired at the Owenwood Farm & Neighborhood Space on John West Road. The Friend’s Ministry moved to the new location as well and continues to operate a general store, providing household and hygenic items to persons living with HIV. The program has expanded beyond church members to all in the community that are eligible. In addition, Friends offers a Saturday meals program funded by our partners at DIFFA Dallas.

Senior Pastor Douglas Shaffer forged a bond with Conner Elementary School. He has taken on the role as Scout Master and serves on the PTA. Having an enthusiastic staff and student body, it’s an inner city school with many in need. The church has adopted the school. Earlier in the fall, 20 new instruments were donated to the music department. Members helped plant trees and a couple of months ago, jackets were given to 400 students. 

Recently the church began partnering with the North Texas Food Bank. On the Second Saturday of the month a huge produce truck arrives at the church and members hand out bags of veggies to Friend’s clients and neighborhood residents until it’s gone. The first Saturday, 86  families received food, benefitting more than 300 people.

Being neighborly is the right thing to do and is a big part of “mission focused” ministry. To meet neighbors, a Sunday pancake worship service is now part of the calendar. Many in the neighborhood speak Spanish, thus Simple Spanish Lessons are now offered at the church. Recently Pastor Pablo Guardiola was added to the staff as a bilingual pastor of people and culture. Serving all, reaching all is becoming a reality.

In June the church will celebrate its 28th anniversary and will be presenting a special concert event featuring ‘Grace Callin’, a young contemporary Christian group releasing their first EP in May.

The 3rd Annual Charles Cole Rise Against Hunger event will be held in August, creating over 10,000 meals in less than an hour to be sent all over the world. Friends from White Rock UMC and Preston Hollow UMC join in the effort. Helping the homeless, especially LGBT teens are needs identified for future ministry projects. Change can be a good thing. The church that moved, is on the move!