El Mesias UMC: A tale of two churches

By Mary Howard
McAllen District Reporter
This tale of two churches is about passion, persistence and faithful participation through their histories and vision to the service of consecration I attended June 24.
For me, the story began when Larry and I went out to visit El Mesias UMC, Laredo, as part of Larry Howard’s get-acquainted plan when he first arrived as superintendent of the McAllen District. That is when I learned of the church’s deep desire to have its own space—not for the space itself but because for this dedicated group, “church” was a way of life. Members wanted to meet often, on any day of the week and for as long as needed. They had children to train, neighbors to bring to Christ, and a large vision of mission and service that included prayer meetings in homes, training for the community in basic skill development and cross-cultural issues, and helping neighbors in crisis.
For El Mesias UMC the story began as two churches with history that paralleled. In 1995 a church “plant,” El Mesias, which had started as a Hispanic Sunday school class, began having Hispanic worship services at First UMC, Laredo. In the same year, Circulo de Oracion began having prayer meetings in a downtown Laredo store.
El Mesias came into full connection with The United Methodist Church in 1996. It continued meeting with several different pastors through the years, while Circulo de Oracion was meeting with the same pastor, Enrique Duarte, in several different locations through the years.
In 2002 the two churches merged and continued to meet at the El Mesias location with the Circulo de Oracion pastor, Enrique Duarte. He and his wife, Leticia, had dedicated themselves full-time to this work in 1997. They continued to lead this group of brothers and sisters in Christ as they faithfully worshiped, led their neighbors to Christ
and dreamed of having their own space.
Van Eash, pastor of El Mesias before the merger, and his wife, Alejandra, have also kept an
active role in the congregation.
I witnessed their excitement June 24 as this faithful community’s passion and persistence were celebrated. Members had kept faith through the lengthy search, purchase and renovation process. They are still completing the city inspection process. They were elated to be so far along. They promised that by the following Sunday, they would have completed the city inspections and have their electricity turned on.
In June 2006 the church space had been a shell of a room in a strip mall. Now it was being
consecrated as a worship space.
Members were proud to show visitors their church space, which includes a place for worship; a place for meetings; rooms for the nursery, the children and adults; a kitchen; and an office.
We all celebrated as the generators supplied electricity for the industrial-sized fan, the microphones and the lights. The congregation was 102 strong, including the children, first-time visitors and invited guests.
It was an electrifying service. Members offered prayers, testimonies and music. We celebrated birthdays, the building, the answer to prayers and God’s promise to continue working with and through El Mesias.
Duarte officiated. Howard preached, and Eash provided translation. The teenagers took care of the small children.
After the service, Gertrudis Barba, the church secretary, gave me a note that said, “El Mesias UMC, Laredo, worshiped 102 today.” Then she told me, “We can fill this church!”
And I know they will.