Diego and Destiny Arredondo Answer a Call to Serve

Diego Arredondo was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry of the Texas Army National Guard during a ceremony at St. Mary’s University. The following day, he received a bachelor of arts in criminology from the university. A pre-law student, he plans to attend law school in preparation for a career in federal law enforcement or as a prosecutor.

Arredondo graduated alongside his wife, Destiny, who received a bachelor of arts in criminology with honors. She is a member of the First-Generation College Honor Society and completed an internship with the San Antonio Police Department. She will attend the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Texas State Trooper Academy.

Both are products of the Baptist Temple youth program. While still in high school, Diego wrote the following essay:

Congregating has been a staple in many cultures since the beginning of time. Is congregating part of your cultural identity? The picture I took tells a narrative story about a place of worship and its many years of service to the people, the presence of a spiritual leader and an environment of learning that has taught and exposed many people the Word of God. 

This picture takes place in Baptist Temple Church of San Antonio, which is my place of worship. I have been attending Baptist Temple Church since 2019 when my father was hired as the Minister of Outreach. I have learned the history of the church and have been involved in its thorough and complicated projects to enhance its community's resources. This beautiful church has a deep-rooted history in the east side of San Antonio and has been serving its community since 1911 and has recently celebrated its 111-year anniversary. With a deep history like that it's safe to say that this place has become a cultural site for many of those who attend and congregate here. 

 

There have been thousands upon thousands of messages given at this cultural place. This picture sadly was only able to capture one of these moments. This first paragraph would not be complete without explaining the Baptist culture. Baptist believers trust and believe that Jesus is the son of God and believe that followers should make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The center of the Baptist faith and belief is servitude and this picture represents a service of hope given to the community.

Another beautiful story told in this picture is the presence of a spiritual leader, in this case my pastor Jorge Zayasbazan. This narrative photo displays our Church Senior Pastor Jorge Zayasbazan giving a sermon this morning. The presence and leadership of a spiritual leader has also been around since the beginning of time. Another staple of culture is having a spiritual leader and Baptist Temple has many to grace its community. Every Sunday a message is given and this picture depicts the weekly services and congregation that gathers together to hear the Word of our God. 

Culture can also be a habit or consistent activity but culture is also who you are as a person and as a group and spiritual leaders ensure that a group of people can be given the tools to pursue and help others pursue and trust in God, this is why they are so important to religious culture. This picture captures the story of a man who has dedicated his entire life to spreading the word of God, making disciples and church planting to the masses. The picture is taken from the perspective of someone who has been widely influenced by him as a spiritual leader and is mentored by one as well, spiritual leaders have always been rooted into my culture since birth. 

Although this photo can tell a thousand stories, my final one is that the photo captures a moment of culture in the way of the environment. The main culture idea that this picture captures is the religious environment that is common in the Baptist faith. It displays the colored stained glass windows that has been around for ages, the stained woodwork that flows throughout the church and the pool with the river painting over it where many have chosen to be baptized and give their life to Christ Jesus located right behind the stage area, all these beautiful features are a commonplace in Baptist churches, the instruments used to play music, the colored flags/banners with inspirational quotes and finally the warm colors and warm loving environment you can feel through the screen.

This culture is a big part of my life. Every Sunday and even more through the week I look forward to feeling the beautiful environment which is therapeutic to the eyes, soul and heart. This cultural environment is used to teach and preach the word of God to the mass community, share its overwhelming resources, make disciples and share God’s love. It is a beautiful, warm and inviting site. 

Overall, this narrative photograph tells a story of culture. It displays culture in three ways, one is the history of a place of worship, the importance of a spiritual leader and the environment of worship and its effect.
 

A Legacy of Faithful Ministry

For more than one hundred years Baptist Temple has witnessed the examples of people living according to the teachings of Jesus Christ; wonderful examples of lives that bring honor and glory to Him. Two of those faithful servants were recently added to the honored roll of Deacons Emeriti: JoAnn White and Muriel Persky.

White, a deacon’s wife for many years was ordained a deacon in her own right in 2017. Her emeritus status is granted in honor of many years of service prior to her ordination. Today, she is best known through our ceramics ministry, where with her husband Boyd and her son Robbie, she provides a weekly recreational outlet with a healthy dose of Jesus. But her service record is deep and wide. 

Since coming to Baptist Temple in 1970, her positions include WMU president, Sunday school teacher and department director, Cub Scout den mother and scoutmaster in our Troop 22’s Cub Scout program, and kindergarten teacher in our early learning center. She used her CNA nursing skills in BT’s TOUCH methadone program, working alongside Rose Flynn and Dr. E. J. Gregory. “I took them into the room, settled them down, took their blood pressure and temperature and all that. Dr. Gregory told Rose what to do and she did the medication,” she said.

She served the community as well, serving as PTA president at Kate Schenck Elementary, Rogers Middle School, and Highlands High School, following her children as they grew up.

Like White, Persky had been a deacon’s wife for many years prior to her ordination in 2017. She has taught Sunday school, Mission Friends, and Vacation Bible School. She has cooked at youth camps for as many as one hundred hungry teenagers — and few people are hungrier than teenagers. She worked behind the scenes on our legendary dinner theaters and children’s musicals. She worked with adults, too, teaching Bible study for the Christian Women’s Job Corps—helping women gain a fresh start in life. She even developed and wrote Bible study curriculum for the program.

One of Muriel’s fondest memories was serving with the planning team for the Billy Graham Crusade during the four months of preparation leading up to the San Antonio crusade.

While serving so faithfully in church ministry, she worked many years at Buckner Baptist Benevolences. She began as a cook, advanced to receptionist, then bookkeeper, and eventually administrative assistant before retiring.

Following retirement, she would accompany her husband, Robert, on short-term missions to the border and on Young in Heart excursions. Locally, Robert and Muriel worked on two Habitat for Humanity houses.

In 2020, Persky completed fifty hours of training to become certified as Stephen Minister, enhancing her skills to walk alongside people in need of extra grace.

Hope in the Heart of the City

An organization that prevails is one that adapts to a changing environment in order to meet the needs of people. It does not rest on past successes, nor does it rage against gathering clouds. Instead, it uses the past as a prelude and presses on to greater heights.

Its leaders understand the times, looking for where God is at work—because God is always at work.

For more than 100 years, we have navigated community change. From pastureland to upscale suburbs to the inner city, we have sought to meet the spiritual and physical needs of our neighbors.

During the Great Depression, a “Tent City” of homeless people formed a mile east of us. We brought blankets, clothing, food, and medicine. At the same time, we operated a soup kitchen a mile to the north.

In the late 1960s, the construction of I-10 and HemisFair ’68 radically changed the neighborhood. Homes were demolished. People and financial resources migrated north. But we stayed.

Sewing classes, ESL instruction, a medical clinic, a methadone program, sports and recreation for all ages, and an early learning center emerged to meet community needs. They were later joined by a food pantry, clothing closet, and counseling ministries.

Today, we serve in a community where life expectancy is ten years lower than in some neighborhoods on the north side of San Antonio.

Yet, in the middle of this so-called under-resourced area, stands this magnificent facility: eighty thousand square feet on three acres. We are located on I-10 near a major exit, close to Interstates 35, 37, and 410, just one block from two bus routes, with ample parking and a dedicated cadre of workers—many from this very community.

Around us stands a growing network of churches, businesses, nonprofits, foundations, and individuals committed to breaking the bonds of generational poverty.

There are many success stories. The hungry are fed. The homeless are housed. Addicts are finding sobriety. But some of the greatest victories are among our youth.

Let me tell you about Coby. He grew up in our children’s and youth ministries, nurtured by caring adults who faithfully brought him and his sister to church. He became one of the 60 percent in our community who graduate from high school and later received a full scholarship to the University of the Incarnate Word… as a saxophone player.

Though he attended a high school often viewed as less competitive than those in more affluent communities, he was given the tools, encouragement, and support needed to succeed at a major university.

Then there is Meosha, who lived in Denver Heights as a child, and went to college om an athletic scholarship.

This month, another of our students, Diego, will graduate from St. Mary's University and be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Texas Army National Guard. Destiny will also graduate from St. Mary’s this month.

There are many others who have continued their education beyond high school thanks to the John and Mary Ellen Long grants. There is hope.

We have also provided internship opportunities for students from Baylor University, Our Lady of the Lake University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and Baptist University of the Americas, along with a workforce training program for special-needs students through SAISD.

This summer, we will host the Texas Baptist Deaf Conference for the second time, along with a two-week camp for children with special needs.

Each month we:

    •    provide 623 boxes of groceries,
    •    serve 775 free dinners,
    •    distribute 182 lunch bags,
    •    provide 83 clothing changes for homeless individuals, and
    •    serve 2,620 free school meals.

But we offer more than handouts. We offer friendship and dignity. We provide support groups, counseling, and classes in life skills and health.

From the Early Learning Center to Funeral Caring USA, we care for our community from cradle to grave. In between, we provide respite care, Empower House, Divine Women, ceramics classes, and five churches working together in a multifaceted, holistic approach to loving our neighbors.

We receive generous support from foundations including the Baptist Health Foundation, the Charity Ball Association, the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation, and H-E-B Tournament of Champions. Their support has helped fund major repairs and improvements, including our inclusive playground—where children with disabilities can play alongside their typically abled friends—and our gymnasium, where six youth basketball teams practice. Sports help keep young people healthy, engaged in school, and out of trouble. Children and adults alike use these facilities.

Support also comes from individuals, churches, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. During COVID, a government grant allowed our Early Learning Center to remain open and continue serving the children of essential workers.

As the needs have increased, so have the resources. This year, HP CAN became a Texas nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3). We are preparing to bring in additional partners, expand our services, and increase the number of people we serve.