It was a year marked by need—and faithfulness.
Across San Antonio, rising food insecurity pressed itself into daily life. Baptist Temple felt that weight not as an abstraction, but as faces, names, and empty hands. With the help of our hunger fighting partners, the church responded. Over the course of the year, more than seven hundred homeless meal bags were distributed, groceries were provided to over 3,500 families, and more than 4,000 hot meals were served. Each number represented a conversation, a prayer, a quiet act of dignity restored. God provided and the number of volunteers increased, as did the number of food sources—clear signs of God’s grace.
Hunger relief efforts intersected with learning, laughter, and shared life. Community events filled the calendar and the campus with energy: the Dollars and Sense seminar led by George Long offered practical guidance; the Charity Ball Association children’s party transformed the grounds with clowns, inflatables, pony rides, and a petting zoo; and the Boo Bash, cosponsored by the Early Learning Center and Respite Care, welcomed families into a safe and festive celebration. Even Vacation Bible School bore fruit, as two children made decisions to follow Christ—small moments that carried eternal weight.
The year was also marked by transition—hellos and goodbyes that reshaped the rhythm of congregational life. God’s Will Ministry began gathering for Sunday worship at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel adding to the five congregations already worshiping on the BT Campus. Divine Women expanded their services and relocated to the Long House. Respite Care launched a parent’s day out program on campus, offering rest to weary caregivers of special needs kids. At the same time, the Henry Ford Academy did not reopen in the fall, closing a chapter that had once held promise and purpose.
Worship remained the steady center. The sanctuary echoed with special services and sacred moments: the Southern Plainsmen worship concert, Adult and Teen Challenge leading worship with testimony and song on two occasions, and musical presentations on Palm Sunday and during Advent. Easter was celebrated with the flowering of the cross, a visible sign of resurrection hope. The Early Learning Center presented its strongest Christmas program to date, and Christmas Eve was marked not by spectacle but by simplicity—scripture read, songs sung, Christ remembered. In a moment of affirmation and gratitude for faithful service, Linda Moos was ordained as a deacon.
Life together mattered, too. Game day fellowships and shared meals created space for laughter and conversation. Valentine’s Day brought “A Night of Romance,” featuring great entertainment, laughter, and a catered dinner. Eighteen members walked together in the San Antonio Hunger Walk, embodying in public what they practiced daily. Homecoming stood above the rest—a celebration of the church’s 114th birthday, the largest worship attendance of the year, and an even larger gathering afterward at Comanche Park, where former members and staff returned from near and far to reminisce about the past and to rejoice about the present.
The year also witnessed new life in Christ. Baptisms marked turning points and testimonies of grace: Manuel; Kelsie; Elijah; Thomas; the Estrada family—George, Ana, Mia, and Fabian; Ralph; and Adelina. Their stories joined the long stream of faith that has shaped Baptist Temple for generations.
The year carried loss. We mourn and give thanks for lives of: Louise Stuteville, George Martin, Mary Lee Shelton, Ken Muenzler, and Robert Newman. Their absence was felt, their memory honored, their faith remembered with gratitude and hope.
Looking back, 2025 was a year marked by faithfulness—by hands extended, tables shared, voices lifted in worship, and lives changed. In the face of need, the church did what it has always done: it stepped up.
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