A good and faithful servant

David Sexson at the
SABA Hunger Walk

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I first met David Sexson in the loading area of the San Antonio Food Bank. He was there with a crew from Mayfield Park Baptist Church. I was picking up for Baptist Temple’s Food Pantry. We would talk as we waited for our food, comparing notes about serving the hungry families of our respective communities.

David was an unchurched teenager who had come to know the Lord at age 14 when a church planting missionary invited him to a new church start. David's life was headed in the wrong direction, but he found a new life in Jesus that set him on the right path.

Serving 26 years as a Dental Technician, David retired from the US Air Force and then worked for another 21 and a half years at the UT Health Science Center Dental School. He greatest joy, however, comes from serving God. “I consider it a privilege that He works through me,” David said. 

David has served churches in a variety of administrative and teaching capacities, always ready to pitch in when needed. He’s been on numerous mission trips both near and far, but the most memorable one was to a leper colony in Thailand. There he witnessed a level of human suffering that he had never seen before or since.

Baptist Temple made a strong first impression on David. He said, after his first time worshiping with us, that he truly felt God's presence and that the people were very welcoming. He was also impressed by the level of activity and the many opportunities for him to serve. “I'm not going to a church where I can't do things,” he said.

He loved to work in our food pantry. We would meet at the Food Bank and load up our vehicles. I was amazed as to how much he could fit into his small car. David would pick up food, stock the shelves, and speak with each client as they came in. He would take time inquiring about their physical and spiritual needs, praying with them, if they requested. Afterwards, he would restock, clean up, and update records.

David had to step back when his health began to fail. The cancer that slowed him down soon took his life. His fellow workers stepped up to help, but the Food Pantry clients missed David. They missed his gentle spirit, warm smile, and genuine concern. And so do I.

Then the King will say to those on his right,
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…”
Matthew 25:34-35

Dan Trevino Joins the Baptist Temple Team

Dan Trevino

The Reverend Doctor Dan Trevino started serving Baptist Temple as Associate Pastor earlier this week. Trevino recently left his position at Harlandale Baptist Church after 11 years of faithful service.

A native of San Antonio, Trevino earned a BS from Howard Payne University and an MSW from Our Lady of the Lake University. Furthermore, he earned both a Master's and a Doctor of Theology from Andersonville Theological Seminary.

Trevino worked for Baptist Child and Family Services for many years in a variety of progressive roles working his way up from house parent to campus administrator and serving as interim president.

God has used his combined experience and training in both the pastoral and social service worlds to lead churches in serving their surrounding communities. His expertise has been much sought after by Texas Baptists where Trevino serves on the Texas Christian Life Commission Board of Consultants. He also served on the boards of the Christian Women's/Christian Men's Job Corps and Zephyr Baptist Encampment.

At Baptist Temple, Trevino's primary role will be to administer our food programs and hunger ministries, especially our relationship with the San Antonio Food Bank. Trevino will continue and expand the work started by Joe Guinn in developing our church as a Community Partner site. This will enable us to directly enroll members of our community in government programs for which they qualify. Our goal is to be a place where we can help people with both their physical and spiritual needs.

Trevino will lead a multifaceted approach to the issues of nutrition and food insecurity that include a food pantry, emergency food supply, weekend food packs for children at risk and free or reduced breakfast and lunch for children throughout the year. Last year, in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, we distributed over 17,000 lbs. of groceries per month to our neighbors. Our participation in summer feeding program, which began in 2009, will expand to multiple sites this year.

Baptist Temple is part of a family of urban churches and non-profits that share a campus to show God's love to our community in practical ways.

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