Volunteers help bring new look to San Antonio church

SAN ANTONIO—Volunteers ripped out paneling and combined their handiwork skills to assist a San Antonio church during the Texas Baptist Family Gathering.

The 91-year-old Harlandale Baptist Church building needed an updated interior and exterior, said Dan Treviño, who has been the church’s pastor 10 years.

Volunteers helped renovate the 91-year-old Harlandale Baptist Church building during the Texas Baptist Family Gathering in San Antonio. (BGCT Photo)Texas Baptists from around the state teamed up with San Antonio Baptist Association to provide volunteers for the mission opportunity.

The volunteers prepped the worship area for a new paint job, which Treviño said will bring openness to the room. He hopes the remodeled building will demonstrate members take good care of the facility and will attract people to the church and its ministries.  

Volunteer DeRema Dunn from Mimosa Lane Baptist Church in Mesquite could not second-guess the opportunity to help a sister congregation.

“Missions is about going and doing,” she said. “This was an opportunity to go and do, and I like to do that.”

Harlandale has been Eileen Fox’s spiritual home 48 years. She and her husband attend the church faithfully, even though most of their friends moved away years ago.  

“This is where God called us to serve,” she said.

Fox put her degree in home economics to use as she provided food for the Texas Baptist volunteers. As a long-time member, she is excited to see the building get an updated look.

“I think it’s our responsibility as Christians to keep God’s house looking good,” she said.

The church values community outreach and education. A college-preparatory charter school leases part of the building, and the church houses a thrift store in which all proceeds help feed people in the community.

“This was a real blessing to have Texas Baptists come out,” Treviño said. “If the church is being taken care of, we feel the community will pick it up.”