One of the things I love about AHUMC is the courageous spirit of the church. Grounded in the goodness and calling of God, Alamo Heights has consistently engaged in bold, creative ministry to reach our neighbors with the love of Christ. In that spirit, AHUMC welcomed Asbury United Methodist Church as a second campus back in 2012. Prior to that merger, Asbury had a rich history of service in the San Pedro corridor, and that legacy continued after Asbury joined the AHUMC family. People worshiped and studied together at Asbury; people were baptized, confirmed, and married at Asbury; neighbors were welcomed, supported, prayed for, fed, and clothed through the ministries of Asbury. In short, the Asbury campus has been a blessing to the San Pedro community for decades.
However, the Asbury campus itself, constructed in the 1950s, has deteriorated over the years, and the costs associated with its upkeep have skyrocketed. After much prayer, consideration, and conversation, the AHUMC Trustees Committee has recommended that the Asbury campus be sold in order to fund a new ministry in the San Pedro corridor—a wholistic ministry that will honor Asbury’s legacy while serving the community in new and creative ways. We envision an outreach ministry of AHUMC that will provide educational services and health and wellness initiatives, as well as worship and ongoing discipleship opportunities for our neighbors in the San Pedro corridor. AHUMC may lease a property in the area or purchase new property to house the ministry; our leadership will prayerfully make that decision with an eye toward responsible stewardship and the best interests of our neighbors in the community.
The AHUMC Board of Stewards and the Las Misiones District Strategy Team have approved the proposed sale of the Asbury campus. As a final step, AHUMC will hold a Charge Conference on Thursday, October 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary to approve the proposal; the motion to be voted upon is, “To sell the Asbury campus property, and to authorize the Trustees Committee to act on behalf of AHUMC in the negotiation and sale of Asbury.”
All are encouraged to attend the Charge Conference. More detailed information will be presented regarding the proposed sale of the Asbury property and our new vision for mission and ministry in the San Pedro corridor. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Greg Hackett, will preside at the Conference.
I’m so grateful for Asbury UMC’s legacy of Christian love and service and look forward to honoring that legacy in new ways that reach our neighbors with the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
In Christ’s love,
Rev. Holly H. Gotelli
Senior Pastor
