by Leo Schuster, Lead Pastor
During our worship service on Sunday I shared some exciting news. After an extensive search and prayerful consideration, our leadership has identified an outstanding property to be City Church’s long-term home. This will give us an enduring, visible, and physical presence in our city and greatly enhance our mission to bring the beauty of Christ into broken places.
It is a church property located at 201 E. 9th Street in the Heights. Less than a mile north of I-10, it is an easily accessible, central location in the city. And the Heights is a vibrant, historic, and eclectic area in Houston’s dense inner loop.
After conducting an extensive financial analysis of this project–including the cost of the property, the renovation, and our capacity to pay for it–our financial oversight team unanimously endorsed it to our session. In addition, last week our elders voted unanimously to recommend to the congregation that City Church purchase and renovate the property as our future home. Should the congregation vote to do so, we anticipate our grand opening being in mid to late 2025.
Since its inception, City Church has gathered for worship on Sundays at House of Blues in downtown Houston. Though House of Blues has been a wonderful home for City Church’s initial season, we have faced numerous constraints in weekly programming and in our Sunday family ministries. And without our own facility, we’re largely invisible to the city we long to serve.
Imagine a 24/7 ministry center to welcome those outside the church and train generations of people to live as followers of Christ. Not only will we be able to host events that celebrate the arts, engage culture, and address relevant topics in light of the gospel, it will be a space to meet others for coffee throughout the week, join a weekday playgroup or Bible study, and gather with mission partners to address important areas of brokenness in our city.
What’s next? At open forum gatherings on Sunday, January 28 after the worship service and Monday, February 5 in the evening, we will share more with you, hear your thoughts, respond to your questions, and pray together, as we seek to discern the Lord’s leading. You can submit any questions you have here. During the week of February 18, either Clint Wilson, Valerie Tompson, or I will visit each City Group to interact further with you. And at a congregational meeting after the worship service on February 25, our members will vote on the session’s recommendation to purchase and renovate the property.
I am really looking forward to sharing more with you over the next five weeks. Please join in praying for the Lord to continue to guide us every step of the way. And don’t hesitate to let us know your thoughts. Valerie, Clint, and I are all available to visit with you, so feel free to reach out to any of us.
