St. Luke’s Gethsemane is nestled in the midst of the Gulfton community that has been selected as one of the Mayor’s “Complete Communities.” This neighborhood, with its first generation immigrants and refugees, is considered to be one of the most diverse in the city of Houston. The Mayor’s “Complete Communities” is a pilot program designed to revitalize under-resourced areas while allowing residents to stay in their neighborhoods. This is exciting news and something that has been needed for a very long time. The initiative will work towards creating “complete” communities: neighborhoods that are safe, affordable, and healthy; have access to quality options for affordable housing, education, and healthcare; have well-maintained infrastructure; and safe, affordable transportation options. For more information on Mayor Turner’s initiative, please visit www.houstontx.gov/completecommunities/

How amazing to be in the middle of something life-changing for thousands of people in this community. Currently Gethsemane is proud to be part of the CONNECT Partnership along with the YMCA, Kipp Connect, Legacy Healthcare and Houston Center for Literacy. CONNECT’s vision is: Every child and adult in Sharpstown/Gulfton will lead a healthy, prosperous life, in a safe and vibrant neighborhood in which residents choose to live, learn, work, worship and play. St. Luke’s vision is to gather a community of faith and know each neighbor so intimately that we know the names of their pets, which Metro bus they ride (the 2 or 46 or 63), and shoe sizes of their children. To that end, we have the honor of serving as their faith friends, worship leaders, Bible teachers and more.

As the faith leaders of the CONNECT partnership, we are grateful for the opportunity and responsibility to offer a worship community in which people can connect to God and neighbor. Starting August 27, we will launch The Belonging, a new worship community at Gethsemane for diverse people longing for radical relationship with God in an inclusive family. The Belonging will strive to invite all, include all and serve all. While the service time will be 11a.m. on Sunday morning, we believe God is putting together much more than a service; God is birthing a new community where strangers in southwest Houston may experience true belonging to their Creator and church family.