GALVESTON — To commemorate 40 years of ministry, St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, the first nonhistoric Catholic Church on the West End of the island, will be serving the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul dinner Sunday.
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, which began in the gymnasium of Parker Elementary School, now holds Mass in the church it constructed on 69th Street.
The Rev. William D. Bartniski conducts services assisted by Deacons William J. Bobb, Henry Becker Jr. and L.S. “Sam” Dell’Olio.
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Beloved Pastor At First Baptist Church Returns As Interim
GALVESTON — The Rev. Grayson Glass, who served First Baptist Church from May 1966 to December 1978, will be returning as an interim minister until a new senior pastor is found.
In 1978, after a 12-year stay at First Baptist Church, Glass went to a Houston-area church for six more years before becoming the Associational Missionary for Galveston Baptist Association.
He retired in 1995 and has been serving as an interim minister for local churches in need, most recently First Baptist Church of Texas City.
Glass returned to First Baptist Galveston in May, when its senior pastor went to Louisiana.
Glass is responsible for preaching at all Sunday services, making hospital visits, attending committee meetings and holding general office hours.
The church, which was established in 1840, is “the oldest Baptist congregation in Texas and has served as the home base for the establishment of First Baptist Church of Houston,” said church administrator Jacob Samuel.
Greg Samford, the Chairman of Deacons and a lifelong member of First Baptist said he was delighted to have Rev. Glass back in the church.
Samford was baptized by Glass in 1967 at the age of 10.
“He was like a second dad to me,” said Samford.
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United Methodist Church Gets New Staff, New Ideas
LEAGUE CITY — This month the Rev. William “Bill” Jenkins, who last served at Terrace United Methodist Church, started his new appointment as senior pastor at League City United Methodist Church.
Just five months earlier, the Rev. Rosemary Dubois began as the associate pastor, after a five year stay at Deer Park United Methodist Church.
The two said they would be working hard to promote the success of League City United Methodist, especially its new Sunday morning contemporary worship service, Mosaic, that began on Easter.
Jenkins comes to League City with his wife, Loretta.
Jenkins said he looked forward to “learning the ropes, and listening to what people are saying.” He said he operated by the principle that “every church is like a fingerprint; each one has unique characteristics and qualities,” and that his job is simply to “help, encourage, and enable” the congregation to achieve their goals.
The Rev. Dubois, is married to Terry Dubois. They have two sons, Mark and Michael.
Both pastors said they would be working together to coordinate the contemporary worship service. The service, called Mosaic, began as a Wednesday night service a few years ago.
It features a worship band, A Few Small Fish, and sermons focused on real life applications to scripture. The service was moved to 11 a.m. Sundays.
The hope is that with the new staff and contemporary service, Sunday morning attendance will rise with the growing enthusiasm at League City United Methodist Church.
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United Methodist Church Welcomes New Senior Pastor
TEXAS CITY — Texas City United Methodist Church recently welcomed a new senior pastor, and said goodbye to one headed to Deer Park United Methodist.
On June 10, the Rev. Charles “Chip” Costello began his appointment, replacing the Rev. Randall “Randy” Smith, who moved Deer Park United Methodist Church.
Costello completed his undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University, his graduate work at Texas Christian University, and his doctoral degree at the Bright Divinity School.
Before coming to Texas City, Costello served at Rusk United Methodist Church. During that time, he married his wife, Jillien Garrison, after losing his first wife, Ellen, to cancer. Costello and Jillien will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Monday.
The church, established in 1896, is a relatively small congregation that is excited about changes Costello will,” said Angel Martinez, Staff/Parish Relations Committee chairman.
Costello is planning to add a children’s choir, a revival week and weekly staff meetings to the church’s agenda.
The Rev. Randall “Randy” Smith is headed to Deer Park United Methodist Church in the heart of the thriving young town, that has a “larger, younger congregation and larger staff” than of the Texas City church, Smith said.
Smith said he hoped “to reach out to folks, help them find a home, a mission, and a community of faith in rapidly expanding neighborhood.”
