St. Luke’s United Methodist Church at Gesthemane

In an area of town where green space is hard to find, the new soccer field on the Gethsemane campus of St. Luke’s UMC in Houston is rightly referred to as the “Field of Dreams.” Rev. David Horton describes his “aha moment” when he knew the role the church would play in becoming a multicultural magnet for children of every nationality. “I knew soccer was huge in the multinational communities around our campus, but, initially, I did not realize how huge,” he admits. “In the home countries of Gethsemane’s first generation immigrant neighbors, soccer is second only to breathing.” Living into their vision of a “City Upon a Hill” in Gulfton, Gethsemane provides access to the field for KIPP:CONNECT students during the day for Physical Education and sports. After school hours, programs are offered by reVision and the YMCA of Greater Houston where young players are invited to learn the skills of the game in a friendly, fun, and community-oriented environment. The green space also serves as a host site for the annual Connect Community Fall Festival and other neighborhood events.