Revive Community UMC Gathers for First Service

Rev. Ruben Saenz III speaks to the congregation at Revive Community UMC at the Cinemark Tinseltown Theater. 

The Rio Texas Annual Conference seeks to reach new people in new places with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are pleased to announce the launch of Revive Community in Sharyland, Texas. While this congregation has been steadily forming  for the past eight months, the launch of worship was an important milestone. Revive opened to a capacity-filled 151-person attendance at the Cinemark Tinseltown theater. The first worship service featured praise and worship from a full band.

Rev. Ruben Saenz III is the head pastor for the new church. "We have been attracting a lot of young people, which is awesome,” said Saenz. “We want to reach young people because they are the future of the church. They mean a lot to this community.”

Rev. Bob Allen, Director of Congregational and New Faith Community Vitality for the Rio Texas Annual Conference was present for Revive's first worship event. "We are keenly reminded that there is a myth that says at a time in the future these young people will become the church," said Allen, "I say, they are the church already!  They are our hope as a gift of God to the greater community of faith and especially for all those who know Him not."

Revive started as a New Faith Community for the McAllen metropolitan area. Saenz started bible study and worship services at Starbucks and other various locations to help grow the foundation of the new church.