Key points:
- La Trinidad United Methodist Church in San Antonio is celebrating 150 years as the city’s oldest continuously active Hispanic Protestant congregation.
- Its historic legacy is fueling a new season of spiritual growth and community renewal.
- Church leaders see the involvement of younger generations as essential to the congregation’s future.
- The church’s identity remains deeply connected to its historical ties with Mexican Methodism.
For La Trinidad United Methodist Church, celebrating 150 years of ministry is not simply about honoring the past. It is an opportunity to build on a rich legacy while embracing a future shaped by renewal, growth and service.
Widely recognized as San Antonio’s oldest continuously active Hispanic Protestant congregation, La Trinidad is transforming its historical heritage into a foundation for a new chapter of ministry.
“The church’s current growth cannot be understood without recognizing the struggles that shaped us, but our focus is firmly on what God is doing today through new generations,” said the Rev. Nohemí Ramírez, the church's first female senior pastor, serving since 2025.
She said since her arrival in July of last year, attendance at the church’s Spanish and English services has doubled.
“We have welcomed 25 new members, and this year on Easter Sunday, we held a confirmation ceremony where 12 young people were confirmed,” Ramírez said. “We also conducted altar server training, and six children (joined) this ministry. We started a prayer service and hold three Bible studies, one of which is in the mall’s food court.”
A central theme of the church’s anniversary has been rediscovering the congregation’s roots. Historical research supported by retired Bishop Joel Martínez shows that La Trinidad’s origins are closely connected to Mexican Methodism.
“The congregation did not emerge from an isolated local effort,” Martínez said. “Its beginnings reflect a strong historical relationship with the Methodist church in Mexico, reinforcing our role as a cultural and spiritual bridge along the border.”
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The church traces its history to the mid-19th century. Hispanic ministry in San Antonio grew through Methodist mission efforts, and by 1876 José María Casanova had formally established what would become La Trinidad. Ministry often took place outdoors and in surrounding ranch communities.
In 1882, the denomination created the Mexican Mission Conference, which included districts in Texas and Mexico. By 1885, the conference had appointed 31 pastors, signaling a period of significant growth.
“There has always been growth,” Martínez said. “The church has continued to evolve and expand through every generation.”
Martínez noted that the congregation’s story cannot be separated from the social and political realities that shaped the border region.
Migration resulting from events such as the Mexican Revolution brought many families to San Antonio and to La Trinidad. At the same time, Hispanic communities faced segregation and exclusion, leading Methodist congregations to create their own spaces for worship, fellowship and community support.
“Our church was born and grew in an environment marked by racism and exclusion,” Martínez said. “Faith became a refuge and a source of strength for Hispanic families.”
Ramírez said those challenges remain relevant today as immigrant and Hispanic communities continue to encounter discrimination and uncertainty.
“Hostile rhetoric and social tensions affect our members every day,” she said. “La Trinidad has renewed its calling as a place of protection, support and dignity for immigrant families.”
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The congregation’s current vitality reflects the efforts of leaders who have preserved its history while investing in future generations. Ramírez highlighted the contributions of longtime church leaders, including Elba and Oscar Garza, whose service helped sustain Hispanic United Methodist ministry for decades.
She also pointed to growing participation in the church’s ministries as evidence of renewal.
“This growth is not accidental,” Ramírez said. “We are actively serving our community through ministries of support, guidance and care. People are looking for a community that offers belonging, security and spiritual nourishment in their own language.”
As La Trinidad celebrates 150 years, church leaders see the anniversary not as a conclusion but as the beginning of a new chapter. The congregation remains committed to expanding its ministries, engaging younger generations and continuing its witness as a place where God’s love overcomes barriers of exclusion and division.
The Rev. Gustavo Vásquez is Hispanic-Latino Relations Coordinator for United Methodist Communications. For inquiries related to UM News, contact (615) 742-5470 or IMU_Hispana-Latina@umcom.org.
