The Church a Flood Couldn’t Wash Away

No one expected the roof to give out that night.

It was just after midnight on October 25, 2019, when a violent storm swept over San Antonio. The wind howled, rain fell in sheets, and Travis Park United Methodist Church — a place that had long been a sanctuary for others — suddenly needed refuge of its own. The roof of the Navarro Street Youth Building collapsed under the pressure, breaking the main fire sprinkler line and flooding the entire church. Water streamed down the stairs, the ceilings cracked, and still, the people stayed.

The flood that poured through the roof did not scare them away. It couldn’t. Because Travis Park UMC isn’t just a building, it’s a home. Thanks in part to a loan from the Texas Methodist Foundation, six years later, Travis Park UMC has completed phase one of the restoration of its historic church, which dates back to 1846.

What the storm exposed that night wasn’t weakness but a willingness from the community to show up, even in the toughest of times. You feel the heart in the services they provide, like handmade Puente Pals — soft, comforting dolls offered to children. You feel it in Corazón Ministries, their nonprofit partner, which offers food, showers, and medical care to those who need it most.

“We’re united in the belief that the heart wants to reach out and help others,” said Lead Pastor Rev. Cynthia Engstrom. “We’ve been nurturing that for over twenty-five years."

The flood may have damaged the building, but the Travis Park UMC congregation emerged stronger and built for the next 25 years. Because the church — its heart and its people — could not be washed away.

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