Reaching Out with God Turning What was Discarded into Something Beautiful

By Ruth Ann Ruiz

The Post Newspaper Features Editor

Ten years ago, a group of people decided through God’s leading that Galveston needed a church for the unchurched. For 10 years, the congregation had been nomadic, meeting in different schools on the island. On Sunday, led by Pastor Aaron Sanders with his wife Holly by his side, Coastal Community Church of Galveston celebrated its grand opening of their newly renovated facility. 

Rather than building from the bottom up, the congregation elected to purchase what once was the Buick dealership on 23^rd St in Galveston. The building had been sitting empty for a long time. Inside the empty, 70-year-old building were the remains of many years that the building had served as a storage heap.

There were pool tables piled on top of pool tables and ping pong tables. There were some old cars, there was even Santa, his sleigh and reindeer. “The 1951 Buick building was abandoned and had become a place of despair,” said Chris Cummings, Discipleship Pastor.

The building had indeed become a bit of an eyesore and was a place that harbored unwanted activity in the neighborhood. But rather than demolish the old building, the original structure was renovated to house CCC. 

Members of CCC are happy with the newly opened place of worship, “We love it,” said three UTMB students who had arrived on bicycles to attend the grand opening. 

“It’s beautiful, I didn’t expect it to be like this, it’s just beautiful,” said Robert who has been a member for 10 years. 

The seats were filled, heads were bowed in prayer, worship hymns were sung and Pastor Sanders delivered his message.  With two services, attendance reached just shy of 1,000 people. 

“We’ve been on a journey, but we are not the first of God’s people to take a journey,” Pastor Aaron shared with his congregation. He spent some time detailing their journey and reminded the congregation of the journey the Hebrews took in the Old Testament. 

Part of CCC’s journey to renovate the old Buick building included their first contractor going out of business. This set the church back, but God was in control and new contractors stepped in who were pleased to partner with CCC. 

“We loved working on this project. It was fun to see the space that was a community issue become useful to the community,” said Bob Postma Vice President of operations for Paradigm Construction. 

After morning services, the Church was honored with a ribbon cutting from Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce. Galveston’s Mayor, Craig Brown was on hand and offered his own praise of the renovation and was grateful for CCC’s commitment to serving the community of Galveston.

William Schuster, Galveston City Councilman for District 2 (where the church is located), was another community member pleased with the renovation, “It’s wonderful. It’s good for the whole neighborhood! It’s exciting to see them grow and their name really fits what they are all about,” said Schuster. 

Coastal Community Church sits just a few blocks away from the Seawall, but it’s not their location that is so fitting to their name. It’s their outreach and community involvement that makes them more than a church congregation.

Most recently, the church sponsored A Night to Shine, a prom for students and adults who live with limitations. 

The church is also actively involved in supporting Galveston Urban Ministries (GUM), which reaches many people who are in need. CCC supports the Pregnancy Help Center along with Moody Early Childhood Learning Center. 

Next on their list to accomplish is sending forth another church to a community with high numbers of unchurched residents.

Based on research and visiting several communities along with seeking God’s leading, Chris Cummings is in the initial stages of gathering together a team who will go outside of Texas to begin another church. 

The place that God has placed upon Cumming’s heart and now the hearts of the leaders and congregation at Galveston’s Coastal Community Church is: drum roll please…Tucson AZ.

The new church could be called “A” Mountain Community Church after “A” Mountain, or Valley Community Church, or Desert Community Church or The Old Pueblo Community Church, or Palo Verde Community Church. How about Gila Monster Community Church?

The list of church names for a church in the middle of Tucson which is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert is as endless as the desert is dry. 

What will be most important is keeping the community in the name and spirit. Branching out, or should we say arming out (because the saguaro cactus has arms not branches), will not take away from CCC. It will only add to the family and their mission. 

Note: Ruth Ann Ruiz left her home and drove on 1-10 from Tucson Arizona to Houston then went south on 45 to Galveston 7.5 years ago. So far, she has not heard God calling her back. But she does miss those still quiet nights with jet dark skies only lit by the twinkle of stars and the glow of the moon.