On Huebner Road in northwest San Antonio, just east of IH-10 West and the Oakland Estates neighborhood, Oxford United Methodist Church has marked the corner of Huebner and Southwell since April 1957. The church's tagline, "God is on the Move," captures a congregation that sees itself as a place where people are welcome just as they are. Many in the surrounding community find their way to Oxford each fall by its annual Pumpkin Patch, a tradition that has become one of the church's most recognizable outreaches.
Sunday Mornings at Oxford
Sunday School and Bible study classes for every age meet at 9:00 a.m., with childcare for newborns through four-year-olds opening at 8:45 a.m. in the Butterfly Room of the Education Building. Adults can choose between two classes: Raising Young Disciples, led by Pastor Theresa Booth in the Double Classroom, is geared toward parents and grandparents, while Christian Living Today, led by Lay Leader Tony Thompson, gathers in the Family Life Center to study the basics of Christianity and the spiritual issues facing today's adults.
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary and is described by the church as "a well-blended service that incorporates both contemporary and traditional elements." Holy Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month. The dress is casual; the church notes that men wear everything from suits to jeans. Children stay in worship with their families and are encouraged to grab an activity bag from the Narthex, filled with coloring pages, crayons, a fidget toy, and a sermon outline for older kids. A Cry Room is available in the Sanctuary for nursing mothers and fussy or sleeping babies, and hearing assistance devices can be picked up from the media team. Each week the children of the church make a joyful noise of their own when they come through the pews with tin buckets for the Noisy Offering.
Services are livestreamed on Facebook during the broadcast and uploaded to the church's YouTube channel shortly after each service ends.
Children, Youth, and the Mother's Day Out
Children's Sunday School meets at 9:00 a.m., with PreK through second graders gathering in the Treasure Trove room and third through fifth graders in the Kaleidoscope room, both located in the Education Building. RISE is a monthly gathering for third, fourth, and fifth graders held on the fourth Sunday from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Kaleidoscope room, a space for "rising" kids to build friendships and grow in their walk with the Lord. All children's teachers and caregivers are Safe Gatherings approved through the Rio Texas Conference.
Youth in sixth through twelfth grades meet for Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. in the upstairs classroom of the DeKing Gymnasium. The United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) gathers on the fourth Sunday of each month from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the gymnasium, dedicated to empowering young people "as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ." Confirmation Classes are offered each year for youth from sixth grade through high school seniors, with weekly sessions running from late February through mid-May.
Every August the Backpack Ministry fills hundreds of backpacks with supplies for the children of McDermott Elementary School, and each summer Vacation Bible School invites the wider community for four days of music, crafts, science, snacks, and recreation. VBS themes rotate each year to highlight biblical truths through hands-on fun.
Oxford's Mother's Day Out program, led by Jessica Dygert, accepts children from thirty months to five years old on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., following the Northside ISD school calendar. A Christian-based curriculum gives young learners a head start for their future education.
Music Ministry
Music Director Marc Martinez, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, leads both the Traditional and Contemporary expressions of worship from the piano. He directs the Contemporary band and singers in vibrant praise as well as the Traditional Ensemble and soloists in familiar hymns. The Oxford UMC Adult Singers perform occasional anthems, current praise songs, and traditional hymns. The Timbres de Dios Handbell Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Choir Room of the Sanctuary Building and performs throughout the month. The Children's Chapel Choir, directed by Beth Shovelton, brings occasional presentations to worship services.
Men, Women, and Small Group Life
The United Methodist Men at Oxford meet each Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Education Building for fellowship and Bible study, working through books of the New Testament in rotation. The men also participate in Saturday afternoon outreach projects, doing minor home repairs, yard work, and gutter cleaning for elderly neighbors and others in need, and they host an annual retreat and fishing trip.
United Women in Faith, led by President Dr. Sue Doty, supports a long list of mission projects through the Methodist Healthcare Ministries Wesley Center, the Adopt a Family Christmas Project, Project Linus, and collections of children's socks and underwear for back-to-school. Two UWF Circles meet on the third Tuesday: the Dorcas Circle at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center, and the Kneeling Sisters Circle at 7:00 p.m. in the Education Building's Conference Room. The chapter hosts the Annual Ice Cream Social and works the Annual Rummage Sale and Fall Craft Fairs. A Women's Bible Study meets on the first, second, fourth, and fifth Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Building's Conference Room.
Reaching Out: Food Pantry, Pumpkin Patch, and Partnerships
The Oxford Food Pantry serves the community every Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., stocked through the generosity of church members and supported by volunteers who welcome neighbors in need.
Each October the church's property becomes the Oxford Pumpkin Patch, perhaps the church's most visible community tradition. Pumpkins arrive in late September and the grounds are transformed with orange fencing, string lighting, and a Spooky Forest trail. Throughout October, the patch is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., Fridays from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m., Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 8:00 p.m. Tractor rides through the Spooky Forest run Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday nights from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., with twinkling lights and surprises for kids. The annual Petting Zoo, sponsored by Catalyst Church of San Antonio, brings small animals to the patch one Saturday evening each year, and the Trunk or Treat, Movie Nights at the Patch, Kite Day, and a Craft and Vendor Fair round out the season's activities. Volunteers handle setup, sales, decorations, and cleanup, and many students earn community service hours by helping out.
Oxford also partners with The Heights on Huebner care facility, hosting a weekly prayer and worship service for residents with Holy Communion served on the first Monday of each month. Each summer the church hosts YMCA Summer Camps on its grounds. The San Antonio Christian Family Fellowship, a community of families from India, gathers for fellowship and Bible study in the Family Life Center on the second and fourth Saturday evenings.
The Pugh Memorial Scholarship
In January 1998, an academic scholarship was established at Oxford as a memorial to provide educational aid for post-secondary schooling. Each year the Pugh Scholarship Committee accepts applications for the upcoming school year, with funds paid by semester to the recipient's institution. Recipients may reapply each year.
Worship Space and Event Venues
Oxford's Sanctuary seats 200 to 250 guests and is available for Christian weddings. Jenkins Chapel, which opens into a reception area, hosts smaller Christian weddings of 25 to 60 guests. The Family Life Center, with a small kitchen, is set up for baby showers and birthday parties for 25 to 60 guests. The Gymnasium accommodates up to 150 or more guests for larger events and meetings, with a full kitchen, and can be booked for basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Weddings are booked for non-members, and a member rate is available to couples who have been active members for at least one year. Activities related to Oxford's ministries take priority on the church calendar, and the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs is not permitted on campus.
Giving, Connecting, and the Church Office
The church supports its ministries through mail, the Realm online platform, text-to-give, Square, Zelle, PayPal, and in-person giving at the office. Detailed instructions are available for setting up Realm accounts and for scanning QR codes from a mobile device.
The church office is located in the Education Building next to the Sanctuary. Visitors are asked to come to the double door facing the parking lot and ring the doorbell. Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and closed on holidays. Prayer requests may be sent to prayer@oxfordumc.org; a Prayer Team lifts up each request.
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Oxford United Methodist Church is part of the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, in the Las Misiones District, and describes itself as a connectional church in ministry both locally and globally. The congregation's stated mission is to lead others to Christ by fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, grounded in the words of Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:19-20. Its vision is to be a church family that inspires people to follow Christ and attain salvation.
The church envisions a community where people of every age and background feel welcome just as they are, where friendships are made, where the hurting find prayer, where children are excited to attend, youth are understood, and the elderly are cared for; where the Bible is taken seriously; where members grow to spiritual maturity and use their gifts to serve others; and where engaging, vigorous worship in a variety of styles is offered to the glory of God. With open hearts, open minds, and open doors, the church says, "Oxford has a place for you here."