THE STORY OF SOUTH AUSTIN CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

It all began when Grace Church of the Nazarene and First Church of the Nazarene saw a need for a church to be located in South Austin.  A Nazarene evangelist, Reverend South, held a tent revival for two weeks in a lot that was owned by a judge at First and Milton. In 1947 with twelve charter members, District Superintendent Hadley Hall organized South Austin Church of the Nazarene.  Sister Leola Messer opened her home to Reverend South and ended up leaving First Church to become one of the charter members.  Her daughter was Opal Ault, who became the last surviving charter member until her passing in 2003 at the age of 91.

Sam Wilson and Gary Lehman soon began a bus ministry and would go knock on doors to invite children to church and offer to pick them up in a school bus.  The attendance increased from 50 to 100 in about one year.  Ms. Sandy and Bobbie Nash led the growing and thriving Children’s Ministry, and Ms. Sandy’s ministry to South Austin children lasted over 40 years.

Meanwhile, the first sanctuary became too small to hold the growing congregation.  Pews were moved, more were built, and chairs were added.  A plan began to form to buy land a few blocks south on Manchaca (where the Mockingbird Post Office is now) contingent on financing.  The recession hit during this time and interest soared to 18%.  So, the plans went into a drawer.  With the church at maximum capacity and no funding available to expand, Pastor Randall went to interview in California.  Within two hours of his return from this trip, Bonnie Finch called to tell him she had received a settlement from her husband’s death and was tithing to the church for a new sanctuary.  Phil and Debbie Lindquist, graduates of the University of Texas School of Law, were attending, and he began to talk to the owners of the land surrounding the original building about leasing or purchasing.  Offers were accepted and financing was available.  The new sanctuary was designed and engineered by members, Larry Hada and Cliff Hoerling, and completed in 1984.

The church has since reached out to host Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and homeschool and community groups.  Lynette Pardue grew the Women’s Ministry (LIFT – Ladies In Fellowship Together), with retreats and coordinating district events.  The Food Pantry Ministry began in 1987 and is still growing strong.  A Prayer Tent with drive-through prayer was offered for years in the 90’s, first under a pop-up canopy.  Then a man offered to sell the church a gazebo and set it on the property while the price was negotiated.  However, the price was not something the church could justify, so he was coming to move it away.  One of the members, Heather Tindall, told Pastor Randall that God told her He was going to give the church the gazebo.  Sure enough, while it was being moved, it fell off the trailer on MOPAC, the man called and said, “It’s yours.  Come get it.”

In June of 2004, Ismael Flores was called to be the pastor of Iglesia del Nazareno Sur Austin.  As God would have it, both Pastor Randall and Pastor Ismael were from San Antonio and both attended Mark Twain Junior High School.  Pastor Ismael brought his passion for the lost and added his ministry of assisting and advocating for those in the immigration process. 

New creativity and fruit of the Spirit were seen in subsequent years through more Vacation Bible Schools, puppets, drama productions, 30-Hour Famines, youth boat parties, Southern Nazarene University’s Extravaganza, where our Youth Group was awarded first place in “The Show”, summer camps, golf tournaments, men’s breakfasts, ladies’ luncheons, retreats, Back to School Bashes with hair cuts and free school supplies, health screenings, free flu shots, Celebrate Recovery, Narcotics Anonymous, Angel Food, participation in Interfaith Hospitality Network for homeless families with children, hurricane disaster relief, pumpkin patch, and the Food Pantry’s Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway, which began in 2006 with 100 turkeys and has grown to be a distribution of 500 turkeys with the sides and dessert.  Then in 2016, Summermoon Coffee became a part of our family and added their Mobile Moon trailer on the campus.

In January of 2019, Pastor Randall Wyles and his wife Sandra retired from ministry at the South Austin Church of the Nazarene.  Pastors Jesse and Kelli Ruby were installed as the new pastors on July 22, 2019. 

In 1971, three acres were purchased on Manchaca Road and a sanctuary was built to hold 144 people.  Mrs. Bobbie Nash was part of the congregation at this time and recorded that the framing, electrical, and plumbing was subcontracted, while the sheetrock and paneling was done by the women in the congregation.  Max Jetton pastored one more year and then moved to Hereford, Texas.  George Finch began attending and Boy Scout Troop 10 began meeting at South Austin Church within six months of being at the Manchaca location.  Troy and Ronnie Miller with their daughter, Crystal (Young), did the landscaping at the new location.  The Wilson family including Sam, Deloris, and Robert, were also members when the new pastor, Randall Wyles, came with his wife, Sandra (Ms. Sandy), and their children, Deana and Dean on January 15, 1973.

In 1978, the Annex/Kloc/ Children’s/Education Building and back hall classrooms were built to daycare specifications.  With Carole and Gil Wright, Jerry and MaryLee Brand, a school principal named Errol Hada, and a director from another church, Nazarene Christian School began with a preschool/daycare and Christian school with Kindergarten to fourth grade, and a grade added each year up to eighth grade.  Kevin Reed was the janitor.  Deana (Wyles) Reed was the receptionist and then director.  Dean Wyles was a part-time employee, and Sandra was the cook.  Randall and Sandra also lead a weekly chapel for the students.  The school and daycare served the community for 17 years.

Beginning in the 80’s and through the years, South Austin Church of the Nazarene has been focused on children through Ms. Sandy’s loved stories, over-the-top Vacation Bible Schools, Bible Quizzing (led by Tami (Trunick) Lewis, Alan and Nancy Jo Moser, and Sonja Jimenez), Christmas programs and plays (led by Millie Wiles and Ms. Sandy), puppets (led by Cheryl Katrenick), vibrant Youth Group (led by Deana and Kevin Reed for 20 years), and Nazarene Christian School, which served 100+ kids Monday to Friday with 33 staff.

In June of 2003, Pastor Randall Wyles told the Church Board that God was laying on his heart to minister to the Spanish-speaking families in South Austin.  It was decided that a new work would begin in Spanish with the help of Steve and Jendy Doxey, missionaries who spoke Portugese, and the search for a pastor would begin.  A few days later, Ulay and Eleazar Torres, Nazarenes from Mexico, appeared in pastor’s office to share their desire to start a new Spanish-speaking Church of the Nazarene in Austin.  Larry and Ruth Smith were staying on the property at that time.  Ruth translated the conversation and the South Austin Church of the Nazarene became one church in two languages.  “For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland,” Isaiah 43:19 NLT.  We are all ONE in Christ (Galatians 3:28), and out of the love of Christ, we became two cultures working together with mutual respect, admiration, and understanding. 

In 2006, a Master Plan was developed and adopted by the church and a process of upgrades began to take place, including the Fellowship Hall, kitchen, Children’s Building, Youth Room, and main entrance, as well as recommissioning a second sanctuary.

There have been many called to the ministry out of South Austin Church of the Nazarene.  At the time of the 70-year anniversary in 2017, there were 23 active ministers called during Pastor Randall’s 45 years here, as well as two new starts - Real Life Community Church in Kyle by David Rose and Life Spring Community Church in Lakeway with Lynette Pardue.

The first structure was a barracks building bought from somewhere in Bastrop and placed on land across the street from Becker Elementary School.  The church was known as “The little church on the wrong side of the tracks” and the attendance was about 30.  The first pastor was Walter Hubert, who was Mom Weaver’s son-in-law.  He led the congregation for three years, and Mom Weaver remained a member until the end of her 107 years.  The next pastor was Leroy Land, followed by Brother R.M. Hocker (for six years).  Irvin Kennedy pastored the church the next nine years, built the parsonage in 1960, and added a second barracks building.  Conrad Kerrigan then pastored for two years, followed by Max Jetton, who was 23-years-old and the son of a pastor.  Under Max Jetton’s leadership, it was decided that the church needed to relocate.  Of the 30 members, most were women and children with about five men.