For a growing Rio Grande Conference congregation like El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church in Edinburg, looking to the future was a necessity rather than an option. By having the foresight to purchase land adjacent to their property through a Texas Methodist Foundation loan, this congregation is poised to further an essential ministry right where they need to be.

“This loan has enabled us because we wanted to stay in the city rather than moving to the edge of town where land is more plentiful. We feel we have a mission here,” said the Rev. Ruben Saenz, Senior Pastor. “We can do more outreach by being here in the heart of the community.”

Knowing this loan was financed through the Methodist Loan Fund, which allows investors to reap competitive rates while investing in the growth of United Methodist churches and institutions, made receiving the loan even more significant for El Buen Pastor UMC.

“These investors are making a connection to the core of the gospel—giving when you can and receiving when you are in need,” said Saenz. “They are growing the Kingdom of God by taking part in an important collaboration here. It says a lot about where their priorities are.”

Looking at the ways El Buen Pastor UMC connects to their own community and neighboring United Methodists says a lot about where the church’s own priorities lie. They realize expanding the church facilities to accommodate an increasing membership base also means being able to grow their financial resources, thus ensuring much-needed assistance will continue and expand over time.

El Buen Pastor’s financial support currently helps pay utility bills at Fayesville United Methodist Mission, a vital outreach program in a rural Rio Grande Valley community that helps those in need with food and other physical necessities as well as spiritual guidance. El Buen Pastor also makes financial contributions to a United Methodist indigent care clinic in Matamoros, Mexico and the United Methodist Campus Ministry at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg.

“As we grow, and our finances grow, we will able to extend our benevolence to others in our area. We know this type of support is very important to them,” Saenz said. “When the people see that a local congregation cares for them, they feel a connection to the larger Church.”

El Buen Pastor UMC also offers assistance to other United Methodist churches in the Valley area by serving in a teaching role. They may adopt one or more neighboring churches in the future to provide them with training and guidance.

“When we’re successful, we’re willing to share it with other churches. We are doing some things right here by the grace of God,” added Saenz. Part of what El Buen Pastor is doing right goes back to their vision for growth. Saenz believes the loan they received from the Foundation inspired his congregation to move forward by helping them to “address an immediate problem in an expedient way.” He also values the consideration his church received working with David McCaskill, Senior Vice President of Loans.

“David extended the Foundation’s trust to us. There was a lot of good faith there,” said Saenz. “He proved that the Foundation has an understanding of the Hispanic community’s needs and wants to help them succeed.”

The importance of “knowing the nuances of the church and what it takes to accomplish ministry” were also exhibited to El Buen Pastor’s leaders during the loan process. They appreciated the way the Foundation “treated the church as a church,” which may not be the case with other financial institutions, according to Saenz.

“The Texas Methodist Foundation understands that its role is part of a greater mission and they’re about the task of accomplishing that. But they want to do it in a way that won’t compromise the stability of a church.”

For more information on the Texas Methodist Foundation's loan program, contact Carol Nelson at   1-800-933-5502 or cnelson@tmf-fdn.org.