The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has just completed a new meetinghouse and is inviting the public to free, no obligation tours on Saturday, October 16, from 1 to 6 p.m. and on Saturday, October 30, from 10 to 4. Light refreshments will be served. Individuals will have an opportunity to see the building, receive an overview of Church programs housed therein, and to get answers to any questions they might have.

The 26,000 square foot facility will serve church members in the Texas Hill Country. It is located on Stahl Road which can be reached by exiting Hwy 281 onto Bulverde Road and driving less than a mile toward New Braunfels. Turn left onto to Stahl Road—it can’t be missed.

The building will comfortably seat 300 in the chapel but seating can be expanded to 1600 by opening folding doors into the cultural hall. The cultural hall features a stage and a full-sized basketball court with hardwood floor. It will be used for athletic events, dances, dinners, receptions, concerts, and conferences.

The chapel and cultural hall are surrounded by hallways, foyers, classrooms, a kitchen, a materials center, rooms for Primary children, the women’s Relief Society, and facilities for Boy Scouts and other Young Men’s and Young Women’s programs. Baptism is done by immersion and a baptismal font is provided for that purpose. A Family History facility is in the planning stages. When completed, it will provide access to the vast genealogical resources of the Church for members and non-members alike. The parking area is very adequate for the size of the facility and is surrounded by landscaping, an athletic field, restrooms and a pavilion.

An LDS Congregation is called a “Ward” and is ministered to by a Bishop with two counselors. Several Wards comprise a “Stake.” A Stake is directed by a Stake President who is assisted by two counselors and a “Stake High Council,” the twelve members of which provide auxiliary services to Wards and members including, but not limited to, training for ward leaders and teachers. This building can house up to three Wards on staggered Sunday schedules in addition to providing offices and facilities for Stake leaders.

LDS Wards are purposefully kept relatively small, usually topping out at between 400 to 600 members. The boundaries of the various wards and stakes are determined by geographic areas. When a Ward grows to exceed the optimal membership, boundaries are changed, Wards are divided and the desired membership of each is maintained. This provides opportunities for each member to serve in the Ward in some capacity and facilitates ministering to the needs of each one. There is no paid ministry in the Church. Bishops, Stake Presidents, and other leaders, teachers, and officers usually have full-time employment elsewhere.

Members located in Blanco and Johnson City attend services in the Canyon Lake Ward that meets in Startzville. They are encompassed by the Texas Hill Country Stake that is centered in the new building. The Hill Country Stake is comprised of the following Wards: Canyon Lake, Encino Park, Canyon Springs, Bulverde, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Alamo First, Boerne First, and Boerne Second, for a total of nine Wards.

More information and directions to the new meetinghouse can be obtained by contacting Mr. Douglas Young by email at dejung1@gvtc.com.