A BRIEF HISTORY OF
VINEYARD CHURCH of SAN ANTONIO

While studying at Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, California, Pastors Randy and Clara Maranville attended Pastor John Wimber's "Signs, Wonders and Church Growth" class in 1982. Shortly thereafter God's Holy Spirit powerfully touched Randy and Clara at Wimber's church in Yorba Linda, California.

While serving as the Assistant Pastor of Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Phoenix, in May of 1994, God called Randy and Clara to plant a new Vineyard church. After receiving numerous confirmations regarding San Antonio, Randy and Clara moved to the Alamo city with their five daughters to begin the new Vineyard church in June 1995.

Before the Maranvilles moved to San Antonio, God spoke to them that God's Vineyard church was already there, that His people were already there and that He was sending them to gather them together. Sixty-two people gathered to worship and hear the vison God had given to Pastors Randy and Clara Maranville for a new church in San Antonio at the first information celebration service at the Embassy Suites Hotel on August 27, 1995.

In September of 1995, two homegroups were started with twenty or so adults. The following month, a once-a-month Sunday evening celebration service at the Embassy Suites began. Over the next few months more people continued to be added and in March 1996 a weekly Sunday evening service began and space was rented across from the Embassy Suites for children's ministry.

On November 10, 1996, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of San Antonio was born and the first Sunday morning service was held at 5409 Bandera Rd. Ste. 209 with ninety-nine people in attendance. Over the years the people of Vineyard Church have touched hundreds of lives with the love of God. Dozens and dozens of people have received Christ. Hundreds of people are growing in Christ, finding meaning and purpose in life and stepping out to help others do the same.

As San Antonio has five military bases and about the same number of universities, Vineyard Church has been a temporary home for hundreds of individuals and families through the years. The Pastors and leaders of Vineyard Church are committed to imparting to others, what God has imparted to them and sending them out to other cities and countries, to impart those same things to others as the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:2, we are to do.

For a number of years the leadership team has felt the church needed to move from it's rented office warehouse space where the church was located since 1996, to a more residential area, where the church could more effectively touch and support the neighborhoods surrounding the church. Currently the church is continuing to pray and to save towards the purchase of a future church home. In this season our Sunday Celebrations are held on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am at our facilities at the corner of Bandera & Eckhert Rd. We are also renting an apartment at Sierra Royale Apartments for our offices and smaller weekday meetings.

The focused vision of the leadership of Vineyard Church at this time, is the planting of neighborhood "Community Groups" throughout the city with the church being a central hub for celebration and training events. "Community Groups" assist people to Connect with God, One Another and their Community. Currently we have three Youth Community Groups, a College/Career age Community Group and four Adult Commununity Groups which extend care to the whole family.