Who We Are
A family learning to follow Jesus together.
The Park is a non-denominational Christian community in San Antonio.
Our Story
It began in a living room.
We were drawn to the picture in Acts 2: people learning together, sharing meals, praying, and caring for one another.
2009
How it Started
In 2009, a group of friends gathered in Scott and Shannon Austin’s living room to imagine a church shaped by shared life. They were drawn to the picture in Acts 2: people learning together, sharing meals, praying, and caring for one another.
2010
Launched
The Park officially launched in 2010. From the beginning, we chose a model built around shared leadership, leaders who also worked outside the church, and the flexibility of gathering in homes and borrowed or rented spaces. Those choices helped us invest in people and respond to opportunities to serve.
2017
Beacon House
Along the way, that calling has also taken shape through ministries beyond our Sunday gathering.
In 2017, we received the gift of a historic building in Beacon Hill. After restoration, Beacon House became a place for gathering, working, and receiving care, including professional counseling with scholarships available for those who need them.
Today
Growing with Our City
That calling continues as we gather for worship on Sundays and share life throughout the week. Across small groups, dinner tables, workplaces, and neighborhoods, we are learning what it means to follow Jesus together.
Through the 412 Project, we share what we have learned with other churches and nonprofits, offering coaching and practical organizational support to help them serve their own communities.
The Park, Beacon House, and the 412 Project share a desire to join God in the renewal of all things. Our story continues through the people who call this community home and the neighbors we are called to love.
Our Vision
The Park Community is a freely gathered, sacrificial people led by the Holy Spirit. We live in submission to one another under the headship of Christ, joining God in the renewal of all things.
Our Mission
We create environments for people to grow in their passion for God, compassion for people, and wisdom in everyday decisions.
We choose to share our lives, give generously, and follow the Spirit’s leading. With Jesus at the center, we learn to listen to one another, care for our neighbors, and participate in God’s work of healing and restoration. That calling takes shape through ordinary practices: gathering for worship, building friendships, sharing meals, and learning to love as Jesus loves.
Core Values
What we value.
These convictions shape the kind of community we seek to become.
01
Family
Acts 2:44–47
We belong to one another in Christ. We share life, extend hospitality, and stay present through joy and difficulty.
02
Sacrifice
Ephesians 5:1–2
We believe Jesus teaches us to give generously of our time, resources, and gifts for the good of others.
03
Presence
Luke 24:28–32
We make room to attend to God and to one another, expecting to encounter Jesus in worship and everyday life.
04
Mutual Submission
Philippians 2:1–8
We practice humility, listen to one another, and place our preferences and decisions under the leadership of Christ.
05
Sending
John 20:19–22
We carry our faith into our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods, joining God’s work wherever we are.
06
Renewal
Revelation 21:5
We believe God is making all things new and invites us to participate in his work of healing and restoration.
Our Beliefs
Rooted in the Christian story.
We believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son, and the Holy Spirit. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God offers forgiveness, new life, and the hope of restoration. The Holy Spirit empowers us to follow Jesus and participate in God’s work in the world.
We receive the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, shaping what we believe and how we live. We share the historic Christian faith expressed in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
The Park is not affiliated with a denomination. We belong to the wider Christian church and seek to learn from the faith and practices of Christians across generations.
Following Jesus Across Our Differences
Our congregation includes people with different backgrounds, life experiences, and political perspectives. Our shared commitment to Jesus calls us to listen carefully, examine our assumptions, and love one another through disagreement.
We take Scripture seriously and bring our questions into community. We seek understanding together, trusting that growth requires humility, patience, and a willingness to learn.
Our common life centers on growing in love for God and our neighbors, and learning to make wise, faithful decisions in the places where we live and work.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Evangelical Statement of Faith
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our People
A story to tell and a part to play.
We believe in the priesthood of all believers. That means every follower of Jesus has access to God through Christ and is called to participate in his work. God gives gifts to the whole church, and each person has something meaningful to contribute.
At The Park, we share the responsibility of caring for one another, serving our neighbors, teaching, and leading. Our staff and leaders help equip the community for this shared calling. As we listen to one another and make room for each person’s gifts, we grow together.
Story Formed
Our community is shaped by the story of God and by the ways that story comes to life among us. Through Story Formed, we hear from people at The Park about God’s work in their lives—stories of faith, questions, loss, hope, and ongoing transformation. We believe these ordinary, unfinished stories matter. They help us recognize God’s faithfulness and encourage us to notice where he is at work in our own lives. Your story matters here, too.
How Leadership Is Shared
Board of Directors: Provides financial oversight, organizational accountability, and guidance on legal matters.
Core Team: Leaders and volunteers selected by the congregation who help guide ministries, support community partnerships, and advise staff.
Church Staff: Leaders who support the daily life and ministry of The Park, including a team that shares the work of preaching and teaching.
Meet Our Leadership
Leadership at The Park is shared by women and men who bring different gifts, experiences, and perspectives. We believe women and men are equally called and gifted by God to serve and lead, including through preaching and teaching.
We seek to lead with humility, listen carefully, and remain accountable to one another under the leadership of Jesus. Our leaders serve alongside the community, helping people discover their gifts and grow in their calling.
Church Staff Team
Scott Austin
Lead Pastor
Jordan Cienski, LPC
Beacon House Counseling Director
Nancy Gaines
Community and Youth Pastor
Kyle Isenhower
Associate Pastor
Des Leiloglou
Teaching and Prayer Pastor
Terri Pease
Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Pastor
Kinsey Smith
Worship Pastor
Jen Tallon
Family Ministries Pastor
Rev. Heather Baker Utley
Teaching Pastor
Elizabeth Weinberger
Elementary Director
Get to Know The Park
Come and meet us.
Whether you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a community in which to grow, we invite you to get to know us. Meet our people, explore our practices, and join us as we learn to follow Jesus together. Questions? Contact us.