(Seguin) – The Fiesta Season continues Sunday on the historic grounds of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church. The church is inviting the community to its annual Spring Fiesta and Juan Seguin School Reunion this Sunday.
Pastor Megan Elliott says the annual gathering is more than a church event. She says it is a way to honor the deep history of the place Spirit of Joy now calls home.
“When we purchased the property from Seguin ISD, we realized that the buildings in this space had a much deeper history than even just an elementary school or an early childhood center, since it was the Mexican school when Seguin was segregated and split up in that way. So, we wanted to be sure that as we entered the space, we were honoring the history of that and also honoring the role that these buildings, this school, this institution played in people’s lives, both positive and negative. And we wanted to make sure that we were giving voice and creating space for that legacy to continue living and breathing,” said Elliott.
Elliott says the celebration, which begins at 11:30 a.m., was created as a simple but meaningful way to bring people together.
“We started this a few years back where we host a lunch and fiesta. This year, we’re going to have some face painting and a bounce house and tacos and hot dogs. And it’s really just a chance for us to come together as a church and a community to share a meal together and some fun times and be and grow in relationship with one another,” said Elliott.
Elliott says while the first half of the event will center on food and fun, the second half of the program — beginning at 12:30 p.m. — will work toward preserving the stories that helped shape this community.
“And then the program portion that comes after that is our Juan Seguin Reunion. In years past, we’ve had a speaker that we asked to speak, but this year, we’re going to be just really opening it up for storytelling and giving a chance for those who walked these halls to tell their stories and to bring the history of this place to life,” said Elliott.
This year’s Spring Fiesta will also feature performances by the AJB Mariachi Band and Ballet Folklorico de la Rosa.
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church is located at 416 Dolle Ave.