A Small Church with a Big Heart in Irving
Northgate United Methodist Church has stood on West Northgate Drive in Irving, Texas since the mid-1960s, when its first worshippers gathered under temporary buildings near what is now the parking lot. Set in a residential part of the city, the congregation describes itself plainly and without apology: "We are a small church with a big heart!" Members say no one is an anonymous face in the crowd; instead, every guest is a treasured one. The church is also widely recognized across Irving as one of the most diverse congregations in the area, and as a steady hand in the city's network of community outreach.
From a Temporary Lot to a Dome Sanctuary
Northgate's story began on August 15, 1965, the date of its first worship service. The little church grew under those temporary buildings and by November 17, 1968 had moved into a permanent home. That original sanctuary, now called the Dome Sanctuary, remains the front building on the property and still hosts services and special gatherings. A larger Worship Activity Center (WAC) was added behind it and now serves as the main worship space, fellowship hall, and the venue for the Northgate Players' annual production. The WAC is named in memory of Olyn Howser, a beloved member who passed away in 2009 and whose spirit the congregation says it still keeps alive on the campus.
Sunday Mornings at 10:45
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:45 a.m. in the Worship Activity Center. The service is described as a blend of traditional and contemporary music, featuring the Northgate Choir and a Children's Time with the youngest members of the congregation. Communion, the Lord's Supper, is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. The service is livestreamed on the church's Facebook page each Sunday through Facebook Live; previous services remain available there and on the church's YouTube channel, where archived sermon series and special messages can be watched at any time.
Sunday School for all ages meets at 9:30 a.m. Adult classes include Agape, a traditional Bible-based study that meets in the Agape room in the WAC, and Gene-vations, a discussion-based class that moves from Genesis to Revelation and meets in the New Revelations room in the Dome. Children, youth, and confirmation candidates gather in the WAC and Life Center classrooms.
A Mission Spelled Out in Two Sentences
The congregation describes its calling in two short statements. The mission: "Love God - Love Others - Make Disciples." The vision: "Be the Hands and Feet of Christ." Scripture passages frame the church's identity across its ministry areas. Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," anchors the welcome extended to every visitor. Isaiah 43:19, "See, I am doing a new thing!" is featured prominently online. Matthew 25:40, "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me," speaks to the heart of the food pantry and clothes closet ministry that has defined Northgate's public life for decades.
Children, Youth, and the Northgate Players
Northgate makes a point of welcoming families. A nursery is available each Sunday morning for children from infancy through pre-kindergarten during both the Sunday School hour and the worship service. Older children can join the Children's and Youth Choir, which performs during worship on the first Sunday of every month and rehearses immediately after the service.
Christian Kids Club gathers children in first through fifth grade from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of every month. A kid-friendly lunch is followed by games and activities that have ranged from sock puppet crafts to assembling health kits for disaster relief. Ignite Youth, for students from sixth grade through high school, meets at the same time on the second Sunday of every month. Its programs range from movies to miniature golf, always with an element of fellowship and mission focus.
The Northgate Players is the congregation's resident amateur theater troupe. Each year the Players mount a Christmas dinner theater production in the WAC, with both on-stage and backstage opportunities. The troupe welcomes newcomers of every experience level: some members have professional acting experience, others have studied theater in college, and most just want to learn and have fun. Charlie Walden, who also leads many of the church's Bible studies, is the contact for anyone curious about joining.
Feeding Irving Since 1985
The Food Pantry and Clothes Closet is the ministry for which Northgate is best known throughout Irving. Open the first and third Saturdays of every month from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., the pantry welcomes clients without an appointment for limited food distribution and, when available, gently used clothing. The pantry keeps a steady list of core items on its shelves: peanut butter, jelly, saltine crackers, cereal, dried milk, ramen, pasta sauce, dried noodles, canned fruits, canned meats, canned vegetables, canned beans, one-pound bags of rice, one-pound bags of dried beans, and macaroni and cheese. Donations can be dropped into the collection boxes after Sunday worship any week of the month.
A Food of the Month program spotlights a particular need each month. The church typically asks for items like canned fruit and vegetables one month and canned meat and tuna another, for example, though peanut butter, jelly, and crackers are welcome any time. Spanish-speaking translators are especially needed on Saturday mornings, as are packers who can help prepare food boxes during the week, usually on Tuesday mornings. Checks may also be mailed to the church office with "Food Pantry" in the memo line.
Back-to-School, Many Helping Hands, and Other Outreach
Each late summer, Northgate's Back-to-School Program provides uniforms for elementary and middle school students living in the Irving Independent School District. The program launched in 1988 and in recent years has served more than 250 children. Northgate also partners with Many Helping Hands, a coalition of Irving-area churches that provides hot meals for people experiencing homelessness in the wider community.
For members who want to serve close to home, the church maintains a membership care team that visits people in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes, provides meals for shut-ins, arranges rides to the doctor, and welcomes out-of-town relatives who come for a funeral service. Greeters, children's ministry volunteers, choir members, and committee workers round out the in-church opportunities. A free way to support Northgate comes through the Kroger Community Rewards program: shoppers can link their loyalty card to the church, and a small percentage of every purchase is returned to Northgate at no extra cost.
Bible Studies for the Curious
Beyond Sunday School, Northgate has hosted an unusually rich lineup of short-term studies over the years. Many are led by Charlie Walden, who guides participants through the Apocrypha and Old Testament prophets with scholarly care. Past studies have included the Book of Sirach, the Wisdom of Solomon, the Daniel Additions, Baruch and the Letter of Jeremiah, an Introduction to the Prophets, a sixteen-session walk through Genesis, and a five-week study of Philippians and Philemon. Online studies have been hosted on Zoom, with videos posted to the church's YouTube channel.
Other studies have explored Methodism 101, an eight-session introduction to Methodist history and beliefs; "Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman, led by Michael Murphy; "Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple" by Adam Hamilton, led by Melba Dobbins during Lent 2019; "The Redemption of Scrooge" by Matt Rawle during Advent 2018; and "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado during Lent 2018. "Christianity for the Rest of Us" by Diana Butler Bass prompted the congregation to consider what practices help small and mid-sized mainline churches thrive. Advent and Lent studies rotate each year.
Adult Groups and the Choir
The Northgate Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Choir Room in the Worship Activity Center and sings the anthem at Sunday worship. The choir's Christmas and Easter cantatas are highlights of the church year. United Methodist Men meets the first Sunday of each month right after the worship service, while Northgate's unit of United Methodist Women gathers on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. for spiritual growth and supportive fellowship; any woman seeking to grow in knowledge and love of God is welcome. Chicks With Sticks, a crochet and crafting group with the motto "Serving the Lord Through Crafting," meets in the Dome Conference Room at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays, producing everything from painted flower pots to crocheted Pokemon balls.
A Welcome for Visitors
First-time visitors are asked no dress code at Northgate: the church notes that "you'll see a wide range of attire here." Visitors with small children are warmly welcomed, with a nursery available during both Sunday School and worship. Welcome Centers are located in both the Dome and the Worship Activity Center to answer questions and provide more information about the church. Senior Pastor Edwin Zarate extends a personal word of welcome online, inviting anyone interested to join the in-person worship service each Sunday at 10:45 a.m. Prayer requests may be submitted online or sent directly to the pastor.
Facilities Available to Rent
Northgate opens its doors to outside groups as well. The Worship Activity Center and other spaces are available for rent by non-profit organizations, with discounted rates offered for Monday-through-Thursday use. The sanctuary is also available for weddings and other special services. Inquiries can be sent to the church office or made by phone during business hours.
United Methodist Identity, North Texas Conference
Northgate United Methodist Church is part of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. The congregation's roots lie in the Methodist movement begun by John Wesley and his brother Charles in eighteenth-century England. Charles Wesley wrote thousands of hymns, including "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," which are part of the tradition's heritage. After centuries of close ties, The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church merged in 1968 to form The United Methodist Church. Northgate's own permanent building was completed and occupied that same year, marking the founding era of the present congregation.
Methodist teaching emphasizes a two-fold reading of Scripture, in which the Spirit who inspired the biblical writers is at work when readers today engage the text. Grace, understood as relationship and love rather than as a spiritual commodity, is at the center of Methodist belief. Redemption is understood as a continuing process, both for the individual believer and for the church as a whole, called to reach out in word and deed. These emphases frame Northgate's calling as the church understands it: to love the Lord with all one's heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love one's neighbors as oneself, serving all, especially the Irving community, with the outreaching love of Jesus Christ.
Giving is available online, and the Sunday worship service is livestreamed on Facebook.