About The Station
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
The Station Church has been serving to the downtown community for 25 years.
709 Chaparral St.
2000-2011
209 S. Tancahua
2012-2021
619 S. Staples St.
2022-Present
Our Story
“If Jesus was walking around in my city, where would he be?”
This is the question that led Tony, an associate pastor at Second Baptist Church at the time, to start a little outreach ministry in downtown Corpus Christi in the year 2000. In the early 2000’s, downtown Corpus Christ was in steep decline and aside from a few bar hoppers and panhandlers, there wasn’t a whole lot going on. But there was a small group of Christians who began meeting across from the old Greyhound station on Chaparral Street.
Within a few years, The Station began attracting college undergrads and the young at heart with a thirst for cappuccino and Jesus to worship and experience the Kingdom of God in an uncommon setting. The cappuccino continued to flow but the swell of students dwindled and those who remained explored together what it meant to be a church, to follow Jesus, and to share life together.
Chaparral St. 2000-2012
Tancahua St. 2013-2021
Throughout this season of The Station, various homeless friends and other random passers-by who happen to be in downtown would pass by and wander in, wondering what was going on. At the time, it was rare to see a building with the lights turned on in downtown, and most everyone who came in were surprised that they had walked into a space of community and worship. Some turned around and walked out, others hung around a bit, and still others would come back night after night.
In the summer of 2004, Ryan and Amanda, still in college and newly married, began leading The Station and continued the work of the ministry. Not long after, one of our regulars named, Peggy, said, “I noticed that we have homeless people walk in pretty regularly. What if we kept some peanut butter and jelly behind the bar and offered to make sandwiches if they are hungry.” And so they did. Before we knew it we had quite the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches factory going. As the Lord continued to bring more people to our door, we continued to feel the pull to love and care for those whom He brought.
Around the year 2006, we had a meeting of the core team at The Station to decide whether we should continue the ministry or close our doors. After a long discussion, it was our good and wise friend Rick who asked, “Do we have enough money to keep the lights on?” And the answer was, “Yes, the Lord has always made sure we had enough to pay our bills.” Rick replied, “Then why don’t we just keep showing up until we can’t keep the lights on?”
It’s been almost 20 years since this conversation, and the lights are still on, so we keep showing up.
We are now in our third location at 619 S. Staples Street, but still very much doing the same things we have always done; showing up to experience God’s grace and love and freely share it with anyone who walks in our doors. We are loving people, loving God, together.
Staple St. 2022-Presnt
Pastors for The Station Church
Ryan & Amanda Pflughaupt
Ryan & Amanda have been leading The Station Church since 2004. During our 20 years ministering to the downtown community, we have listened to, learned from, and experienced firsthand the stories of countless individuals from across the country who have happened upon our small church. These stories–but really the people who own these stories–have shaped and altered the course of our family’s life forever.
We are often asked, “How did you get involved with The Station?” It just so happened that while we were in college in Corpus Christi, we were invited to attend a worship service at The Station, and to make a long story short, we never stopped showing up.
We now have 4 wonderful children, all of whom are regularly seen running around at The Station Church. Ryan graduated in 2011 with a Master of Divinity from Logsdon Seminary and works full-time for an education consulting company. Amanda has a BA in Psychology with a minor in Social Work and today fills her days educating our children at home.
Steven & Twyla Williams
Steven has been faithful ministering at The Station Church since 2011. After a year or more of regularly coming to and serving at The Station, Steven said, “What if we got some hymnals and just sang old worship songs together acapella?” Steven has been leading worship at The Station ever since.
Through the years, Steven has worked as a hospice chaplain, led multiple recovery groups, and completed his Associates Degree in Biblical Studies from Stark College in 2018. Twyla has been involved in ministering to the homeless in Corpus Christi for over 15 years. Her heart for ministering to the needs of others has been integral in her walk with God.
Steven and Twyla actually met at The Station Church in 2017 and were able to turn their love for ministry into a love for each other. Since getting married, Steven and Twyla enjoy traveling in their RV, going to concerts, and enjoying as much time as possible with their grandchildren. Steven and Twyla are also full-time small business owners working in property management and construction.