Terrace United Methodist Church at Houston, Texas

   Santa Maria Hostel is a residential drug treatment facility in the Spring Branch area serving women in crisis. A ministry team of six staff and volunteers provide weekly spirituality classes to more than 70 women clients at the facility. The residents also are offered pastoral and peer counseling, prayer support and Life Recovery Bibles. At the time of a client’s discharge, the ministry team conducts a “sending forth” ceremony and presents each woman with a prayer scarf hand-crafted by church volunteers.
   The church’s Van Ministry transports more than 50 women to church services each Sunday and also provides transportation for one of the client groups so that they can attend weekly Narcotics Anonymous Meetings held at the church.
   On a quarterly basis, Terrace hosts a Life Skills Retreat at the church for the Santa Maria clients, offering courses in parenting, finance, spirituality, child custody issues, anger management, career counseling and dealing with loss.