Worship
As though you need reminding, let us point out that the Dallas–Fort Worth area is the buckle on the Bible Belt. That means there’s a high percentage of Baptist, Church of Christ, and fundamentalist and evangelical Christian churches hereabouts. But that doesn’t mean you cannot find diversity in opportunities for worship. Catholic churches are plentiful, as well, as are Protestant churches, such as Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran.
The most significant growth in recent years has been in nondenominational churches, some of which have enormous congregations (5,000 or more attending services on Sunday!), and many of these gather in repurposed buildings, such as nicely renovated former bowling alleys or industrial warehouses. There’s been slow but steady growth in churches that embrace diversity; the most popular gay-friendly church of note in Dallas is Cathedral of Hope, and in Fort Worth, it’s Celebration Community Church.
You can also find places of worship, of course, if you’re Jewish, Buddhist, or Islamic. For interfaith information in Dallas, look to Thanks-Giving Square (1627 Pacific Ave., 214-969-1977; www.thanksgiving.org), a sanctuary and common meeting place for people of faith from around the world.
1. Cathedral Of Hope
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 351-1901
Address: 5910 Cedar Springs Rd.
Description: A spirit of inclusiveness prevails at this church near downtown, with two Sunday services in English and one in Spanish and a Wednesday evening service. Community outreach is an emphasis.
2. Christ The King Catholic
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 365-1200
Address: 8017 Preston Rd.
Description: The church in University Park dates from the 1940s, when the parish had 500 families. Today it has more than 6,000 members. Mass is offered weekday mornings, on Saturday evening, and at four services on Sunday.
3. Church Of The Incarnation Episcopal
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 521-5101
Address: 3966 McKinney Ave.
Description: Dating from 1879, this church now covers five acres and offers seven Sunday services, including Choral Evensong from the 1662 prayer book. Outreach projects include helping the homeless population.
4. Fifth Church Of Christ, Scientist
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 361-1625
Address: 5655 West Northwest Highway
Description: Services and Sunday school are offered, and there’s a Wednesday Testimony Meeting, too. Refer to the Web site for information on TV and radio broadcasts of services and Bible lessons.
5. First Baptist Church
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 969-0111
Address: 1707 San Jacinto
Description: Since 1872, this church in downtown Dallas has been big in the local worship community. Today it covers six city blocks with seven major buildings. First Baptist offers four Sunday services and several Wednesday evening activities too.
6. First Methodist Church
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 220-2727
Address: 1928 Ross Ave.
Description: Open downtown since 1926, this church offers worship services at two times on Sunday, with the 11 a.m. service streaming on a Webcast.
7. First Presbyterian Dallas
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 748-8051
Address: 408 Park Ave.
Description: This downtown church has been around for 150 years and offers a diverse congregation. An emphasis is on music; on Sunday you may hear Bach, Celtic tunes, or African-American spirituals. There are two Sunday worship services. Stewpot Ministries serves a hot meal to more than 500 people daily and offers help from social workers, a medical and dental clinic, and in areas of drug rehab and psychiatry.
8. Grace Bible Church
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 368-0779
Address: 11306 Inwood Rd.
Description: The popular nondenominational church offers traditional and contemporary Sunday services and a number of groups that meet throughout the week.
9. Highland Park Methodist Church
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 521-3111
Address: 3300 Mockingbird Lane
Description: More than 90 years old, this church at the corner of the Southern Methodist University campus offers a variety of worship services, including traditional, contemporary, and Anglican, for a total of seven Sunday services.
10. Highland Park Presbyterian
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 526-7457
Address: 3821 University Blvd.
Description: There are four Sunday worship services at this 80-year-old church in the Park Cities.
11. Lovers Lane United Methodist
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 691-4721
Address: 200 Inwood Rd.
Description: Grown from a modest church on Lovers Lane to a big, contemporary place of worship, this church offers plenty of gatherings along with its worship services. Divorce Recovery, Deaf Ministry, Twelfth Step Ministry, and several others are available.
12. St. Thomas Aquinas
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 821-3360
Address: 6306 Kenwood Ave.
Description: The East Dallas church dates back about 50 years and offers preschool and school for children kindergarten through eighth grade. Mass is offered weekday mornings; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings; and six times on Sunday.
13. Chabad Of Dallas
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (972) 818-0770
Address: 6710 Levelland Rd.
Description: This Shul describes itself as “one of Dallas’s most unorthodox, Orthodox synagogues, a popular center for both Jews who are returning to their Jewish roots and experienced congregants.” The North Dallas synagogue offers a multitude of services, studies, group activities, and gatherings for young and old.
14. Temple Shalom
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (972) 661-1810
Address: 6930 Alpha Rd.
Description: A Reform congregation, the temple was founded in 1965. Today’s temple dates from 1972 and sits on a beautiful, woodsy space covering 14 acres in North Dallas. There are numerous groups within the temple offering a full schedule of events.
15. First Unitarian Church Of Dallas
City: Dallas, TX
Category: Worship
Telephone: (214) 528-3990
Address: 4015 Normandy Ave.
Description: Organized in 1899, the church’s slogan is “Whoever you are whatever you are wherever you are on your journey we bid you welcome.” Found in University Park, the church offers a number of social and service groups for fellowship and volunteer work.