In late 1983 Elna and Gayle White, residents of Colorado County, donated 101 acres of the South Central rolling hills near Weimer, Texas to the then Victoria District of the Southwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.  It was their dream, and had been for many years, to see their beloved Church have a retreat center for making, training and encouraging disciples of Jesus Christ.  After much prayer and consideration, the Whites decided to deed these acres to the Trustees of the Victoria District for that purpose.  The then District Superintendent, the Rev. Dr. Prenza Woods, gratefully and graciously received this gift of faith on behalf of the District.

Dr. Woods then took the necessary action to begin to convert 101 acres with only a small house and pole barn into a viable, functioning worship and retreat center.  He established a visioning committee which spent the next year putting together a vision with practical applications that would eventuate in the construction of what has become Cathedral Oaks Worship and Retreat Center.  The name for the center was suggested by Elna White.  She has spent many hours walking the acreage, worshipping and praying under the cathedral of oak trees on the property.  Her suggestion was received with great enthusiasm and “Cathedral Oaks” became a reality, even as construction was begun.

After a year of visioning, a building committee was formed; plans were drawn up by the Young Architecture Company; and construction was begun by Grahman Construction Company.  All along the way much prayer and many faith decisions were experienced, even to the practice of locking the gate during construction.  The lock on the gate was a 4-digit combination apparatus and the combination was set at 1271 in celebration of Psalm 127:1 – “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”  This attitude of prayer and trusting GOD to “build the house” began in the early days of visioning and continue even in today’s use and governance of Cathedral Oaks.  

The initial building phase took one year.  In 1992, the completed vision of Cathedral Oaks was dedicated to the glory of GOD and Cathedral Oaks began being available for retreat use.  For 30 years the site was used by many different Christian groups.  In the early 2000’s, as District camping and retreat facilities began to experience decline, the ministry of Cathedral Oaks began to undergo changes which necessitated some new and different ways of doing ministry.  After much discussion with the Crossroads District Trustees and District Superintendent, and the approval of the Crossroads District Congregations, Cathedral Oaks Worship and Retreat Center was deeded over to a 501c3 corporation, which became “The Cathedral Oaks Worship and Retreat Center Corporation”.  The Corporation was formed by an equal partnership with members of the Victoria Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, and some members from the Trustees of the Crossroads District.  The ministry of Cathedral Oaks proceeds today with this partnership enabling ecumenical Christian discipleship, training, renewal,  and celebration to go forward with great success.  

Our ecumenical facility is governed by five core values that define who we are, and are foundations we will never compromise on:

     1. Christian Gathering Place
     2. Respite Place for Spiritual Renewal
     3. Holy Ground for Reflection and Reconnection
     4. Teaching and Spiritual Growth
     5. Holy Fellowship

We are located at:
1225 County Road 248,
Weimar, TX 78962
just off of County Road 250

Phone: 979.263.5937  
Email [email protected] 
Office hours: 9am-4pm Monday-Friday
Administrative Director: Rev. Patricia Gideon