The Journey United Methodist Church
What we are called to be . . .

Where we are . . .

Kyle/Buda is an area filled with kind and generous people who are trying to build a beautiful life and future for their families. Along the way, people are desperately trying to discover who they are and who they are to be. Judging by worldly standards, most are pretty successful – good jobs, nice homes, and great families. But, we still long for something more. A good job will not give us meaning, a nice house will not give us peace and security, and we will never find all the love we need solely in our families. It often feels as if we are clinging to a past we never knew and anxiously awaiting the future that we are not sure will come. And one begins to wonder if we are ever really living in the present. Although our lives are good, is this all there is or will we realize that there is something more? Our lives can and should be filled with love, fulfillment, and purpose and unless we live into it, God’s work on earth will go unfinished.

Our Guide . . .
We believe that God meets each of us on our journey and equips and empowers us to follow in Christ’s footsteps. We celebrate that we are first and foremost called to be followers of Christ who help others to follow in His way on the journey.

When Jesus Christ first encountered those people who became his closest followers, He found a group of people who were not much different from us. Certainly, their culture, language and customs were different, but they too were searching for something more. They were waiting for someone or something to show them that there was more to life. The following Bible passage from the first chapter of the Good News according to John gives an account of what they found.

“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip like Andrew and Peter was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” - John 1:29-51

In the preceding Scripture story, Jesus invited a few followers to “Come and See”. Out of interest, intrigue and a little faith, these few followed. Prior to this, what is known is that these followers or disciples were fairly ordinary people living ordinary lives. And yet, we can surmise that they sensed that there was something more – something compelling them to follow and see. They invited others to come and their lives were changed forever. Some of them went on to be preachers, some became teachers, some became prophets, and some became evangelists. All of them helped to further the Kingdom of God on earth in their own way and with their own gifts. In fact, without these few followers, God’s Church would not even exist as it does today. In the end, we read that they were amazed by what Jesus had done and yet He promised even bigger and better things to come. Come and See!

Where we are going . . .
The Journey UMC offers the opportunity for everyone to discover his or her purpose in life. Whether that is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the orphaned, build a house, perform for the glory of God, support an outreach, finance a ministry, preach the word of God to those who need to hear, or something in between, YOU can find your purpose along The Journey.

Our Opportunity . . .
God is breathing new life into the Church in many different ways. He is blessing and ordaining new approaches to ministry and at the same time, resurrecting some ancient traditions and sacred practices. As we begin a new church, we have a tremendous opportunity to create something very special – something that few others have had the opportunity to be a part of. We have the opportunity to truly make a difference in people’s lives and in this world. The Church is the HOPE of the world!

Our ROUTE . . .
We seek to arrive at our destination by following five core practices:
Reaching out to bring others along through Radical Hospitality.
Offering ourselves to God through Transformational and Passionate Worship.
Uncovering a sacred pathway to God through Intentional Faith Development.
Taking the Good News to others through Risk-taking Mission and Service.
Extending ourselves through Extravagant Generosity.

Our Ministry Teams . . .
The following teams will be necessary to take our Journey and we know that others will arise along the way. Our goal is that every person – young and old – will find a ministry in which to invest his or her time, energy and spirit. This will be the main vehicle by which a person will be able to find true meaning in relationship with God and express the purpose for their life.

• Reaching Team (radical hospitality, atmosphere)
• Offerings Team (worship, music, specials, set-up/break-down)
• Faith Development Team (Sunday School, spiritual practices, home fellowship groups)
• Taking Team (mission and service)
• Extending Team (SPPR, Finance, Locations, giving and stewardship)
• Youth and Children Team (nursery, youth ministry, children’s ministry)
• Prayer Team (Our core – upon which we build everything)

(Pastor Kyle, his wife Rachael, & their son Elias)

Before receiving his appointment to The Journey, Kyle served on staff at First United Methodist Church of Austin for 11 years. Rachael is the Assistant Director of the Texas Wesley Foundation and Elias’ main responsibility is to make everyone around him see the hope that God gives us with the miracle of new life!

The very nature of the United Methodist Church is one that will naturally appeal to the people who have chosen to make this area their home. The both/and characteristic of the United Methodist tradition has a unique and valuable message that can reach people in ways that other traditions cannot. In the United Methodist Church, there is a union of both the evangelical and social gospel, a union of both the heart and the intellect, and a union of both tradition and an emphasis on cultural relevance. To find out more, follow this link.