Our Ministries

• GEMS, Women's Ministry
• Caring for Caregivers
• Prayer Card Ministry
• Pastoral Care
• Walk to Emmaus
• Shepherd Groups
• Visitation
• Grief Counseling
• Stephen Ministry
• Wedding Preparation
• Spiritual Counseling
• OUTREACH
•     Missions
•     Benevolence
•     Lake Travis Ministries
• The Lakeway Church Foundation

GEMS

The Lakeway Church encourages women of all ages to participate in our activities focused on the spiritual growth of women.  We have various activities throughout the year and several ongoing ministries to which all women are invited. Watch for more information to follow about Women’s Ministry events.

 CARING FOR CAREGIVERS

· Has your life changed because of the needs of a loved one?

· Are your thoughts and time becoming more consumed with the care for a loved one?

A support group for Caregivers meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday in Room 203 from noon to 1:00.  Men and women are invited to attend.  Come join us for an informative hour.   For more information call Janet Moss (261-5736); Frieda Albert (261-4240) or Joyce Ranous (266-2948)

PASTORAL CARE

The Lakeway Church ministerial staff is involved in providing pastoral care to individuals and families during times of crisis, loss and transitions. 

PASTORAL COUNSELING

All of the church’s ministers are available to provide supportive spiritual counseling to church members and those seeking help and solace in a time of need.

GRIEF AND LOSS

Both the ministerial staff and Shepherd groups respond quickly to support our church family during times of loss and grief. At such times the church family works together in support and care for one another.

A Grief Group meets in the Prayer Room off the Sanctuary every Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 pm.  Led by Pastor Brent Graham, this group is open to anyone.

VISITATION

Members who are hospitalized or limited in movement due to illness are supported through our visitation program.

PRAYER

Prayer groups and prayer circles join with our pastors to keep our members and their families supported with prayer. A Prayer Group meets every Friday morning at 9:30 am.  Join them in the Library (Room 206 of Fellowship Center) or request a prayer by contacting the church office at 261-6331.

RITES

Times of Transition are stressful and challenging. Our church is committed to providing support at these key times in the lives of our people. Weddings, baptisms, funerals and memorial services are provided to meet spiritual needs that arise during these critical times in our lives.

Walk to Emmaus

The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The program's approach seriously considers the model of Christ's servanthood and encourages Christ's disciples to act in ways appropriate to being "a servant of all."  Our volunteer leaders are Lester and Betsye Witcher.   For a complete list of walks as well as forms for registering visit the Austin-Emmaus website.

Shepherd Groups

The Shepherd Program is one of neighbors caring for members of the "Household of Faith" with love and support.

Our Church families are part of neighborhood Flocks, each one of which is coordinated by a volunteer Shepherd. The mission of the program is to provide special ways to keep in touch and become better acquainted. This is done through giving service to the Church, celebrating happy events together, and giving comfort and assistance to fellow members in times of sorrow and need.

It is our hope that this program will be a continuing blessing to our Church Family, and in keeping with God's will as expressed in John 13:34-35 - "As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all will know that you are my disciples."

Visitation

The visitation ministry at The Lakeway Church includes prospect visitation, visitation of homebound members, and those who are hospitalized.

Grief Counseling

Our church has developed a strong Stephen Ministry to counsel those in sorrow.  For more information about this ministry, please click here.

A Grief Group meets in the Prayer Room off the Sanctuary every Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 pm.  Led by Pastor Brent Graham, this group is open to anyone.

Wedding Preparation

The Lakeway Church sanctuary is available for performing wedding ceremonies.  All inquiries should be directed to the church secretary at 261-6331 ext 20.

Spiritual Counseling

The Lakeway Church has three ordained ministers who are available by appointment for spiritual counseling.  For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact or email Renie Galvin, renie@lakewaychurch.net 0r call the church office at 261-6331. 

local outreach

The Lakeway Church people reaching out to Lakeway/Lake Travis area people.  Helping to meet spiritual and physical needs.

We are motivated by I Peter 4:10:

"Each one [Lakeway Church members] should use whatever gift he or she has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it's various forms."

 Many are actively involved in various outreach activities such as-

•  ice cream socials weekly at Vista Oaks

•  adopting single parent families

•  assisting at the clinic on 620

•  visiting the homebound and sick

•  feeding the homeless

•  inviting friends and neighbors to church and Bible studies

•  assisting people with various "Project" needs, e.g., carpentry, plumbing, building repairs*

*If you are interested in being part of this "Project" ministry or have or know of a need, please contact Marty Berdan, 608-9244

 Additional activities are planned for fall, like teaching English as a second language.  A good way to get involved in a service project is to join a Home Team.

OPERATION INTERDEPENDENCE

Operation Interdependence was formed to collect and distribute of a variety of non-perishable items to our armed forces servicemen.  We are excited to provide our facilities for a monthly workday, during which collected items will be actually packaged for delivery. 

Operation Interdependence meets the first Saturday of each month, with the work scheduled from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.  All members interested in devoting their time to this worthy cause can simply show up at the church Fellowship Center Hall. 

BICYCLE DISTRIBUTION

In conjunction with the Rotary Club of Lakeway/Lake Travis, a group of church members collect and repair used bicycles to distribute locally.  Our Local Outreach Ministry distributed approximately 20 of these bicycles to needy children in the Lake Travis area in December.

An ongoing opportunity exists for handymen and women who may want to help with the actual repair and cleanup work remaining on some of the Rotary’s collected bicycles.  Anyone interested in this worthwhile activity should call the Church office and leave your contact information or speak to Nancy Keetch at ext 21.  This is another fun opportunity to put God’s love through our Church into community outreach.

Benevolence

The Lakeway Church has had a Benevolence Committee for many years and the Church continues to designate a portion of the budget to support charitable organizations or individuals.

Benevolence funds disbursed by The Lakeway Church come from the Church's regular offerings and from special offerings at Easter and Christmas. The recipients are selected  according to the following criteria:

    1.  A ministry which is based or centered upon Christianity,

    2.  A ministry which serves people in the Greater Lake Travis area who are needy,

    3.  A ministry which meets standards set by the Better Business Bureau and the IRS.

 Capital Area Food Bank 

The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas (CAFB) serves as a clearinghouse which receives and stores donated food and other grocery products.  CAFB distributes these items to human service agencies throughout the area that help people in need.  

Healthcare Volunteer Associates Clinic  

Located in Lakeway, the Healthcare Volunteer Associates Clinic is staffed entirely by volunteer doctors, nurses and support personnel.  In addition to providing free health care to needy area residents, the clinic also offers ESL courses.

Caring for our Neighbors

The Lakeway Church supports our needy neighbors by helping them with necessary repairs to assure that their homes are livable.  We work through the Lake Travis Ministries and other local organizations to contract those in need. Our Church provides funds and working volunteers for repair projects to aid those identified as needing help.  

Emergency Services Department #6 Auxiliary  

Through their annual Green Santa program, EMS#6 Auxiliary collects thousands of new toys and collects and refurbishes bicycles for distribution at Christmastime.  Other activities include collection and distribution of Coats for Kids in the fall and canned goods in December.

Lake Travis Crisis Ministry  

Another local organization supported through our Benevolence Outreach program is the Lake Travis Crisis Ministry.  Founded in 1989, they serve needy families living generally in the Lake Travis ISD, providing counseling, food, home repairs, transportation, housing assistance, utilities, etc.  During a recent weekly food distribution session, 50 families were there needing assistance.  The evening distribution session is preceded by a devotional and the message that this assistance is provided in grateful Christian response to God’s blessings.  English and Spanish language Bibles are distributed as part of this activity.  In a local outreach effort, our church will provide $20,000 in support to this organization this year.

Salvation Army  

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church.  The Salvation Army in Austin operates a Social Services Center, a Community/Worship Center, a Shelter for Women and Children (including an Infant Center and a Children’s learning Center) and an Adult Rehabilitation Center.  Open to all, the Center serves over 1,600 meals every day. 

Each quarter the Benevolence Committee presents a list of recommended recipients to the Board of Trustees for their approval.  The committee includes an on-site visit on a regular basis as part of their selection of organizations and/or persons deemed to be worthy of financial assistance from the Church.

Lakeway Church Mission Support

Upcoming Mission Opportunities:

Several of us will once again return to Ukraine to teach English with International Partnerships.  We are looking for others who are committed to serve in this way.  Are you looking for a way to help fulfill the Great Commission?  Please call Beverly Leonard at 264-2181 or email bkleo@aol.com.

Also in the planning stage is another adult mission trip to REYNOSA, MEXICO, to work with the Rio Bravo Children's Home.  For information on this trip, contact Warren Terry (261-5210 or warterry@yahoo.com) or Brian Kenyon (261-4298 or kenyon5@sbcglobal.net.)

Maury & Ann Buchanan

Mission Discovery - Goodlettsville, TN

Maury heads up Mission Discovery and raises up short-term mission teams and the finances to support their work.  They build homes, churches, orphanages to help those who are unable to help themselves.  Maury has spoken to our church and our Youth have been on one of their projects to Mexico. The Lakeway Church has support Maury and Ann since 2005.

Mission Discovery began in 1991 as an effort to combine the mission resources of churches around the United States to serve Jesus Christ by meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the world’s poor through short-term team mission projects.  Since Mission Discovery’s beginning, over 20,000 students and adults have served in Mexico, Jamaica, Nassau, Honduras, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, Nicaragua and El Salvador, building homes and churches and sharing the Gospel with hundreds.

Their mission is to serve Jesus Christ by mobilizing the church to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the world’s poor.

A few years ago, the mission field was only accessible to a few select people.  Within the last fifteen years, there has been an explosion of interest in short-term team missions. As the world has become a “global village,” thousands of people have begun to respond to the world’s needs.  Mission Discovery was established to coordinate mission efforts of local churches.

Mission Discovery teams serve as:

LEARNERS – our teams come to discover what God is doing in the world and get involved.  We come by invitation, not invasion.  We come not to teach, but to learn.
SERVANTS – our teams come not to be served, but to serve in the same way the Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and friend.
STORYTELLERS – in other words, to tell the story of what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives.

What We Do

Mission Discovery offers 7- to10-day projects to Mexico (Reynosa, Juarez, Tampico and Tecate,) Honduras, The Bahamas, Tennessee, Jamaica, El Salvador, Haiti, Mississippi, Kenya, South Dakota, and Russia. Mission Discovery also customizes some trips for churches and denominations. Each Mission Discovery project is unique. All Mission Discovery projects involve evangelism and construction of a vitally needed building. Mission Discovery partners with national churches to insure good follow-up of new believers. Mission Discovery utilizes full-time staff as well as experienced volunteer staff to provide the best possible mission experience for your youth group. Senior high and junior high projects feature great Christian worship leaders and speakers who can communicate to youth.

Mission Discovery web site is www.missiondiscovery.com.

GOSPEL FOR ASIA

kewal masih gill

amritsar, punjab, india 

Kewal is a national in India and this is his story.

“I was born November 13, 1979 into a nominal Christian family in India.  Christian values were not a part of my family and therefore I grew up without having a proper understanding of the living God.

Once I had an accident and escaped unhurt with a minor injury in my leg.  Lack of proper treatment turned my leg septic.  The medicines were of no avail and the only way left out was to amputate the leg.  A sign fell on my family and tremendous grief took hold of us.  But my mother cried out to the Lord for His healing hands.  The Lord heard the prayers and healed me completely.  The miraculous healing revealed God’s power to us and with a penitent heart we as a family accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.  Very soon we testified to our faith in water baptism.

As I learned more of Christ and His love, I was burdened to reach out to the dying souls with the message of hope.  I was affirmed of my calling as the Lord opened new ways for me to enroll in a Bible training center to be equipped for an effective ministry.

At present I am working as an evangelist among the Hindus in India.  I am actively involved in church planting work, open-air meetings, house visitation, home prayer fellowships and literature distribution.  Through these ministries the Lord is graciously making me a part of the great harvest.

Please pray for me that I may fulfill God’s plan to expand His kingdom.”

The Lakeway Church has sponsored native Gospel for Asia missionaries since 2000.

The Gospel for Asia web site is www.gfa.org.

I was born October 3, 1971, in a nominal Christian family in Jharkhand, India. Discipled by my parents, I attended Sunday school and other church service regularly. I also read the Bible daily and prayed to God for all my needs. But as days passed, I went astray from the Lord

One day , some servants of God came to proclaim the Gospel in our village. They shared from God’s Word and distributed Gospel tracts. When I heard the love of Jesus from them, I felt peace filling my heart. Then on, I wanted to know more of the Word.

My life turned joyful when Christ came to reign in me. From then on, my priority was to know my Savior more and set aside time for prayer and meditation. I also started attending a believers’ church and testified my faith publicly through water baptism. The Scriptural teachings and fellowships helped me draw closer to God. I soon developed a desire to bear a witness of my Master’s love. While seeking divine guidance, the Lord confirmed my call for the ministry and opened a door for me to enroll in a Gospel for Asia Bible School to be equipped for the same.

I am privileged to serve the Lord among the Hindu majority in Jharkhand, India. As a Bible woman, I share God’s love personally, visit houses, work among women, distribute Gospel tracts and organize Sunday school.

Please pray for me that I may fulfill God’s plan to expand His kingdom

I was born March 25, 1984 in a believers’ family in Manipur, India. I have two brothers and two sisters. Since my childhood, my godly parents instilled in me all the biblical values. But I was not interested in spiritual matters and participated in all the church activities just to make my parents happy. Meantime, I was into all the worldly activities. But they never satisfied me and I lacked peace and joy in my life.

In the year 2003, I participated in a New year celebration along with my friends. In the celebration, I drank alcohol excessively along with my friends. While returning home, I became unsteady in mind and met with an accident. I broke my hand and my parents rushed me to the hospital. After treatment, I return home from the hospital that same night.

At home, I began to think about my life and was uncertain about future. I realized the goodness of God in my life, in spite of my sins and shortcomings. The Spirit of the Lord convicted my heart and made me to realize that I was a sinner. I confessed my sins to the Lord and received Him as my personal Savior. My heart was filled with divine peace and I experienced the freedom from my sins and the joy of salvation.

My parent were happy about the change in me and thanked the Lord for His goodness in my life. I obeyed the Lord in water baptism on May 6, 2003, and became a member of the church. Meantime, the Lord filled my heart with a burden to wins the lost souls for Him and called me for ministry. On being confirmed of His calling, I enrolled in a Gospel for Asia Bible School to be well-equipped for the ministry ahead.

Present Ministry:

As an evangelist, I am presently serving the Lord in Manipur, India, where the majority of the people are Hindus. In the midst of oppositions and persecutions, I am sharing the Good News to them by tract distribution, personal evangelism and house visitation. I also involve in church planting ministry.

Please pray for me that I would stand in the will of God and do His ministry effectively in the coming days.

Jayanta and Radha nationals in India and this is his ‘story‘.

“I was born March 1, 1970 into a Hindu tribal family in India.  I followed the footsteps of my parents and continued to worship the idols thinking that they are real.  I had a desire to become famous and labored very hard for the same.  I became a political worker and lost interest in my studies.  And discouragement began to rule my life as a result of an illegal relationship. To escape, I decided to commit suicide.

Then I met my brother-in-law who was a Christian.  I was comforted by the words he shared from the Scripture, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’.  I confessed my shortcomings and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.  My father beat me for accepting the new faith.  But God strengthened me and gave me boldness to witness the Good News to others.  I sensed the call of God in my life to be His cup-bearer.  I dedicated my life to the Lord and started spreading the love of God.

Now, I am in Assam, India serving the Lord as an evangelist to win the tribal Hindus. The Lord has greatly blessed my ministry and many ignorant people heard the Gospel through me. The outreaches through which I communicate the Gospel include preaching in open-air meetings, leading home prayer fellowship, distributing literature and planting churches.

Please pray for me and for my family that we may fulfill God’s plan to expand His kingdom.”

The Lakeway Church has sponsored native Gospel for Asia missionaries since 2000.

The Gospel for Asia web site is www.gfa.org.

PEOPLE INTERNATIONAL - LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Michael lives in one of the most dangerous spots of our missionaries with his wife Nargis and three children.  He was raised in an English-speaking community in Lahore and went to Christian schools.  He is an articulate speaker, writer and lecturer.

Michael has been a missionary in Uzbekistan and neighboring countries of Central Asia where his ministry with ‘Gospel Recordings’ was mostly to illiterate village people, bringing them the Gospel message on ’wind-up’ audio tape-players in their native language.

Now Michael is with People International and is their National office director for Pakistan and field leader for Afghanistan.  His projects in Afghanistan and places like Kazakhstan are some form of church planting.  He cannot tell us a lot about his work in that he is somewhat undercover in areas where he works.  Michael is also a very important part of the Pakistan church.

The Lakeway Church has supported the Abel family since 2002.  Michael is hoping to come to the U.S. in the spring of 2007 and we are hoping we can have him come to Lakeway.  The church has supported Michael and Nargis since 2001.

Michael is on staff with Cadence International and is assigned to Ft. Hood to minister to the soldiers and their families there.  Cadence's has a solid Statement of Faith and their work is much needed in this time of war.

Vidal & Cathy Perez

Shane & Linda Deike

Campus Crusade for Christ - Orlando, FL Headquarters

Shane is part of the executive team of Crusade, one of the largest mission-sending organizations with over 13,000 missionaries around the world.  The Deikes live near their Orlando, FL headquarters with their three children.  Shane is a Texan with parents living in San Antonio.

Shane has served in many ministries and presently is primarily involved in new and innovative ways and technologies to reach students with the Gospel.  Their outreach ministry through the internet has reached many students.

The Lakeway Church has supported Shane and Linda since 2004.

Mark & Carole Watson & Family

Campus Crusade for Christ

(republic of georgia)

Mark and Carole moved to Republic of Georgia with their five children in 2006 to begin a campus ministry in Tbilisi, Georgia.  They have been on staff with Crusade since the mid-80’s.  Their last assignment was Ukraine where they worked for 12 years and established student movements on 12 campuses.  When their objective of nationals overseeing the student ministry was met, they moved on to Georgia.

Their work in Tbilisi is to gather student leaders to train and draw other students to get excited about knowing and spreading the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and influence campuses in Georgia.  Most everyone in Georgia considers themselves Orthodox Christians and is fairly suspicious of anyone promoting studying the Bible.

They have established a small group of students with a desire to study the Bible, grow in their knowledge of God, tell others and build a student movement.

Brian & Cathy Birdsall

Campus Crusade for Christ (Ukraine)

Brian and Cathy are from Indiana and Texas and have lived in Moscow and then Kiev with their five children since 1992.  Brian is Director of Crusade’s Ukraine ministry.

Their ministry is primarily a campus ministry on ten plus university campuses and a team of Jesus Film teams that support the local evangelical churches, frequently with use of the Jesus Film.  The ministry began in the early ‘90’s with missionaries from the U.S.  Now Ukrainian nationals, which total in the 70’s, staff essentially all the positions except the National Director.

Brian and Cathy have also directed a K-12 school for missionary children and are about to begin building a school building.  Missionary families are able to stay ‘on the field’ because their children are getting a good education.

The church has supported the Birdsalls since 2000.

    * That 2,000 students a year would choose to go into full-time ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ .

Patti Lee

Youth with a Mission - South AFRICA  

Patti is a veteran missionary since 1980 who has worked in several parts of the world, including Africa, eastern Europe and India.  Patti is 40+ and is so far unmarried.  She is a native Texan from Sundown, TX.

Patti works with an organization named “Youth With A Mission” (YWAM), which is probably the largest missionary-sending organization in the world.  One of their specialties is gathering and sending young people on short -term mission trips.  Many of the youth go for a year-plus instead of a week-plus and many of those stay for many years.

Patti has a personal ministry wherever she lives to the native people there and her role with YWAM is training.  She is one of the leading trainers for YWAM’s Discipleship Training program which is about 6 months of training YWAM provides new missionaries going on multi-year assignments.  She also is involved with training, encouraging, refreshing, etc. “permanent” missionaries.  Patti spends about 6 months of the year on the road on most of the continents of the world doing her work.

Patti rather recently moved from Budapest to South Africa to facilitate her training in that area of the world.  Some of her recent work and scheduled training is in India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, Turkey, Netherlands, Indonesia and South Africa and Patti has done discipleship training in Malaysia, Bangkok, South America and many other “vacation spots” of the world.

Patti has visited the church many times and has spoken in the church worship service, classes, youth, etc.  Patti was one of the first missionaries the church supported when the mission program was initiated in 2000.

Martha is a Texas University graduate in Political Science and a graduate degree from Wheaton.  Martha is 35+ and is so far unmarried.  Martha is a veteran missionary who has worked in several parts of the world, including Africa, eastern Europe and now the Middle East - Jordan.  Martha also works with “Youth With A Mission” (YWAM).

Martha was in Bosnia when the war broke out there and was involved in the first truck load of relief supplies into Bosnia.  She was there with a team working to plant churches.

Martha’s present job is leading the ministry of the YWAM team in Jordan and their job is to reach out with the Good News of Jesus Christ to natives and to plant churches there (think of home churches in the beginning.)  Most of the people in Jordan are Muslims and persecution against Christians is not uncommon.

Martha has visited the church many times and has spoken in the church worship service, classes, youth, etc. Martha was one of the first missionaries the church supported when the mission program was initiated in 2000.