Mission Teams & Staff
Serving our neighbors
Berkeley is very active in missions throughout our community.
Here is but a portion of what we are doing.
Mission Fund
Berkeley UMC (BUMC) has funds available for ministry and missions as a result of interest on our endowment fund. The Endowment Committee will receive applications for funds from BUMC members who would like to support specific ministries. These funds will be available for ministries to the community in which members are involved or supporting ministries that are meaningful to members.
Click HERE for the Mission Fund Application Form
Local Schools Outreach
The church is actively committed to supporting the students and staff at Cunningham elementary across the street. As well, our church supports Widén Elementary in East Austin with fundraisers, volunteering, and other efforts. For more information, contact the office.
Plus 1 Utility Support
Berkeley UMC was recently approved for a grant from the City of Austin to become an assistance provider in the Financial Support Plus 1 Program. Serious illness, a recent job loss, or other emergencies can make it difficult for some customers to pay their utility bills. The Plus 1 fund helps by providing emergency financial aid to customers who are having a temporary problem paying their utility bills.
If you would like to know more, or are interested in volunteering please email office@berkeleyumc.org or call 512-447-6633.
If you need assistance with your electric bill please call 512-766-0385.
Berkeley UMC Ministry Teams
Our ministry teams are growing to meet the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical needs in the community. Some teams are already formed and functioning, others are being resurrected and expanded. We’ve listed our ministries below, take a look and let us know what you’re interested in.
If you would like more information, or would like to be involved in one of our teams, email Pastor Rusty at rusty@berkeleyumc.org.
❑ Children and Youth Ministries Team: Create and plan programs to help children and youth in the congregation and community develop and grow in faith and community.
❑ Social Justice Team: Partner with others in the community to address issues of social injustice in Austin and globally.
❑ Mission Team: Research and find national and global missions impacting and reaching others with the good news and love of Jesus Christ in order to find ways to support these ministries.
❑ Outreach Team: This team will focus in outreach and in witness in three areas:
1. Help Berkeley members learn how to be a witness to those in their sphere of influence.
2. This team will create opportunities to connect with neighbors of Berkeley UMC.
3. This team will follow with guests to Berkeley UMC to make connections and help find places to get involved.
❑ Worship Team: Vision and plan direction of worship services at Berkeley UMC. Meet with pastors and musicians to plan weekly worship services.
❑ Media Team: Runs media for worship services, etc.
❑ Adult Education and Discipleship Team: Create, plan, and lead programs to help adults in the congregation continue to grow in faith, discipleship, and leadership.
❑ Spiritual Connection Team: Create and lead programs and services to help members of the community to connect with God and the community through spiritual practices:
❑ Stewardship Team: Create and plan programs to continue to meet financial needs of the Berkeley Community.
❑ Facility Care Team: Will care for the physical needs of Berkeley UMC campus: regular mowing, etc. and occasional repairs and other care for the property.
❑ Congregational Care Team: Our Mission Statement: “With communion, meals, cards, phone calls, and transportation, the Congregational Care Ministry of Berkeley United Methodist Church will serve God by addressing the concerns and needs of the active, inactive and homebound members experiencing life changes.” We also help match up people with needs in the congregation with those who can help.
Meet The Team
Stephen Sanders serves as Oak Hill UMC's lead pastor. Stephen grew up in San Antonio, then attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. After college he worked for a consulting firm, primarily helping companies design and install large computer systems. In 1993 he left the corporate world to respond to God’s call to ordained ministry. He attended seminary at Emory University, Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, GA. He served as a pastor in Tennessee, then returned to San Antonio to be near family. He served at Coker United Methodist Church in San Antonio for five years, and Spring Creek United Methodist Church for twelve years. Stephen and his wonderful wife, Mary, have been married for 33 years. They have two sons – David (age 27) and James (age 25). They enjoy being together as a family – hiking, cooking good meals, and enjoying nature. Stephen’s passion for ministry is discipleship. He wants to help people grow and mature in their Christian faith. From helping people engage in meaningful Bible study, to learning how to pray, to giving of themselves on mission projects, he wants to help people grow in faith and connect it with their lives. In addition to spending time with family and serving in ministry, Stephen enjoys visiting with friends, good exercise (hiking, biking, playing tennis), excellent books (particularly classic literature), and spending time on their family’s small farm.
Rev. Missy Jenson has been a United Methodist her whole life as her father served as a pastor in the Rio Texas Conference throughout her childhood. As a result, she grew up all over South Texas: Cuero, Corpus Christi, Brady, Gonzales, and San Antonio. She attended Southwestern University and graduated in 2004 with a B.A. in Religion. Then she moved to North Carolina to study at Duke University Divinity School, where she graduated with her Master of Divinity in 2007. She was ordained an elder in The United Methodist Church in 2010. Since her graduation from seminary in 2007, she has served at Lake Travis UMC (Austin), First UMC (New Braunfels), Tarrytown UMC (Austin), First UMC (Goliad) and now Oak Hill UMC. Pastor Missy is passionate about serving Christ through missions around the world and connecting with people to discover who we are as the Body of Christ and who we were individually created to be by God. She enjoys listening to personal stories of encounters with the divine, creating unique and meaningful ways to deepen our spiritual lives, and simply being present with others for the ordinary and holy moments life brings. When she’s not working or “momming,” you can find Pastor Missy listening to podcasts or audiobooks of all kinds or let’s be honest…napping! She also occasionally enjoys cross-stitching and during basketball season, she’ll be [loudly] cheering on the Duke Blue Devils.
Dr. Tyler Mabry
Accompanist
Victoria (Vikki) Schwarz is the Associate Pastor and Music Director at Berkeley UMC. She grew up in various locations, including Rantoul, IL; Phoenix, AZ; Sumter, SC; and Topeka, KS, before her father transitioned from the Air Force to civilian life. Afterward, she lived in Wray and Merino, CO (on her Grandpa Jones' farm) before settling in Sterling, CO, in 5th grade. Vikki graduated from Sterling High School, earned an Associate in Music from Northeastern Junior College, a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Music Education and Composition and a Master of Music with a focus on Music Theory, Composition, and Choral Conducting from Colorado State University. She later pursued advanced studies in Music Theory at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Master’s in Ministry Practice from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Vikki is an ordained Deacon in Full Connection in The United Methodist Church and is certified in Music Ministry through The UMC. Vikki has taught elementary music and middle school choral education in central Texas schools for several years. She has served as the Music Director at Berkeley UMC since 1999 and as the Associate Pastor since 2021. An active composer in choral music, she has had works published through Hal Leonard (including Advent Jubilate, Prepare, Make Room, Lonesome Valley/We Shall Walk, Shine on Us, Love Always Echoes True, and When Mercy Was Born) and Fred Bock Music Publishing (Depth of Mercy). Along with long-time collaborator Tyler Mabry, she has written and performed several church cantatas, including The True Light (2014), Lonesome Valley (2017), Voices of Advent (2019), Earth Shall Ring (2023), and a short-form cantata with Brad Croushhorn, From Darkness to the Dawning of Light: The Nativity in Word and Song. Beyond her work in school and church music, Vikki is the lead composer and music director for Archive Theatre (where she also serves on the Board), Diverse Space Dance Theatre, and Interwoven Theatre. She is a Resident Artist for the VORTEX Theatre and has worked as a composer, musician, and/or sound designer for Ground Floor Theatre, Bottle Alley Theatre, The Wimberley Players, kidsActing, Austin Children’s Theatre, Trouble Puppet Theatre, Austin Gilbert & Sullivan, Paramount StoryWranglers Camp, and more. Vikki has been nominated for B. Iden Payne and Broadway World Awards for her theater work. Additionally, she is a theater reviewer for Broadway World Austin, has written articles on the History of Hymns for Discipleship Ministries, book reviews for WorshipArts Magazine, and runs a daily media post called Miss Vikki’s Bite-Sized Classical Music Trivia. In her free time, Vikki enjoys crocheting, traveling with her family, visiting with friends, and spending time with her grandkids!
Ryan was raised in Austin and actually became a member of Oak Hill UMC way back in the mid-90s while in high school. He was active in the youth ministry and the youth choir and remained active in the church during his college years while attending the University of Texas. He graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Finance, but before stepping into a career in banking he recognized a call to ministry and headed north to Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary outside of Chicago. In 2007, Ryan graduated with his Master of Divinity and headed back to Texas to begin his first appointment at First UMC (San Marcos). Since then he has served in two other appointments: the United Campus Ministry (Texas State University) and First UMC (Victoria). Ryan’s passion for ministry comes from working with young people, and he has had the great privilege of doing so in each of his appointments over the years. He loves the transformation that happens on mission trips and retreats, but also enjoys witnessing the everyday growth young people experience as they struggle with and begin to own their faith. Living life with people is what it’s all about for Ryan, and he appreciates the opportunity to bring encouragement into those relationships along the way. Some of the things Ryan enjoys doing are watching movies, reading books, and hanging out with his wife and kids. But, when it comes right down to it, he is a game enthusiast. Whether it’s playing crazy games throwing hotdogs or popping balloons full of shaving cream with the youth, rounding up some folks for some lawn games, or dusting off the board games, cards, or dominoes, he loves to have fun. But just know that once the games are out, Ryan is no longer responsible for his competitive streak.
