Lake Travis United Methodist Church broke ground Sunday on a $4.5 million Ministry Activity Center expansion that church members said will serve generations to come as well as the community.

The two-story, 15,000-square-foot activity center will feature a gym, multi-purpose area with a hideaway performance stage, youth and adult classrooms and a full-service kitchen. A lobby atrium will provide space for the congregation to gather for fellowship.
“I think it’s going to be a great facility for Lakeway and for all of our neighbors around here to have access. This building will only be as good as your minds can create ways to use it,” capital campaign chairman Jim Myers told congregation members and guests.
Construction on the activity center will begin in January and church officials expect it to take 10 months.
Lakeway Mayor Dave DeOme, City Council member Dennis Wallace, architect McKinney-York representatives and builder Brown & Butler officials joined congregation members young and old to break the ground.
More than 90 church members have worked more than two years on the first phase of three expansions that will include a $1.15 adult education center, nursery and offices in the second phase. The final phase will include a music room and narthex expansion.
“[This project is] just going to open wide the portals for us to expand our own concept of who we are and what we can be about. It’s exciting as a sign that we are not stuck in a rut and we are moving forward with God’s help,” Senior Pastor Dr. Ray Kiser said.
The expansion will provide space for the church’s English as a Second Language classes and possibly for visiting mission teams and nonprofit organizations such as Lake Travis Crisis Ministries to use, Kiser said.
Building Committee chairman Jim Miles said the building expansion is a reflection of both growth and change in Lakeway area populations. The Lakeway Church recently completed its Student & Children’s Center, and Emmaus Catholic Church is planning a Parish Activity Center.
“[Lakeway] is a young, vibrant community with age demographics dropping rather rapidly,” Miles said. “I think we are in the right place at the right time with what we are trying to do. We saw this as the game-changer for us,” Miles said.
Congregation member Debbie Myers said she was pleased with how the church came together to see its vision through.
“It really was the whole church. They are really going outside of themselves to give. That is what I think is awesome,” Myers said.