A Vineyard Church on Morris Road
Austin Vineyard Church sits on Morris Road in the northwest corner of Austin, in the 78729 zip code near the city line with Round Rock. The congregation has been gathering in this part of town for forty years and is marked by two things that have grown up around the same property: a weekly contemporary worship service and a fourth-Saturday food pantry that has been feeding neighbors for more than fifteen years.
The church is part of Vineyard USA, a nationwide association of Vineyard churches that shares a common set of core values and beliefs. In the church's own words, Austin Vineyard is "a multigenerational and multi-cultural community loving God with passion, and serving NW Austin and the surrounding area." The church describes itself as Spirit-empowered, kingdom-minded, and committed to raising up disciples of every age, and that identity shapes everything from the music on Sunday morning to the garden beds out back.
Sunday Morning at 10:30
English-language worship is offered every Sunday at 10:30 AM, both in person and online. The worship style is described as intimate, expressive, and God honoring, led by a team of volunteer musicians who value excellence without making the room feel like a concert hall. The focus is on participation, and the church encourages everyone to join in.
Sermons are described as biblical and relevant, drawing on Vineyard teaching and aimed at helping listeners live out their faith day to day. The messages can go deep but are meant to be easy to follow.
First-time visitors should know there is no dress code; blue jeans are just as welcome as a suit. Arriving a few minutes early gives guests time to grab a cup of coffee or tea and a donut or snack from the hospitality team. After the service, a welcome area is set up where visitors can meet a pastor, ask questions, and pick up a small welcome gift. A soundproof cry room is available for nursing mothers who want to watch the service without leaving the building.
Children from six months through fifth grade can be checked into Vineyard Kids classrooms before the service starts. Teens in sixth through twelfth grade stay for the first portion of the service and are then dismissed during announcements to their own youth class.
Heaven2Earth Youth
Students in sixth through twelfth grade are invited into Heaven2Earth, the youth ministry led by Lead Pastor Ben Koch, Worship Arts Ministry Director Sarah Koch, and a co-leader team. The group meets during the Sunday morning service and again on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the church. On the occasional fifth Wednesday the youth head off campus for a fun night out together.
The name Heaven2Earth comes from Mark 1:15 and captures the heartbeat of the ministry: inspiring teenagers to be people of God's kingdom today, learning to move in Kingdom authority to heal, serve, and love their neighbors, and having a blast doing it. Parents looking for a youth ministry that takes their teens seriously do not have to wait until they are grown up.
Vineyard Kids
Vineyard Kids welcomes children from six months through fifth grade in three classrooms: Babies (six to thirty-six months), Pre-K and Kinder (thirty-six months through Kindergarten), and Elementary (first through fifth grades). Loving teachers create a fun, safe, and nurturing environment where kids learn Bible basics and experience God's love while making friends.
Beyond Sunday classes, Vineyard Kids run a puppet ministry and join the whole church in worship at periodic family services. Parents who want to mark a significant spiritual moment in their child's life can request a child dedication at the church. The ministry is led by Kids Director Debbie Schiraldi.
Life in Community: Small Groups Across Austin and Round Rock
Community life is a major emphasis of Austin Vineyard, and the church has invested in a wide network of small groups meeting in homes, coffee shops, and the church building itself.
Young Adults, led by Tania Sullivan and Jon Cummings, meets twice a month on Saturdays in local coffee shops and is geared toward people from about eighteen to mid-thirties. A typical gathering includes snacks, a biblical passage to dig into, time to share what is going on in life, worship, and prayer.
Young Families, led by Ben and Sarah Koch, meets on the second and fourth Fridays at 6:30 PM in the church foyer. The group encourages parents in Christ and works through family-relevant topics through fellowship, food, Bible studies, and worship. Childcare is available with donations or with parents taking turns.
Porch Culture is a men's small group led by Ben Koch, gathering on the third Saturday morning at 10:00 AM at the Koch home. The group is built around authentic brotherhood, mission, and growth in Jesus.
The Round Rock Community Group, hosted by Joe and Lois Cummings at the Henry home in Round Rock, meets twice a month on Fridays at 6:30 PM for study, fellowship, and worship. Everyone is welcome.
Gente del Reino is the bilingual small group led by Rick Evans and Mercy King, meeting on the first and third Wednesdays at 6:30 PM at the church. The group is for anyone who wants to explore God's kingdom while growing in English or Spanish language skills.
Sisterhood, Brotherhood, and the Mid-Week
The Vineyard Sisterhood of Women, led by Elaine Brendler, is a sisterhood across ages and stages that gathers for retreats, brunches, pool parties, Christmas teas, and smaller groups. Prayer is a key thread, and an online prayer community welcomes new intercessors.
The Vineyard Brotherhood of Men, led by Bill Brendler, hosts occasional breakfast events at the church and annual men's retreats as a way to get away and experience God in a fresh setting.
Two more focused men's groups meet during the week. The Men's Group with Bill Brendler gathers on Mondays at 7:00 PM at the church for men who want to be real with God and with one another. Band of Brothers, led by Jeff Lewis, meets the first and third Saturdays from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at La Madeleine on Lakeline, with coffee and breakfast starting at 8:30 AM.
Two women's groups round out the offerings. Malini Lekkala leads Transformed, a women's Bible study that walks through Pastor Rick Warren's seven-session study based on Romans 12:2, meeting on alternating Mondays at 6:30 PM. Deborah Bodden leads a Women's Group on the first and third Thursdays at 6:30 PM, currently working through "Growing in Spiritual Maturity" by Joyce Meyer.
Food Pantry and the Community Garden
The Food Pantry is one of the most visible ministries of Austin Vineyard Church. Run by Lisa Springer and Mercy King, it has been distributing food to the Northwest Austin area for more than fifteen years as a partner of the Central Texas Food Bank. Distribution happens in a drive-through style on the fourth Saturday of every month from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM (the November and December schedule varies due to the holidays). Volunteers are always welcome.
Behind the food pantry sits the Community Garden, led by Master Gardener Monica Henry and garden admins Anna and Chris Spalding. Volunteer workdays are held on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 AM and on fourth Saturdays from 8:00 AM to noon, generally pausing for rain or freezing temperatures. More than twenty-five raised beds produce fresh fruits and vegetables that are harvested and donated directly to Food Pantry clients, giving families in need access to a rare, healthy option. The program is affiliated with the Williamson County Master Gardeners Program, and Scouts Troop 234 serves in the garden regularly.
ESL Classes, Scouts, and Kingdom Entrepreneurs
The church also hosts free English as a Second Language classes on the church campus, meeting twice a month on Saturdays at 10:00 AM. Classes are open to anyone in the community who wants to improve their English.
Scouts Troop 234 is chartered through Austin Vineyard Church and meets on Mondays at 7:00 PM, with Jeff Lewis serving as charter liaison. The church also keeps a free community playground open to neighbors during daylight hours, with a reminder that minors should be accompanied by an adult.
Kingdom Entrepreneurs, led by Jeff Lewis and Kenn Renner, gathers on the fourth Wednesday at 12:00 PM for Christian business owners and professionals. The goal is to connect, inspire, and equip one another for the cause of Christ in the marketplace, with members encouraged to bring business cards and a sixty-second self-introduction.
Prayer, Hospitality, and In Your Corner
A weekly English prayer meeting is held on Thursdays at 12:00 PM, focused on praying for the church, the community, and the world. After each Sunday service, members of the Prayer Team offer one-on-one prayer at the front for anyone who needs physical healing, spiritual restoration, or simply has a praise to share.
The Hospitality Team welcomes guests at the door every Sunday, helps people find seats, and keeps coffee, tea, and snacks flowing before and after the service.
In Your Corner is the church's pastoral care ministry, coordinated by Executive Pastor Rick Evans. Trained care team members meet one-on-one at an agreed-upon coffee shop with anyone struggling with a question of faith, a relationship issue, or the sense that something in life is not right.
Grow, Care, Serve: A Discipleship Path
Austin Vineyard has built a three-part discipleship path called Grow, Care, and Serve. Grow classes, held on Saturdays, help participants develop a deeper relationship with Jesus through spiritual practices like hearing God's voice, becoming more like Christ, and living with greater purpose. Care classes (launching in January) prepare members to live out the great commission by sharing the love and message of Jesus with neighbors, community, city, and nations. Serve classes, held on Sundays, help people discover how God has uniquely shaped and gifted them, and include a one-on-one SHAPE coaching session. Childcare is available with advance request, and a five-dollar donation is suggested for lunch during Serve classes.
Vineyard Roots and Forty Years in Austin
Austin Vineyard Church is part of Vineyard USA, a nationwide family of Vineyard churches that share a common set of core values and beliefs. The church draws on Vineyard worship music, a catalog of contemporary songs written and recorded within the movement, and it shares the Vineyard's emphasis on experiencing the love and transforming work of the Holy Spirit in everyday life.
In 2026 the church is celebrating forty years of ministry in Austin, a milestone that ties the present-day food pantry, garden, and small groups to a much longer story of disciples being raised up in this corner of the city. Giving can be done online, through the Tithe.ly app, by mailing a check to the church address, or with stocks and IRAs. The church also offers free will and estate planning resources for members who want to plan longer-term generosity.