On the east side of Lake Dallas, just off Hundley Drive, Lake Cities United Methodist Church has served the small cluster of lakeside communities known as the Lake Cities for decades. The congregation's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and it pursues that mission by inviting, growing, serving, and sharing in Christ's love. From two Sunday services and a thriving Christian preschool to a Tuesday and Thursday food pantry, the church runs an unusually broad set of ministries for a single campus.

Two Sunday Services, One Worshiping Family

Sunday morning at Lake Cities UMC begins with two distinct worship offerings that share the same Sanctuary and the same pastoral staff. At 8:30 AM, the Traditional Worship Service follows the historic liturgy of The United Methodist Church, with music drawn primarily from the hymnal and led by the Chancel Choir under the direction of Traditional Music Director Rachael Olivares. At 10:45 AM, the Contemporary Worship Service offers a more modernized liturgy, with worship led by the Ignite! Praise Band and built around contemporary Christian praise songs.

Sunday School for all ages runs between the two services at 9:45 AM, giving families a natural rhythm for the morning. The 10:45 service opens with the Children's Moment, when children come to the front of the Sanctuary for a short lesson tied to the day's theme. After that, the children may dismiss to Children's Church for story time, crafts, activities, and play while the adults continue in worship.

For visitors wondering about the dress code, the church is a self-described "Come as you are" congregation. Jeans and a T-shirt are as welcome as a Sunday suit, and the church has made light of its relaxed style with the line, "If Jesus wore sandals to church, why can't we?" Children are openly welcomed and encouraged to play and learn during worship.

Meet the Pastor: Rev. Tim Clifford

Lake Cities UMC welcomed its new Senior Pastor, Rev. Tim Clifford, in the summer of 2025. Rev. Tim grew up in Arlington, Texas, attending St. Barnabas UMC throughout his childhood and adolescence. He felt a call to ministry after a powerful experience during his confirmation retreat and was given opportunities to explore that call, including preaching to the whole congregation year after year starting at age 14.

Rev. Tim graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2018 with a BA in Religious Studies, serving in the Wesley Foundation and on the drum line of The Mustang Band during his college years. He earned a Masters of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology in 2021 and was ordained an Elder in The United Methodist Church in 2025. He is currently pursuing a ThD in Open and Relational Theology with Thomas Oord at Northwind Theological Seminary.

Rev. Tim's greatest love in ministry is preaching and teaching, and he is especially passionate about bringing the "ivory tower" theology to the church house. He and his wife, Katie, met as youth in the St. Barnabas youth praise band. Katie works as Vice President of Development at Project Transformation National, a United Methodist ministry. The couple moved into the neighborhood near the church as part of their commitment to live in the community they serve, and Tim trains for triathlons in his spare time. The household is ruled by two cats, Daisy and Dandy.

Rev. Tim follows Rev. Chuck Church, who served the congregation for six years and is now pastor at FUMC Whitesboro. Pastor Emeritus John Peel continues to be honored by the congregation.

Footprints Preschool: A 30-Year Ministry

One of the most visible ministries of Lake Cities UMC is Footprints Preschool, a Christian education program that serves 92 families from the surrounding community with a staff of 18. Licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Footprints is a private, nonprofit childcare program that welcomes children ages 24 months through 4 years, plus a Junior Kindergarten for children who will turn 5 by November 1 of the following school year.

The preschool's purpose is to provide a program in which children are given constant loving care and guidance as they form basic attitudes toward themselves, their peers, their teachers, and their environment. Goals include learning about God, the Bible, and His love; building readiness in reading, speech, mathematics, and writing; exploring music, rhythm, dramatic play, art, and games; and developing the social values and habits that form a strong foundation for school and life.

Director Abby Allison has been part of the Footprints family since 2014, first as assistant director and then as director since 2022. She holds a Business degree from UNT and a director's certification from the University of Alaska. Assistant Director Betty Hilliard joined in 2013 as a Pre-K teacher and now serves alongside her. Together they lead a program that runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with options to add additional days. The preschool follows Lake Dallas ISD for all major closures, and the 2026-2027 calendar lists a first day of school on August 31.

Footprints is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary with plans for a Fall Festival & 30th Anniversary Celebration bringing together the church, the school, and the wider community. Substitutes are regularly needed, and the program accepts registrations throughout the year for openings as they arise.

Children's Ministry: Sunday School, VBS, and Wacky Wednesdays

Children's Ministry at Lake Cities UMC is led by Director Jamie Dennis, a longtime Lake Cities resident and elementary art teacher with Denton ISD. Her Children's Sunday School class is led by weekly volunteers and includes videos, teaching, crafts, and games. The class currently serves children from Kindergarten through 6th grade as one group, with plans to split into K-2 and 3-6 classes as the program grows.

Vacation Bible School has been a hallmark summer program for years. The church notes that 119 children attended the most recent VBS, with more than half coming from outside the Lake Cities UMC family. The 2026 theme is Snowball Mountain Challenge, an exciting winter sports adventure where kids become Challengers, gearing up for frosty games, snowy surprises, and hands-on lessons about resilience and faith.

A newer offering is Wacky Wednesdays, a mid-week gathering for children in grades K through 6. Held in the Family Life Center, the program gives kids a chance to come together for games, crafts, food, and fellowship outside of the Sunday schedule.

Youth Ministry: A Partnership Across Town

Rather than running a stand-alone program, Lake Cities UMC currently partners with the Student Ministry of Faith United Methodist Church in Denton (across from Guyer High School) to offer youth ministry for students in grades 6 through 12. The partnership combines the resources of two congregations to give students a strong peer community and dedicated programming.

Youth Supper Sundays run from 6:00 to 7:30 PM and Student Bible Study meets on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Faith UMC. The arrangement has been welcomed by families looking for a deeper peer group than a small program could sustain on its own.

Adult Ministries: Women, Men, and Bible Study

Adults at Lake Cities UMC have several organized paths for fellowship and study. United Women in Faith is a community of women whose purpose is to know God, to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ, to develop a creative and supportive fellowship, and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.

The Lake Cities United Methodist Men have been in informal fellowship since April 19, 2005, and were officially chartered as UMM on February 10, 2011. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Youth Lounge (Sanctuary building, east wing, top of the stairs). The first hour covers group business, and the second hour, starting at 7:30 PM, focuses on Bible study and devotional conversation. The men's ministry describes itself as a place where men can discuss life's daily pressures, from jobs and marriage to raising children, and find Christian support along the way.

The Pastor's Bible Study meets most Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. Led by the Senior Pastor, the study is open to every level of adult learner and covers subjects ranging from life application to in-depth biblical context. It currently meets online through Zoom, with plans to move to a hybrid format in the future. Lay Servants Patricia Nelson and Susan Anderson also lead ministry in the congregation, with Patricia serving Autumn Oaks Retirement Community and Susan teaching Lay Servant Ministries courses for the North Texas Conference. Virgil Aldag serves as a Certified Lay Minister assigned to the church.

The Community Food Pantry

The Lake Cities Community Food Pantry is one of the most significant outreach ministries of the church. The pantry is housed in the LCUMC main building at 300 E. Hundley Drive, with the entrance on the southeast side of the building. It is a member agency of the Tarrant Area Food Bank and is staffed completely by volunteers.

Distribution is open to clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, except holidays, with a drive-thru option on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. During inclement weather, the pantry follows the same closure schedule as Lake Dallas ISD.

To receive food, clients are asked to provide proof of residency in one of the four Lake Cities communities - Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas, or Shady Shores - along with current valid photo identification. No fee is charged to participate, and clients are eligible to visit once a month. In addition to food acquired through TAFB for a nominal handling fee, the pantry receives weekly donations from Aldi in Corinth, Target in Denton, and Albertson's in Corinth, as well as donations from local churches, food drives, and philanthropic organizations. Milk, eggs, and basic hygiene items are provided when supplies allow. The pantry does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, political belief, religion, sexual preference, or disability.

Currently most-needed items include breakfast cereal, canned meats, canned beans, canned fruits, and diced tomatoes. Volunteers are always welcome to help with bagging, sorting, and picking up donated food items.

Missions and Outreach Beyond the Lake Cities

Mission work is described by the church itself as the heart of Lake Cities UMC. Children raise funds for The Advance, youth engage in mission trips, and adults volunteer at UMCOR's Sager Brown facility in Louisiana. The congregation continues to support the Lake Cities Food Pantry and the Ministerial Alliance Community Aid Fund, both of which are housed and managed at the church.

Locally, the church participates in Heart of the Holidays, Habitat for Humanity, and the ARC of Denton County. It also collects expired coupons to send to RAF Lakenheath in England for military families, a ministry that extends care across the Atlantic.

A hospitality team of more than 30 families works to ensure that first-time contact with visitors is positive, that church signage and facilities are adequate, and that all who come feel welcome. The church also serves as a satellite campus for North Central Texas College (NCTC) and sponsors Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack 424. The Golden Agers, a senior fellowship that has been gathering for more than 20 years, meets in the Family Life Center on one Thursday each month for food, fellowship, and games.

Caring Congregation and Pastoral Care

Pastoral care at Lake Cities UMC extends well beyond Sunday worship through the Caring Congregation Team, a volunteer ministry that reaches out to church members who are homebound, hospitalized, grieving, or in need of encouragement. Volunteers visit or call those in need, send cards of encouragement, provide meals for families, and pray for those facing challenges. The team is open to anyone with a heart for serving others.

Confirming the Faith

Confirmation is one of the recognized milestones in the life of the church, and Lake Cities UMC walks students through a Confirmation curriculum as part of its ministry to youth. The Confirmation class is one of the congregational pathways for youth to affirm the faith they have grown up in, alongside the Sunday School and youth ministry partnership with Faith UMC.

The Building and Rental Spaces

The campus at 300 E. Hundley Drive has several spaces available for community use. The Family Life Center, a large multi-purpose area, rents for $400 per day or $100 per hour. The Sanctuary rents for $300 per day or $75 per hour, and the Fellowship Hall and Welcoming Center are also available at $300 per day or $75 per hour. A $500 cleaning and damage deposit is required for all rentals and is refunded no sooner than seven days after the event, provided the space is returned to its original condition. Discounted and free reservations are available to church members.

The building is used for weddings, funerals, and other community gatherings. Spaces are also shared with the Lake Dallas Cemetery Association, Spirit of Christmas, and several other community-based groups.

Worship Music: Choir and Praise Band

Music is central to both services. The Chancel Choir, led by Traditional Music Director Rachael Olivares, anchors the 8:30 service. Rachael is originally from Northern Ireland, lives in the DFW area since 2016, and holds a Master's Degree in Music and Vocal Performance from UNT. She first joined Lake Cities UMC as a section leader while she was a graduate student. Pianist Xiaobo Chen also serves the church's worship life. At the 10:45 service, the Ignite! Praise Band leads contemporary arrangements, giving the congregation a very different but equally worshipful experience.

Online Giving, Pledging, and the Endowment

The church offers secure online giving through its Realm portal, with options to give from a checking account, savings account, or credit card, and to set up recurring drafts. Members can also submit an Estimate of Giving to help the church plan its ministry budget. Pledge commitments are kept confidential and may be revised at any time.

The Lake Cities Permanent Endowment Fund was established in 2007 and is administered by the Endowment Fund Committee. Gifts to the fund are invested rather than spent, with earnings available for new church ministries, missions, and permanent facilities, but not for ordinary budget items. The endowment recognizes giving at levels named for biblical figures of faith, including Lydia (generous leader), James (unifying leader), Priscilla and Aquila (servant leaders), Timothy (faithful leader), Mary Magdalene (devoted leader), and Paul (missionary leader), culminating in a legacy category of $100,000 and above.

Staying Connected: Realm, E-Joice, and Text Alerts

Members and visitors stay connected through Realm, the church's online platform, which centralizes personal information, giving, groups, event registration, and communication in a mobile app and web portal. The E-Joice newsletter carries news and opportunities, and text message alerts keep the congregation informed of timely updates. Sunday worship bulletins are also posted online, with the traditional and contemporary bulletins updated each week.

Living Out the Mission

What sets Lake Cities UMC apart is the breadth of ministry it sustains from a single campus in a small North Texas lakeside community. Two Sunday services draw the same congregation into different expressions of worship. Footprints Preschool has shaped thousands of local families over three decades. The food pantry has become one of the most reliable sources of grocery help for residents of Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas, and Shady Shores. And the church extends its reach far beyond Lake Dallas through mission trips to Louisiana, support for Habitat for Humanity, the ARC of Denton County, and a unique partnership with RAF Lakenheath that sends coupons to military families overseas.

Through it all, the church continues to follow the United Methodist mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and it pursues that mission in its own words by inviting, growing, serving, and sharing in Christ's love.