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The Brewtones Galaxy in Tyler Texas

May 27th, 2010

The search for Tyler area activities to write about has led me to the part time coffee bar, part time church, known to patrons and parishioners respectively as the Brewtones Galaxy, or the Vineyard Church of Tyler. The Brewtones coffee shop has become a well known venue for local artists, musicians, modern-day beatniks, and twenty-somethings in general, to gather for a cup of Joe and an “unplugged” musical performance by area indie bands that are usually quietly Christian. The venue is not large but it provides a slightly bigger than intimate setting, for area young people to gather and take in various musical performances.

The primary mission of the café is to provide a place for local and out of town bands often on the cusp of real commercial success, to play to a somewhat more, but not exclusively religious crowd. The Vineyard Church has always had as part of its mission to reach out to younger, more under-churched people. Given this focus, the Brewtones Galaxy is a sort of natural partnership. Attendees are not likely to hear any kind of homily or gospel reading, but it is an opportunity to mix with other college aged youth in an environment they may or may not be otherwise interested in. Past performances have come from artists like Eisley, Sleeping at last, Jon Foreman (of Switchfoot fame) The Rocketboys, Christi Dupree and others. If most of the names are not immediately familiar that’s not surprising. But many area young people cooler than I would recognize these bands in short order.

On May twenty eight, the band entitled Moving Castles, (apparently a reference to the novel and film by the same name), will be performing at Brewtones in Tyler, in honor of the release of their new CD. The doors open at seven and admission is ten dollars a person. For more information see the Brewtones website at http://www.myspace.com/brewtones. They are located at 5201 S. Broadway Ave., in Tyler. For more on the band Moving Castles, visit http://movingcastles.com/. To read more about The Vineyard Church in Tyler go to www.tylervineyard.com, or look for the article entitled The Vineyard Church of Tyler located elsewhere on this site.

The Vineyard Church of Tyler

October 14th, 2009

The choice of what church to attend, and which is right for one’s family, is a very personal one. These days, folks in Tyler Texas who are unable to find a church with which they can agree on absolutely everything, often opt to start their own churches. They open in store fronts, movie theaters, and the homes of parishioners, in the temporary absence or a building or property. Generally I encourage this type of religious and community participation. But in a town of nearly a thousand places to worship, our city does not need additional “start up” churches. Everyone should be able to find an existing church in Tyler where they can practice their faith in a community of relatively likeminded people. This is why I’ve started to write about area Churches, in the hopes that perhaps someone who’s looking around will stumble onto this site and find some useful information.

Having already written on my own church, it is difficult to write on a church with which I have little connection. I can speak to churches attended by my friends and family however. One such church is the Vineyard Church of Tyler. While located in Times Square shopping center, the Vineyard is no start up church, having been around for nearly twenty years now. The Tyler Vineyard is a part of the Vineyard USA Community of Churches, in effect a denomination all its own. The church holds to the standard points of doctrine of the modern Evangelical Church, particularly when it comes to the supremacy of scripture.

The Vineyard places a heavy emphasis on the importance of worship in the liturgy. The music is contemporary and central to the Vineyard experience. The church strives to be both culturally relevant and approachable to the Tyler area young people. The atmosphere is casual and informal. Gourmet coffee is served in the foyer prior to the service and during the peace, (or the greeting). The pastor’s homilies are brief but applicable to the congregant’s experience (again we see the emphasis on cultural relevance). The VCT is also involved in numerous community outreaches and local charities.  They also support members of area missions organizations, who export the gospel around the world.

For those looking for a relaxed, low pressure, community involved, evangelical church The Vineyard Church of Tyler is a good option to consider. For more information see the churches website at www.tylervineyard.com, or call their office at (903) 534-8803.