United Methodists trace back to John Wesley, an eighteenth century Church of England priest whose renewal movement emphasized grace: the belief that God's love reaches people before they seek it out, invites them into relationship, and keeps shaping them for a lifetime. The Methodist Church became its own American denomination and merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church.

United Methodist congregations are connectional. Instead of operating independently, churches like Westlake are part of a larger network organized into conferences (Westlake belongs to the Rio Texas Annual Conference), and pastors are appointed rather than hired directly by the congregation.

At Westlake, that shows up in an open communion table where anyone can receive, and in a strong emphasis on putting faith into action through service. It's a posture the denomination sums up simply: love boldly, serve joyfully, lead courageously.