About Us
Mission
"The mission of Buda UMC CLC is to provide a program that helps children, families and staff work together to be their very best. We are committed to providing high quality childcare to the families we serve. We strive to nurture each child’s unique qualities and potential, support families through strong partnerships and create an environment that will encourage professionalism, growth, and diversity in order to make a difference in the lives of children, families, and the community where we live and work."
Our History
Buda United Methodist Church has a long history of running a faith-based child development center. We opened our first center in the mid 1980’s and served children from 18 months through sixth grade with our after-school program. It was with a sad heart that we had to close our doors in 2011 for economic reasons. In 2018, the leadership of the church decided it was time for us to utilize our space and as a mission to the community, start up the CDC again. Following a delay due to the pandemic, we proudly re-opened our doors to beautiful young children in November 2023.
We would love for you and your children to join our family. We offer a loving, faith-based and small center. Your children will not get lost here. We want them to feel that there is always a place for them here, even when they have become young adults.
Rev. Matt Cardona- Pastor
Matt became aware of his call to ministry in elementary school. He was raised a Roman Catholic and was captivated at an early age by the ritual of worship and the beauty inherent in a life of faith. He became focused on discovering God’s movement in his life and the lives of those around him. In 2009 Matt accepted the position of Music Director at St. Mark UMC in Austin. He quickly became a United Methodist, as it was the practice of a Wesleyan spirituality where he discovered the language, the tradition, and the movements toward an expression of faith life he had long felt but never realized. Since 2009, Matt has served in several capacities through various UMC churches and faith initiatives. He was appointed to Buda UMC in 2022.
Matt is happily married to Jeannie Corbitt Cardona. They have an expanding family life with two children, Abel & Emilia, a cat (Mylo), a dog (Hank) and a fish (Razzle Dazzle). They love walking/hiking, long breakfast and dinner conversations with coffee, and generally, they love laughing and sharing stories.