Associate Pastor
Rev. Kaela Burdge
Rev. Kaela Burdge is our Pastor of Discipleship at Elk City UMC, and the Hub churches (Erick UMC and Chapel Hill UMC). Kaela was appointed to Elk City in the summer of 2022, and her primary focus is to help people grow in their relationship with God and become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. She is responsible for overseeing the spiritual growth and development of the congregation, designing and implementing programs that foster spiritual growth, and providing guidance and support to individuals as they navigate their faith journey. Currently, she’s feeling God tugging at her heart to find better ways to navigate authentic digital evangelism and discipleship in the 21st century. Kaela was ordained as a Full Elder in connection in 2019 and has had the privilege of serving some wonderful churches all across Oklahoma. One thing that Kaela loves about working at Elk City UMC is how focused the whole church is on making disciples and building God's Kingdom. Kaela has a heart for campus ministry where she heard her call to ministry, and she has a heart for camp and retreat ministry and has worked on staff at Cross Point UMC Camp at Lake Texoma and has been a camp counselor for every age group at Cross Point, Egan, and Canyon. Kaela values hard work and connection, and she sees a true value in intergenerational ministry: that when all people are included in Christ's ministry, lives are changed. In Kaela’s spare time, she loves hanging out with friends, meeting new people, playing her guitar, playing/watching sports (especially OU Sooners and Dallas Stars Hockey), camping and hiking, and spending time with her husband Alan and their children: Elisha, Thomas, Samuel, and their dogs, Socks and Luke. Kaela loves reading Scripture and finds it to be the deepest and easiest way for her to connect with God. Her favorite Old Testament book is Ecclesiastes, and her favorite New Testament book is Galatians. Kaela's biggest hope and dream is for the world to focus on Jesus Christ being Lord of their lives, and worshipping together despite our differences.
