Who We Are
Pastor Meredith has been known to say, “I’m not sure what holds this church together?” To which people reply, “Love!”
To look at us, we’re kind of an odd group, a motley crew. On a Sunday morning, you’ll find some sweet folks in prim and proper dress, and you’ll find lots of creative people with multi-color hair and tattoos. We’ve got loud kids and shy teens, jovial talkers and quiet introverts, people who are sad and grieving, and people who are eternal optimists. We have families and single people, people who’ve lived in the area for generations and people who just moved here from the East Coast or beyond. We’re working on using everyone’s preferred pronouns. You’ll also find people who are part of our congregation but who aren’t here on Sunday morning. They connect with us during the week, on our facebook group, in person on Wednesday nights or during special events. So yes, with such a diverse group, it can be hard to see what we all have in common. Love is a pretty good answer. For all of us, church is a place where no matter what, we belong. We are part of this church because: — we think there is more to life than what we see — we are often overwhelmed, and we want to find some peace — we want to make a difference in our community and world — we want to learn to love and forgive, both others and ourselves — we love and trust Jesus. He told us to love one another as he loved us, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re probably not the church for everyone. We don’t do strict and we don’t do dogma. We try not to be judgmental. We don’t do a lot of complicated rules. Everything we do is to try to love the way God loves us. It is hard and requires humility, gentleness, and a lot of time. It is also a lot of fun. We’re an odd group, but we’re delightful. We hope you find your spot among us. |
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We believe. (So far...)
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What is a United Methodist?
The United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States and includes approximately 12.5 million members worldwide.
The Church had its beginnings in the 1500s in England. In the 1700s, John Wesley, a minister in the Church of England preached a “method” for the practice of Christian faith, which included devotion to prayer, study of the Bible, and helping others. He and the first “Methodists” supported prison reform and the abolition of slavery. His central message was, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
In 1735, John Wesley traveled with his brother, Charles, also an Anglican minister, to America where he trained preachers, called Circuit Riders, to travel by horseback to the most remote areas of the country to deliver the Good News of the Gospel in open areas and tents.
Building on this heritage, Methodists continue to work for social justice, religious and political freedom, service to others in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ, and acceptance of all people regardless of age, race, color, creed, and sexual identity.
In the tradition of John and Charles Wesley, our members study Scripture, encourage thoughtful debate, and confront the tough issues of our day. We still lead with our hearts, keep our minds open, and welcome everyone through our doors.
Learn more about the United Methodist Church.
We are part of the Pacific Northwest United Methodist Conference. Learn about our connection to other churches.
The Church had its beginnings in the 1500s in England. In the 1700s, John Wesley, a minister in the Church of England preached a “method” for the practice of Christian faith, which included devotion to prayer, study of the Bible, and helping others. He and the first “Methodists” supported prison reform and the abolition of slavery. His central message was, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
In 1735, John Wesley traveled with his brother, Charles, also an Anglican minister, to America where he trained preachers, called Circuit Riders, to travel by horseback to the most remote areas of the country to deliver the Good News of the Gospel in open areas and tents.
Building on this heritage, Methodists continue to work for social justice, religious and political freedom, service to others in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ, and acceptance of all people regardless of age, race, color, creed, and sexual identity.
In the tradition of John and Charles Wesley, our members study Scripture, encourage thoughtful debate, and confront the tough issues of our day. We still lead with our hearts, keep our minds open, and welcome everyone through our doors.
Learn more about the United Methodist Church.
We are part of the Pacific Northwest United Methodist Conference. Learn about our connection to other churches.