Kokomo, Indiana
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Grace United Methodist Church Kokomo, Indiana |
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United Methodist News |
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May 28-31 held at Purdue University, West Lafayette |
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(Proposal to merge the North Indiana and South Indiana Annual Conferences) |
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| Reviews of Movies, Music and Books | ||
WE ARE CHRISTIANS
We share a common heritage with all Christians. More information.
WE HAVE A FAITH
We hold that faith is the basic orientation and commitment of our whole being—a matter of heart and soul. Theology involves reflecting on our faith, through understanding Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience. More information.
WE HAVE ROOTS
Historically, we trace our roots back to John and Charles Wesley, and the revival they led within the Church of England. Also, there were sympathetic brethren in America ministering to German-speakers which became The Evangelical Church and The United Brethren Church. In 1962 these groups joined to become The United Methodist Church. We celebrate our history of spreading the faith in frontier areas of America through Circuit-Riders, Methodist Preachers like Jacob Colclazer who ventured up the Wildcat, and formed Elizabeth Foster and her neighbors as a Society of Methodist Christians here in Kokomo in 1844. More information.
WE HAVE A MISSION AND MINISTRY
Why does the church exist? According to Matthew’s Gospel, the risen Christ made it clear: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (28:19-20).
Based on this “Great Commission,” our United Methodist Church has stated its purpose: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs” (From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church—2004, p. 87. Copyright © 2000 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission).
So the mission of our congregation is to make disciples. This is a four-fold task….We could abbreviate our mission as one of welcoming-worshiping-nurturing-sending. (See The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church—2004, p. 88, and Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation, 2005-2008. More information.
WE ACT IN SOCIETY
Taking an active stance in society is nothing new for followers of John Wesley. He set the example for us to combine personal and social piety. Ever since predecessor churches to United Methodism flourished in the United States, we have been known as a denomination involved with people's lives, with political and social struggles, having local to international mission implications. Such involvement is an expression of the personal change we experience in our baptism and conversion.
The United Methodist Church believes God's love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot just be observers. So we care enough about people's lives to risk interpreting God's love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex. The church helps us think and act out a faith perspective, not just responding to all the other "mind-makers-up" that exist in our society.
Excerpt from The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2004. Copyright © 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission. More information.
WE SEEK TO FOLLOW JESUS AS HIS DISCIPLES
Theology is not just about God. It is also about us. We live out of our understanding of who we are in relationship to God, to one another, and to the world. The Christian faith is grounded in the love and grace of God, experienced through Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Christian life is our response to God’s love and grace.
The church calls our response to God Christian discipleship. Discipleship focuses on actively following in the footsteps of Jesus. As Christian disciples, we are not passive spectators but energetic participants in God’s activity in the world. Because of what God has done for us, we offer our lives back to God. We order our lives in ways that embody Christ’s ministry in our families, workplaces, communities, and the world. More information.
Taylor Burton-Edwards, Director of Worship Resouces for the UMC, has written an article commenting on an important paper, "The United Methodist Way" by Dr. Randy Maddox, of Duke University, at an extended cabinet meeting at Lake Junaluska, Nov. 2007,
