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Tuscumbia First
United Methodist Church
THE CHURCH 101
TUSCUMBIA FIRST
A UNITED METHODIST
CONGREGATION
INTRODUCTION:
• Welcome to Tuscumbia First/UMC101
• The benefit to you
• Why an introductory/refresher course?
• What do people look for in a church?
• Who are the people called United Methodists?
• The United Methodist Church at a glance
• Wesleyan Heritage
OUR MISSION STATEMENT!
• WHAT!
HOW!
In--- WORSHIP------plant seed
In--- STUDY----------nurture seed
In--- SERVICE-------share fruit
“GLORIFY GOD---BEAR FRUIT!”
Live a genuine Christian life
Be a Christian example
Invite others into the Christian Faith
Nurture others in their journey of Faith
THE CHURCH IS:
 The Body of Christ, resurrected and living
 The Family of God
 His Hands, His Feet, His Mouth
 You and Me
 All Christians who follow Jesus
WHAT DO PEOPLE LOOK FOR IN A
CHURCH?
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•
•
Acceptance
Belonging
Spiritual Growth
Relationships
A Way to Serve God
A Place to fit in!
JOINING THE CHURCH MEANS:
• I am going to follow Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
• I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus.
• I am going to live a Christian life, with God’s help.
• I’m not perfect, just forgiven.
The Meaning and Value Of Membership
A.It identifies a person as a genuine believer
B. It provides a spiritual family to support and encourage us
C. It gives us a place to discover and use our spiritual gifts in
ministry (1 Corinthians 12:4-27)
D. It places us under the spiritual protection of godly leaders
E. It gives us the accountability we need for growth
"Membership is not just about belonging.
Everyone belongs; everyone is welcome.
Membership is not about gaining special
privileges...or about getting something that
non-members don’t get. Rather, membership is
about a commitment that you believe God is
calling you to serve Him by serving the church."
Tuscumbia First United Methodist
Church Membership Covenant
• Having received Christ as my Lord and Savior
and been baptized, and being in agreement
with Tuscumbia First United Methodist
Church’s Mission, I now feel led by the Holy
Spirit to unite with the Tuscumbia FUMC
family. In doing so, I commit myself to God
and to other members of this Community of
faith.
IN THIS CHURCH WE ASK:
• Will you be loyal to Christ and His Church?
• Will you pray for the Church?
• Will you attend the Worship services?
• Will you serve God through your local Church?
• Will you give of your gifts to spread the
Gospel Story of Jesus?
• Will you be a witness?
DO---5---2---THRIVE!
1. Attend Worship
2. Pray
3. Serve
4. Give
5. Witness
The Church Provides Benefits Found
No Where Else
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•
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A. Worship helps you focus on God.
B. Fellowship helps you face life’s problems.
C. Discipleship helps you build up your faith.
D. Ministry helps you find and develop your talents.
E. Evangelism (witness) helps you fulfill your
mission.
Tuscumbia First UMC
Our Purpose
“Why We Exist”
• Worship
(Matthew 22:37)
___________________________________________________
• Ministry
(Matthew 22:39)
____________________________________________________
• Evangelism
(Matthew 28:19)
__________________________________________________
• Fellowship
(Matthew28:19)
____________________________________________________
• Discipleship
(Matthew 28:20)
OUR HISTORY:
Methodism came to Tuscumbia in 1820.
The Methodist Society met in log cabins at the
head of Big Spring.
The AL conference was organized in 1832.
The 1st Methodist building was on the corner of
Dickson and 7th St and the 1st sermon was
preached there in May, 1827.
1907- Ladies aid society bought present land.
1st service here- Dec. 1925 in the basement.
MORE HISTORY:
Sanctuary completed June 27, 1926.
Educational Building added in 1961.
2004- Family Life Center completed.
Parking lot purchased in 2006 & paved in 2012.
Youth Building purchased in 2008.
Children’s Playground built in 2011.
Youth Worship Center, built 2012! PTL!
82 different Pastors to date.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH:
• John Wesley, the founder of Methodism
Methodist, the name that stuck
• Made Trip to America, mixed results
• Moravian influence
A heart ‘strangely warmed’
• Transformation, emphasis of movement
• Methodists move to the colonies in America
• The Circuit Rider - The importance of music
JOHN WESLEY, 1709-1791:
• 15th of 18 children, 8 died in infancy
• Father and grandfather were preachers
• Mother, Susannah, her father a preacher, she
taught children Latin, GK, FR
• 7yrs old, pulled from a fire, “a brand plucked
from the burning….” Zech. 3:2; Amos 4:11
• Conversion, May 24, 1738, Aldersgate St. in
London.
JOHN WESLEY, 1709-1791:
• Preached over 40,000 sermons, up at 5AM
• 250,000 mi. on horseback! = 10 X around
earth.
• Wrote 5000 sermons, tracts, etc.---Father of
Paperback.
• BROTHER—CHARLES WESLEY, wrote 7270
HYMNS
• HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING….CHRIST THE
LORD IS RISEN…
United Methodism's Symbol is the cross and flame. The cross
linked with a dual flame. The Church: the Christ (cross) and the
Holy Spirit (flame).
ABOUT ESSENTIAL BELIEFS OF METHODISTS,
JOHN WESLEY WAS VERY BRIEF:
• Original sin—all are sinners
• Justification-we’re forgiven by faith in Christ alone
• Holiness of heart and life
OUR MISSION:
• Wesley said, “to spread Scriptural holiness
over these lands.”
• Our Mission is soul fishin!
• Our Mission is the Great Commission—
Mt:28:19-20, “Go into all the world and preach the
Gospel….”
• ‘GLORIFYING GOD BY BEARING MUCH FRUIT.”
THEOLOGY & BELIEFS:
• Spreading Scriptural Holiness
• The Book of Discipline, more than rules
• Social Principles & Issues
• Becoming a member as we accept Jesus
• Baptism-by sprinkling, pouring, immersion
• Communion-“Open Communion”-all are welcome
@ God’s Table!
BELIEFS:
• Trinity---Father, Son, Holy Spirit
• Salvation Through Jesus Christ
• Holy Spirit lives within us
• Christ’s Universal Church
• Transformation
• Faith And Good Works
THE APOSTLES’ CREED:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of
heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son
our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius
Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third
day he rose from the dead; he ascended into
heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the
Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to
judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion
of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and the life everlasting.
(* universal)
DISTINCTIVE WESLEYAN EMPHASES:
• Prevenient Grace—before salvation
• Justifying Grace—moment of salvation
• Sanctifying Grace—growing in Love
• Assurance of Salvation
• Perfection—aiming for it
• Mission and Service
THE ESSENTIALS WE BELIEVE:
• The Wesleyan Quadrilateral - the 4 Building
Blocks Of Belief
• Scripture
• Tradition
• Reason
• Experience
What God does for us.
• In the Cross of Christ - God took up our sin!
• Redeemed us - bought us back from slavery
to sin
• Atoned for us - did something about the gap
between us and God
• Judged us - our sin is serious
• Pardons us - writes off our debts to sin
ORGANIZATION & STRUCTURE
• An emphasis on connectionalism
• The local church is most important
• The annual conference—North Alabama
Conference—8 Districts---Northwest!
• Annual clergy appointment---June to June
(Appointment Process)
• General Conference---every 4 years
• South Eastern Jurisdictional Conference---Lake
Junaluska NC—(4 yrs.)
ORGANIZATION & STRUCTURE
• Bishops---elected at Jurisdictional Conferences
(for life) (Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett)
• Churchwide agencies---Nashville/NY City
• Giving is part of connectionalism
• Special funding opportunities for missions
• World Service Fund, heart of UM missions
FAITH PROMISE MISSIONS & GIVING
• What is Faith Promise? A promise based on faith!
• By faith and the grace of God, I will give to missions
as God provides.
• It is not part of my regular giving or my tithes.
• By making my Faith Promise, I believe God will
channel through me a certain amount of money in
the coming year and I will give part of it to Faith
Promise Missions.
• My commitment will be between me and the Lord.
• If the faith promise does not come in, I will not give
it.
• I’m just trusting God!
Name/Focus
Agency and Location
Name/Focus
Agency and Location
SIFAT Missionary Lineville, Alabama
Training
Alan and Beth
Barrett
Worldwide Muslims;
Pine Mountain, Georgia
Christian
Motorcycle
Association
Ministries Partners 14 Countries;
Hatfield, AR
Billy Wayne and
Jenny Fuller
World Gospel Missions; Zambia,
Africa
Terry Williams
Youth With a Mission; Hungary
Anne Beshears
Wycliffe Bible Translators; India
Florenzio and
Maria Guzman
Mission Society for United
Methodists; Columbia, Mexico and
Peru
Laurentia Timis
Project: Jesus Hope of Romania
Andre Louis
Independent Christian Alliance; Haiti
Restoration Ranch Tuscumbia, Alabama
David Creel
Far East Broadcasting; Saipan
Caribbean
Christian Center
for the Deaf
Zbigniew S
Chojnacki
Ambassadors for Christ; Poland
Jonathan & Amy
Killen
Lee and Gracie
Murphree
Mission Soc. For UM; Paraguay
Caribbean Deaf School; Jamaica
Pioneers, Spain and North Africa
Sammy Waddell
Youth With a Mission
Interface Ministries; Honduras
Camp L'Arcada
Greater Europe Mission; Spain
Global Mission of Children Ministries; Guatemala
Mercy
19 missionaries, agencies
$59,400 year
Are Giving
Churches
CAMP SUMATANGA!
A PLACE OF REST & VISION!—GALLANT AL, ST CLAIR COUNTY
The mission of Sumatanga is to
create a dynamic environment
of Christian hospitality and
learning.
Meet our Staff @ TFUMC
Senior Pastor - David I. Lee
Youth Pastor - Chad Kennington
Children’s Ministry – Katie Dobbins
Music Director - Brooke Pate
Praise Team Ministry - Kevin Cook
Secretaries - Janet Wilbanks, Nancy Elliot
Financial Treasurer – Dennis Norton
Day School Director – Jan Caudill
Organists – Brian Beck, Celeste Stanley
Pianist - Danylu Sibley
Custodians - Lela Thompson, Dwight Goodloe
Nursery Workers –Daye Winsett, Corby Rea