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"TO SERVE GOD BY SHARING COMPASSION AND LOVE" Welcome to Christ United Methodist Church! Services each Sunday morning are held at 8:30 and 10:45 A.M., with Sunday School at 9:30 A.M. for all ages. This summer, 2009, we worship June 14th at Silver Park Miller Pavilion at 11 A.M., followed by a pot-luck lunch at noon! **From July 5th through September 6th, Sunday School is at 9:00 A.M., and Worship Service is at 10:00 A.M.**
GOALS FOR OUR CHURCH THIS YEAR - 2009
Administrative Council had a suggested list from the December meeting that
members looked at and considered for a month, then ranked 1. To be prayerful and intentional about study and actions to follow Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. 2. To continue and strengthen efforts to be more involved in the community, including supporting our Christian Outreach Committee.
3. To invite inactive members back to activity remembering all members’ vows
when they joined the church to support it with Prayers, The book, Five Practices… by Robert Schnase leads congregations to change heart, soul, and DNA about their mission and ministry. The five practices are Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-Taking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Members of the Council have read this book and are ready to expand our understanding of these characteristics to make them a practice here. You will hear more about this later. Our Christian Outreach Committee works hard to dream and practice ministry in our part of the world. Some of you have been involved. We hope to do even more projects and get more of you involved this year. The third goal is probably our biggest challenge. For whatever reason, some who were once active here, have gone out the “back door” and not come back. We will pray for them, make contact with them, and nurture our relationship with them. You might have noticed a new word listed in the vows. No one who is presently a United Methodist promised to support the church with prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. But those who join from now on will promise to be witnesses for Jesus. The General Conference that met last May (2008) added that word to our membership vows. We read a litany in worship January 4 that affirmed our responsibility to include witnessing. These are the 2009 goals for this year. No one is excluded from them. Together we will glorify God by being a stronger, healthier congregation.
In 1839, in old Williamsport (now part of Alliance) a Methodist Class was organized and preaching established under the direction of Reverend M. L. Weekly in connection with the Salem Circuit. The class furnished an old wheelwright shop for this purpose. Later they erected a simple frame church in the town of Freedom, now also part of Alliance, on east Perry Street just east of Walnut Avenue. When the congregation outgrew this church, it was sold to the Friends. In 1864, a lot was purchased on Main Street and in 1866 a new church was built. The present church lots were purchased in 1894 and ground broken in 1895. The cornerstone was laid April 30, 1896, one hundred twelve years ago, and the present building was dedicated on September 3, 1899, one hundred nine years ago. Much remodeling has been done to the church building over the years and in 1961 the old Community House was completely remodeled, adding new classrooms. On the third floor, formerly the gymnasium, a completely new fourth floor with stage and kitchenette was added. The name of the church was First Methodist Episcopal Church until 1939 when it was changed to First Methodist Church. At the time of unification with the Evangelical and United Brethren Church in 1968 the name was changed to Christ United Methodist Church. On May 2, 1985, Christ United Methodist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. WELCOME TO CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH!
Welcome back to all parents and
children and to all guests! We look forward to this new season.
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