The United Methodist Church

Spruce Pine UMC is a local congregation of the United Methodist Church.  The United Methodist Church is made up of over 12 million people from all around the world, and who are together seeking to follow Jesus, to make disciples of Christ, and to transform the world.  As United Methodists, we trace our distinct Christian heritage back to the revival led by John Wesley in England in the 1700s. John Wesley experienced the love of Jesus Christ and found his "heart strangely warmed" - since that time Methodists have become known as the "people of the warm heart."  

While there are certain things that make United Methodists distinct, we share with all Christians certain basic beliefs that ground our faith:

  • We believe in the reality of God, who created all things (Genesis 1), who is known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), and whose character is revealed as LOVE (I John 4:8)
  • We believe that human beings are created in the good image of God (Genesis 1:17); and yet we believe that the powers of evil, sin, and death have covered up that good image of God in human beings, and have led us to become separated from God, separated from each other, and separated from our truest selves (Romans 3:23).
  • We believe in the gift of mercy, forgiveness, new birth, and eternal life that God offers to all people through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 3:16):  a gift that restores us to right relationship with God and each other.  We believe that we receive this grace through repentance and faith and acknowledge this gift through baptism (Acts 2:38).
  • We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to restore the image of God in us, to help us follow Christ's way of holiness and love, and to experience the joy of salvation and abundant life (Romans 12:2)
  • We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, a redeemed community who continues Christ's mission by sharing God's love and God's grace in the world (I Corinthians 12:27)
  • We believe that the Scriptures are inspired by God and thus serve as our trustworthy guide for faith and life (II Timothy 3:16)
  • We believe that our faith is expressed by works of love (Galatians 5:6), and should lead to Christ-like lives in which we resist evil, do good, care for the least, seek justice, and love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22: 37-39).    

Want to know more?  
Please visit the official website of the United Methodist Church at www.umc.org.