At First United Methodist we have a great diversity of views on social, theological, and political issues and we celebrate this fact. Such diversity draws many to our fellowship and truly makes this church a gracious place. Here is a church where there is room to think and to question, to affirm faith and to listen to others, at times to argue and disagree, but always to appreciate the richness and wonderful complexity of God’s creation, especially as it is revealed in the variety of people and opinions in our congregation.

This doesn’t mean there is nothing that binds us together. Quite the contrary is true. We are a community of people who are working out our faith together and we draw on Holy Scripture, Church tradition, Christian experience, and inspired reason as our sources of authority. We are joined by our United Methodist heritage and are being shaped by our common desire to walk as disciples of Jesus Christ. There is a diversity in our church which gives space for personal faith development and encourages actions of social justice and love.

(In 1998 our church Administrative Council voted to include in our Mission Statement the phrase “diverse and inclusive” to describe who we are as a community of faith. In 2013 when our new mission statement was adopted the Administrative Council re-affirmed our commitment to be an inclusive and diverse church by adopting the preceding Statement of Welcome.)