Who Are We

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Wesley UMC Mission

Our mission here at Wesley UMC is  “To make and nurture disciples for Jesus Christ," and we strive to do that in joyful, thoughtful, and relevant ways.  John Wesley,  one of our United Methodist founders and the namesake of Wesley Church, was known for an activist Christianity that sought to link together vital personal spirituality and a commitment to serve those in need in practical ways.  Wesley believed that both personal faithfulness and social outreach were two intertwined parts of the gospel of Jesus and that “faith without works," in the words of the New Testament writer James, “was dead.”

We seek to be faithful to that history and heritage as we respond holistically to our call to live the Christian life..through vibrant worship, risk-taking service, generous giving, and welcoming hospitality.

We welcome persons from all stations of life… and extend the invitation to all to come as you know that God accepts you and loves you too much to leave you without the spiritual food you need.

Our Vision here at Wesley UMC Bloomington is three simple statements.

Every member LOVING GOD through worship, study, and prayer

Every member LOVING NEIGHBOR through service, friendship, and sharing the good news

Every member LOVING OUR CHURCH through the generosity of time, talent, and treasure.

WHAT WESLEY UNITED METHODISTS BELIEVE

WE BELIEVE that God is understood in three distinct forms. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are commonly used to refer to the threefold nature of God. Sometimes we use other terms, such as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

WE BELIEVE in one God, who created the world and everything in it. We believe that God is sovereign; that is, God is the ruler of the universe. We believe that God is loving. We can experience God's love and grace.

WE BELIEVE that Jesus was human. He lived as a man and died when he was crucified. We believe that Jesus is divine. He is the Son of God. We believe God raised Jesus from the dead and that the risen Christ lives today. We believe that Jesus is our Savior. In Christ, we receive abundant life and forgiveness of sins. We believe Jesus is our Lord and are called to pattern our lives after his.

WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit is God with us. We believe that the Holy Spirit comforts us when we are in need and convicts us when we stray from God. We believe that the Holy Spirit awakens us to God's will and empowers us to live obediently.

WE BELIEVE that God created human beings in God's image. We believe humans can accept or reject a relationship with God. We believe that all humans need to be in a relationship with God to be fully human.

WE BELIEVE that the church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ's life and ministry in the world today. We believe that the church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We believe the church is "the communion of saints," a community comprised of all past, present, and future disciples of Christ. We believe the church is called to worship God and support those who participate in its life as they grow in faith.

WE BELIEVE that the Bible is God's Word. We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice. We believe Christians need to know and study the Old Testament and the New Testament (Hebrew and Christian Scriptures).

From The United Methodist Handbook

History

Wesley_pen_and_inkIn the years after World War II, a group of forward-thinking Methodists here in Bloomington-Normal combined two mid-sized congregations to start a new larger church that would be centrally located downtown Bloomington. This church, they envisioned, would draw people from Bloomington-Normal and the surrounding areas and would be a powerful presence in serving the needs of people locally and worldwide in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our ancestors envisioned that this new church would embody the best of United Methodist values. Among these values would be a commitment to living out a Christian faith that is both spiritually alive and intellectually responsible, a faith that is centered on both a personal relationship with God and a commitment to serve those in need; a religion steeped in the recognition that when it comes to the deep things of God, all of us have more to learn and opportunities to grow at every stage of our life.

Today that church, Wesley United Methodist Church, continues this proud history and seeks to be faithful to our calling of providing ministry at the highest levels of effectiveness.