What is a United Methodist?

The founder of the Methodist Church John Wesley (1703- 1791) described a Methodist as “one who loves the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with his entire mind, and with all his strength.” Methodism traces its history from the early Christian church, through Roman Catholicism, and the Protestant Reformation. It officially began in 1784 at the Christmas Conference in Baltimore, Maryland with the ordaining of three bishops. It began as a renewal movement in the Episcopal Church emphasizing holiness of heart and life. In 1968, we merged with the Evangelical United Brethren to form the United Methodist Church. Today we have more that 11 million members worldwide.

United Methodist shares a common heritage with other Christians in that:

• We share the conviction that God has mercy and love for all people
• We believe in a triune God- Father , Son, and Holy Spirit
• We have faith in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ
• We celebrate the sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism

Our four main guidelines for our beliefs are:

• Scripture
• Tradition
• Experience
• Reason

Our Franklin First United Methodist Church began in 1820 and has been carrying this message of God’s love to our community and to the world for 190 years. We invite to join us in this exciting faith journey of loving God and loving neighbor in the Methodist tradition!