To the reader: this is one post of a series from members of Riverchase UMC sharing their stories about their lives at Riverchase UMC and why they want our church to remain in the United Methodist Church. My prayer for you is that you find comfort and hope in their stories and know that there are others who see a bright future ahead that wholly fulfills Christ’s desire for us to love Him and love one another as we would ourselves.
Want to share your story? Read how here: https://riverchaseunited.org/2023/02/19/please-share-your-testimonies/
I was baptized at Central United Methodist Church in Decatur, Alabama.
A few years later, my parents moved our membership to a Presbyterian church closer to our home. When my husband, Richard, and I married, we joined a Presbyterian Church in Birmingham.
After we bought our first home in Riverchase and were ready to start a family, we purposely looked for a church home that would provide opportunities to grow our faith, serve our community and support our efforts to raise our children to know and put their trust in God.
We found that and much more at Riverchase UMC almost 24 years ago.
Both of our children were baptized and raised at RUMC. They benefited from the children and youth programs. At one point, our family had four generations attending RUMC and enjoyed sitting together on the second-row pew each Sunday. What a blessing that was for all of us.
My husband and I enjoyed teaching elementary Sunday school for almost ten years. We have volunteered with Angel Workshops, Discovery weekends, youth dinners, Boy Scouts, and other mission-related programs.
I also recently served a three-year term on the Board of Stewards.
I grew up in a smaller church and was initially intimidated by the larger congregation at Riverchase UMC.
But it did not take long to be pleasantly surprised at how friendly the ministers, staff, and members were inclusive and how our adult Sunday school class went out of their way to welcome us and pull us into the group. You might see us at the 9:45 Traditional Service on any given Sunday morning.
Riverchase UMC has maintained an important balance of being large enough to offer a wide variety of programs for our members while intentionally working to maintain a welcoming and open atmosphere.
I have a deep connection to our mission of making disciples by “Sharing the Joy of Christ”.
We are not here to only feed our own faith but are called to share this wonderful news with others near and far. And, when we do this with the Joy that can only come from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, we will fulfill this mission and make disciples.
I chose to join a United Methodist Church over 20 years ago and believe our church and denomination should continue our work to open our doors to all and create more seats at our table….not fewer.
If we create an environment that does anything to exclude others, we will no longer be living as Jesus taught us and we will miss opportunities to make disciples.
If we leave the United Methodist Church, Riverchase UMC will not be in a position to do the same work we have been doing in the Hoover community and beyond.
Our church has always had members of various backgrounds and beliefs and, until recently, we were able to accept the differences and unite as one body.
We have a choice — we can allow these differences to tear us apart or we can accept them and let them strengthen us so we can appeal to all who want to be a part of our church family.
I pray all of us at Riverchase UMC will recommit ourselves to join together and focus on “Sharing the Joy of Christ”.
Then…we will truly be the “hands and feet” of Jesus Christ.
