PASTOR'S MESSAGE
Welcome to Florence First United Methodist Church. Thank you for coming to our website and learning more about our church. We are a historic church with nearly 200 years of ministry in Florence and around the world. At the same time, we are continuously seeking new ways to engage more people with the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. We do this through meaningful worship, relational Sunday Schools and Small Groups, and hands-on Mission. If you haven't already visited us for one of our worship services or some other activity, we hope you'll stop by and check us out in person. We would love to meet you!
Our world is changing. Having a community of faith to help us sort things out is vital to our well-being. We may not have all the answers at Florence First UMC, but we're a congregation that is willing to sit with the difficult questions. We all don't think alike; however, we value relationships and are willing to dialogue with those whose perspectives are different from our own. In the same way Jesus challenged people in his day to look at God and their world differently, the Spirit of God is opening our eyes to an ever-deepening experience of God. Join us and see for yourself what God is doing in our church.
THE FUMC FLO FOCUS
Our Core Values
A core value represents a behavior to which we will hold each other accountable. There are five core values that drive how we live in community with one another:
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Jesus-Centered - We passionately strive to stay focused on the life and teachings of Jesus. As we become followers of Jesus, we seek to honor God through living holy lives, by sharing the love and grace of God with all people, and serving both the church and the world faithfully through the strengths and gifts God gives us. (See Matthew 6:33)
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Wesleyan - As a community aligned with the teachings and practices of John Wesley, we believe in the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the centrality of grace; the continued growth in personal and social holiness; and the primacy of Scripture, along with tradition, reason, and experience for practical and theological discernment. (See Ephesians 2:8)
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Missionally Engaged - We are all missionaries, where everyone has a role in ministry in the church, to the community, and to the world. We give of our time, money, and influence to the cause of Christ. (See Matthew 25:31-46)
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Openness to Learning - Recognizing there is always more to learn, we humbly seek God’s guidance as we study God’s Word and pray for discernment across all life-stages and ages. We experience greater transformation when we choose the accountability of being in community with others through a Sunday school or small group. (See Romans 12:2)
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Relationally Healthy – Being in relationship with God leads us to seek healthy relationships, both in the congregation and in the world. Honest, direct, and respectful communication defines our interactions with each other as we seek only and always to do the next loving thing. (See John 13:34-35, also, “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership”)
Our Mission
Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our Vision
The vision of First UMC is that we exist to offer creative experiences that lead people to inspiring encounters with God, meaningful engagement with each other, and lifelong transformation.
Our Strategy
Knowing God’s deep love for all people, we faithfully live out God’s love with grace, humility, courage, and integrity. As the people of God, we provide ministries that connect people to God, to one another, and to our community for the cause of Jesus Christ in the world.
Our Discipleship Pathway
Attract > Connect > Transform > Send