Our Vision

West Georgia United Methodist Church is a Christ centered community  who loves, grows, and serves together so that everyone in West Georgia would know God’s love for them personally and grow in God’s grace daily.

Our Mission

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Our Core Values

Inclusion

We believe that every single person is created in the image of God, touched by God’s grace, loved by God, has a prepared place at God’s table, and has been given unique gifts to glorify God and further the mission of the church in the world. For those reasons, we seek to welcome and include every person who wishes to be a part of our local church regardless of age, race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, or any other worldly difference that so often serves to cause division. We also seek to minimize cultural and economic barriers to participation in the life of the church through such means as embracing a casual culture, informal dress, and an emphasis on targeting church resources to service and charity rather than appearance. We are the body of Christ, each person has a part of it, and we celebrate the beauty of our diversity.

Connection

We believe that people were not created to go through life alone, so we seek to help everyone develop and deepen their connection to God, one another, and the community in which we live. We don’t want anyone to feel anonymous in our church community and we don’t want to be anonymous in our local community, so we work to develop relationships both inside and outside of the walls of our church and to support each other and our neighbors in our spiritual and daily lives.

Transformation

We believe that while God welcomes us as we are, God also calls us to become something greater. We seek to learn and grow spiritually and to help others do the same so we may all enter into the abundant life to which God has called us. We celebrate stories of transformation in the life of our church. We also believe that God has called us to make things on earth as they are in heaven, so we seek peace and justice not only for individuals but for our local community and the world.

Healing

We believe it is the job of the local church to be a source of healing for the world. We seek to promote healthy living in all aspects of life and to be a place that welcomes those who are hurting and journey alongside them to wholeness. We also acknowledge that the church has caused wounds in the lives of people in our community. There are a number of people who have been hurt by the church in the past, whether they grew up going to church and left (the de-churched) or were never involved to begin with (the unchurched), and it is the church’s job to take the first step toward healing those wounds. Because of this, we seek to be a place and people that helps de-churched and unchurched people experience God’s love, grace, and forgiveness without judgment.

The Next Generation

We believe that the gifts and witness of the church are meant to be passed on to the next generation. We seek to invite, equip, and engage children, youth, college students, and young adults in everything that we do so that they might grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ and become committed members in the church both now and in the future.

Our Core Practices

Worship Together Humbly

When we gather to worship, it isn’t about us. Our worship services are times for us to join together to encounter the presence of God, hear God’s voice, and learn how to follow God in a greater way both individually and as a community. While we are not the focus of worship, we do worship together in unique ways based on the people present in our worship gatherings and their gifts. Our worship style, leadership, and format are always open to change because we are always open to new people.

Build Community Deeply

The local church is meant to be a place where people build deep relationships in which we can bear one another’s burdens and celebrate one another’s successes. While everyone is encouraged to be as involved as they would like, we strive to offer opportunities for authentic, deep relationships to be formed. as well as to support, counsel, and encourage each other in all aspects of life.

Pray and Study Faithfully

We seek to know God more deeply through prayer and study of the scriptures. As a church, we always start with prayer. We believe that prayer has power to lead us and the world into transformation, so we will provide opportunities to grow in our individual prayer life and practice, to intercede on behalf of those in need, and to pray together as a community. We also help facilitate Bible studies and other opportunities to grow in our understanding of the scriptures as it is our primary source for understanding God and contains within it all that is necessary for salvation and faithful Christian practice.

Give Generously

Everything that we have is God’s and we seek to use what God has given us to bless the world around us. We are committed to supporting agencies that help those in need in our local community. We are also committed to being generous in opening our church’s property, offering our time and talents, and giving other resources to bless West Georgia.

Love Our Neighbors Daily

The church is not a place; it is a people, and we are still the church when we leave our property. We are committed to loving our neighbors with our words, actions, and presence wherever we go.