seeing possibility, acting with intentionality
I’ll never forget the sound of water cascading through the ceiling of the gathering area when I entered the church that morning in February 2021. The historic freeze and blackouts we experienced that month caused fire sprinkler mains to rupture throughout our church, flooding it with tens of thousands of gallons of water. Continuing up the tower stairs, I found water inches away from the chamber of our sanctuary’s pipe organ.
Thanks to the selfless response of so many of our neighbors, we managed to prevent further damage. After everyone went home, I entered the quiet of the sanctuary and prayed that God would show us a way forward. I began to sense a calling from God to turn this tragedy into a season of transformation.
In the three years since that frigid morning, we have seen significant transformation of our campus and our congregation. We found clarity through God’s call for us to embody the love of Jesus for the good of our communities, and we filtered every ministry and facility decision we’ve made through that lens. Whether looking at the conversion of former staff offices into an intergenerational gathering area or considering how our youth ministries are now present in the heart of the church, I’m reminded of the liturgy during Holy Communion when we pray for God to unify us through the power of the Spirit to send us forth into ministry. May we be empowered to throw wide the doors of possibility and make UPUMC an even more hospitable and welcoming place for generations to come.
—Rev. Joe Stobaugh, Senior Pastor
when we gather, we grow
This campaign is called Gather Together because those two words are where our ministry and facility strategies intersect. As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in 2020, the importance of being in community with one another became more evident than ever, and UPUMC committed itself to shifting our culture to one of Jesus-inspired hospitality and warm welcome. Each time we reach beyond the walls of our church, God finds a new way to affirm our work.
- 100+ new members since 2019
- Easter on the lawn, with intentional welcome of friends and neighbors and activities to engage every age level
- Transformational relationships with our four core mission partners: Project Transformation NTX, Wesley-Rankin Community Center, Christ’s Foundry United Methodist Mission, and Operación Abrigo
- Anchored on the Colgate Lawn, the Christmas Tree Lighting Festival continues to introduce new families to UPUMC
- The Upper Room worship service launched in February and welcomes more than 60 people to multi-generational, modern worship gatherings in our new Youth Ministry Center
mission minded, vision focused
Each space is designed to equip UPUMC to live into our vision of embodying the love of Jesus for the good of our communities. We believe achieving our vision begins with investing in ministries and spaces that bring people together. Click the links below to explore how our campus will transform to better meet our community's ministry needs.
