CHAPTER 1
SACRAMENTS
What is required of me to be a United Methodist?
Baptism ushers you into the Christian church universal, the family of Christ. When baptized you will be asked to
• renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of the world, and repent of your sin;
• accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression; and
• confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races (The Baptismal Covenant I, The United Methodist Hymnal [UMH]).
Your pastor may require that you participate in a membership class before being baptized or taking church membership vows.
After baptism, then what?
To be received into United Methodist membership, you will be asked "to be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in your power to strengthen its ministries." Last, you will be received as a member of a particular congregation by committing yourself to faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness. Baptism isn't the end of the process; it's just the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith that is lived out in community with your local church.
What does the church teach about baptism?
"Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are initiated into Christ's holy church. We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation, and given new birth through water and the Spirit. All this is God's gift, offered to us without price" (The Baptismal Covenant II, UMH).
If I have already been baptized in another Christian denomination, must I be rebaptized to be a United Methodist?
No, your previous baptism is accepted.
Are there any exceptions?
Yes. One example, found in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2016, recommends that converts from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints be offered the sacrament of Christian baptism following a period of intensive exploration and instruction in the Christian faith because that church, according to The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2016, "presents itself as a faith tradition outside the parameters of historic, apostolic Christianity."
What if I want to be baptized a second time?
Baptism is an act of God, and God does it right the first time. Our side of the covenant relationship with God will need recommitment and reaffirmation, but God always remains faithful on the divine side. Talk to your pastor about using a meaningful service for remembering and renewing your earlier baptism vows.
How is baptism done in The United Methodist Church?
Sprinkling is most commonly used, but pouring and immersion are also permissible. United Methodists are more concerned with the symbolism and meaning of the event than the exact form that might have been used in early times.
United Methodists baptize babies. Is it necessary for salvation?
Regardless of age, the sacrament of baptism is initiation into the household of faith, the means by which a person is "incorporated by the Holy Spirit into God's new creation" (The Baptismal Covenant II, UMH). When an infant is baptized, the parents promise to raise the child in a Christian home, and the congregation recognizes its responsibility in the Christian nurture of the child. Baptismal vows are usually reaffirmed by the child at confirmation. Baptism is not absolutely necessary for salvation. An infant who dies without having been baptized is as much within the love and care of God as the baptized infant.
What is the difference between baptism and confirmation?
The sacrament of baptism for a person of any age acknowledges God's unconditional love and claim on the recipient and should not be repeated. The rite of confirmation is a person's response to God. Confirmation is most often observed in local churches when youth, baptized as infants, make their own public declaration of faith. However, people of any age may choose to reaffirm their baptismal vows in a public worship service more than once.
What sacraments are observed by United Methodists?
Two: Baptism, a non-repeatable initiation into the body of Christ, and the Lord's Supper, a regularly repeatable celebration of Communion of the body of Christ. Other events such as confirmation, marriage, and funeral services are obviously significant and important, but they are not considered sacraments. A sacrament is a ceremony considered especially sacred because God is acting through it or because it is a sign or symbol of a significant reality. The denomination's Articles of Religion call the sacraments "certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us."
What is the difference between Communion and the Lord's Supper?
Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, and the Eucharist all refer to the sacrament celebrated by United Methodists, but each term highlights a different aspect of this act of worship: communion with God and with one another, a holy meal to which we are invited by Jesus, and thanks to God for gifts of creation and salvation. The sacrament is a celebration and remembrance of God's grace and mercy in Jesus, of the resurrection of Christ, and of Christ's continuing presence with us.
In the Communion service, what is meant by the "body and blood of Christ"?
The bread and wine represent the body and blood of Jesus as he spoke of them at the Last Supper with his disciples. We do not believe that the elements literally turn into the body and blood of Christ, but we do believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in Holy Communion. The divine presence is a living reality and can be experienced by participants. It is not only a remembrance of the Last Supper and Crucifixion, but also a celebration of Christ's presence.
How often do United Methodists observe Holy Communion?
Most congregations observe Holy Communion at least once a month, usually on the first Sunday, and on special days of the Christian year. Some congregations offer Communion weekly. There is a move toward more frequent celebrations to recover practices of the early church and early Methodism. John Wesley, Methodism's founder, instructed believers to celebrate Holy Communion "as often as [one] can."
Why does the church use grape juice instead of wine in Holy Communion?
Although the historic and ecumenical Christian practice has been to use wine, the use of unfermented grape juice by The United Methodist Church and its predecessors since the late nineteenth century expresses pastoral concern for recovering alcoholics, enables the participation of children and youth, and supports the church's witness of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. The term wine continues to be used because of its biblical and historical antecedents, even when unfermented grape juice is used.
Are children permitted to participate in the Lord's Supper?
Yes. The Lord's Supper is open to all people. Children, members of the covenant community, may not fully comprehend what is going on, but they know when they are excluded.
Is anybody excluded from participating in the Lord's Supper?
Anyone may participate who responds affirmatively to the invitation: "Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another" (A Service of Word and Table I, UMH). United Methodists practice "open Communion," meaning the Lord's Table is open to all who respond to Christ's love, regardless of age or church affiliation. People who have not been baptized may respond in faith to the invitation and receive Communion, but the church is encouraged to counsel these persons and nurture them toward baptism.
Can Holy Communion be celebrated at my wedding?
Yes, but the invitation should be extended to everyone present. It is not appropriate for only the couple or family to commune.
Who is authorized to administer the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion?
Ordained elders. Others, including licensed pastors, commissioned elders, and deacons, may be given authority to administer the sacraments but only in a particular congregation or charge to which they are appointed.
Can we take the Communion elements consecrated by our pastor and receive them several days later at our youth retreat?
No. Consecrating elements ahead of time is inappropriate. The bread and wine are to be consecrated and consumed in the presence of the gathered community of faith. The Table is extended when lay members take the consecrated elements immediately after the service to members confined at home, in a nursing home, or in a hospital.
CHAPTER 2
BELIEFS
A friend from another denomination half-jokingly says one can be a United Methodist and believe anything. Why does that impression exist among some people?
United Methodists recognize the right of Christians to differ in doctrine, requiring only the essential beliefs that God is our Creator, that Jesus the Christ is our Lord and Savior, and that the Holy Spirit is ever present with us. While we acknowledge the primacy of Scripture in theological reflection, our attempts to grasp its meaning always involve the tradition of the church, personal experience, and the ability to reason for ourselves. The United Methodist Church is not a creedal church that requires members to subscribe to a closely detailed system of beliefs. This does not mean, however, that United Methodists are not committed to basic Christian doctrines. Both the Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith are embodied in our Book of Discipline as the doctrinal standards of the church. In addition, the Standard Sermons and Notes Upon the New Testament from Methodism's founder, John Wesley, are included in the existing and established standards of doctrine and are accepted as landmark documents for United Methodists. We affirm core Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — both in personal experience and in the community of believers; salvation by grace through faith in Christ as Savior; the universal church; the reign of God as both a present and future reality; the authority of Scripture in matters of faith; and the essential oneness of the church in Jesus Christ. "Our Theological Task," a twelve-page section of The Book of Discipline, encourages all United Methodists to reflect on God's gracious action in their lives.
You say the church is not creedal, but I often hear creeds recited at United Methodist worship services. Why?
While we have not made rigid acceptance of a creed the basis for uniting with the church's fellowship, we do not hesitate to use creeds in worship. They allow us to recall and affirm ancient and modern attempts to articulate the Christian tradition from a variety of perspectives.
Why does the creed I often hear in worship affirm belief in the catholic church?
The "holy catholic church," a phrase from The Apostles' Creed, indicates our belief that the church is essentially one, universal, and open to all. It is not a specific reference to the Roman Catholic Church.
Are pastors told what Scriptures to use in their sermons?
No, United Methodist pastors have total freedom to select their own Scriptures. However, many use an ecumenical guide known as The Revised Common Lectionary. This three-year cycle of biblical texts usually includes lessons from the Old Testament, an Epistle, and one of the Gospels. Frequently, they include a selection from the Psalms as well. If the lectionary is followed, a congregation will hear the major biblical themes over a three-year period and will explore some texts that otherwise might be neglected. Many congregations appreciate knowing that the same biblical texts are being heard and explored with Christians around the world on the same day.
Why are the colors changed on our altar, and the stoles worn by our pastor and choir members?
The United Methodist Church and many other Christian bodies use color to mark important events in the life of the church. The United Methodist Book of Worship encourages "creativity with colors and signs for days and seasons," but most of our churches use the following colors: purple or blue (Advent); white (Christmas, Easter, All Saints' Day, Christ the King); purple (Lent, sometimes with black being used on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday); red (Pentecost); and green at other times (Ordinary Time).
What is different or distinctive about being a United Methodist?
No Christian doctrines are exclusively United Methodist. However, we have distinctive emphases including
• the availability of God's grace for all;
• the essential unity of faith and works;
• salvation as personal and social;
• the church as a community of Christ's disciples who seek to share in God's mission;
• the inseparability of knowledge (intellect) and vital piety (devotion to religious duties and practices) as components of faith;
• seeking holiness of heart and life both as individuals and in society;
• a cooperative ministry and mission in the world; and
• the link between Christian doctrine and Christian living.
How do United Methodists view other Christian bodies?
We strive for Christian unity and cooperation. Our constitution affirms our ecumenical commitment: "As part of the church universal, The United Methodist Church believes that the Lord of the church is calling Christians everywhere to strive toward unity; and therefore it will pray, seek, and work for unity at all levels of church life." This ecumenical spirit exists at every level of United Methodism, including councils or associations of churches and cooperative mission and ministries in local communities and locations around the globe.
CHAPTER 3
HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS
How old is The United Methodist Church?
Methodism's roots are in eighteenth-century England. American Methodism formally organized in 1784 with the creation of The Methodist Episcopal Church. Following divisions, unions, and reunions, the present United Methodist Church was created in 1968 with the merger of The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church. The Evangelical United Brethren Church was the result of a 1946 union of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and The Evangelical Church. The Methodist Church was the result of a 1939 union of The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Protestant Church, and The Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Where did the church get its name?
John and Charles Wesley and a few other young men attending Oxford University met regularly in 1729 for intellectual and spiritual improvement and to help one another become better Christians. So systematic were their habits of religious duty and their rules of conduct that other students mockingly referred to them as Methodists. United in our name comes from The Evangelical United Brethren Church, which united with The Methodist Church in 1968 to form The United Methodist Church.
But aren't there other Methodist denominations?
Yes, many, but not all have Wesleyan or Methodist denominations in their name. The World Methodist Council, organized in 1881, is an association of eighty Methodist, Wesleyan, and uniting churches representing 80.5 million people in 133 countries. The uniting churches are those in which Methodists have joined with others to form a new denomination, such as The United Church of Canada.
How many US denominations have roots in the Wesleyan movement?
There are at least fourteen denominations in the US with Wesleyan roots. The largest of these, with seven million members, is The United Methodist Church. It ranks second in US Protestant Church membership, after the Southern Baptists, but is more geographically widespread with at least one congregation in most counties and almost as many churches as there are US post offices. Other US denominations with Wesleyan roots that are members of The World Methodist Council include The African Methodist Episcopal, Christian Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Church of the Nazarene, Free Methodist Church, and The Wesleyan Church.
What is the largest Wesleyan denomination outside the United States?
Among autonomous Methodist denominations worldwide, The Korean Methodist Church leads with 1.4 million members, 6,721 churches, and 11,674 clergy. The largest congregation in the worldwide Wesleyan family, with 45,212 members, is Kumnan Methodist Church in Seoul, Korea.
How big is The United Methodist Church?
US membership is now about 7 million; membership outside the United States has grown to 5.6 million.
