Methodism was founded in 1729 by John Wesley, an Anglican priest, in England. Baltimore, Maryland became the cradle of Methodism in America in 1784 when the church was officially organized at a conference during Christmas at the Lovely Lane Meeting House in Baltimore. After several splits and mergers, The United Methodist Church was born in 1968 when Methodists merged with the Evangelical United Brethren.
United Methodism is a mainstream Protestant religion. It is distinctive in its emphasis on God’s grace being available to all people. This grace ultimately must be received through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Faith in Jesus must be genuine in that it is personal and heartfelt – a trust in and a relationship with the one who came as “Emmanuel – God with us.” Such faith opens us to the forgiving, transforming, healing, renewing power of God that seeks to make us holy by recreating us in his image and restoring us to eternal relationship with him.
United Methodists combine personal faith and holiness with social witness and action, believing that the love of God is always tied to love of neighbor, a passion for justice and renewal in the life of the world.
Our life of faith is sustained by an ongoing connection to Christ and to other Christ-followers through regular participation in such spiritual habits as worship, bible study, prayer, meditation on the Scriptures, fasting, tithing, Holy Communion, and fellowship with and accountability to other believers. We call these habits “means of grace” because we believe that through these mystical biblical practices, ordained of God and confirmed by the experience of Christians through the ages, God’s Spirit comes and strengthens and motivates us for our journey of faith and witness.
United Methodists are a connectional people, linked together across the globe in their organization and financial life, and in collective prayer, witness and service.
For more information or for any questions you may have about The United Methodist Church call InfoServe at 1-800-251-8140 or visit http://www.umc.org.
Information about Back River United Methodist Church is available on this Web site or by contacting our office at 410-686-4195 or office@backriverumc.com.
