Questions & Answers
- What is required of me to be a United Methodist?
- After baptism, then what?
- If I've already been baptized in another denomination, must I be rebaptized?
- Why does the creed I often hear affirm the catholic church?
- What's different or distinctive about being a United Methodist?
- Where did the church get its name?
- Do lay people have much to say about what happens in the church?
- How are official positions on social matters determined by the church?
- What does the church believe about sacraments?
- Why does the church use grape juice in Communion?
- Is anybody excluded from participating in the Lord's Supper?
- In the Communion service, what is meant by the "body and blood of Christ"?
- How can I get answers to questions not found here
What is required of me to be a United Methodist?
Baptism ushers you into the Christian Church universal, the family of Christ. If you have not been baptized, you will be asked to repent of your sins and profess your faith in God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Christian faith as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. You will also be asked to promise to "keep God's holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as a faithful member of Christ's holy church." 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 the 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, and your service."
If I have already been baptized in another Christian denomination, must I be rebaptized to be a United Methodist?
No. Your previous baptism will be accepted, and you will only take vows of church membership.
Why does the creed I often hear on Sunday morning affirm the catholic church?
The "holy catholic church," a phrase from the Apostle's 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.
What's different or distinctive about being a United Methodist?
There are no exclusively United Methodist doctrines. Although we have distinctive emphases, we have no affirmations that are not also believed by other Christian groups. United Methodists have traditionally proclaimed the following emphases:- 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 our society;
- a cooperative ministry and mission in the world, often referred to as "connectionalism";
- the link between Christian doctrine and Christian living.
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 referred to them as "Methodists." The word "United" now in our name comes from The Evangelical United Brethen (EUB) Church, which united with The Methodist Church in 1968.
Do lay people have much to say about what happens in the church?
In early days of American Methodism, clergy made most decisions for the church. Today, laity and clergy have equal voice in annual, jurisdictional, and general conferences of the church. There are also guidelines that encourage fair representation of women, young adults, and youth in decision making. Of course, at the local level, lay persons are deeply involved in every aspect of the church's mission and ministry.
How are official positions on social matters determined by the church?
Only the General Conference -- a representative body of no more that 1,000 clergy and lay persons which meets every four years -- officially determines church policy and speaks on social issues. Through a set of Social Principles, the General Conference speaks to human issues from a biblical and theological foundation. These principles are intended to be instructive and persuasive. Agreement is not required, but members are called to a "prayerful, studied dialogue of faith and practice." Official resources of the church such as curriculum must reflect the official positions of the church.
What does the church believe about sacraments?
The United Methodist Church recognizes only baptism and the Lord's Supper as sacraments because they were the only acts ordained by Christ. Other events such as confirmation, marriage, and funeral services are obviously significant and important, but are not considered sacraments.
Why does the church use grape juice in 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.
Is anybody excluded from participating in the Lord's Supper?
Anyone, including children, may participate who responds affirmatively to the invitation: "Christ our Lord invites the his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another."
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 before being crucified. We do not believe that the elements literally turn into the body and blood of Christ.
How can I get answers to questions not found here?
Talk to your pastor, call InfoServ, the Church's nationwide, toll-free telephone service: 1-800-251-8140. More answers are available at the official website of the United Methodist Church at www.umc.org/. Also please feel free to e-mail us at
fumcangadmin1@nstci.com
Source: Questions and Answers About The United Methodist Church by Thomas S. McAnally, 1995 Abingdon Press.
© Copyright 2003 First United Methodist Church of Angleton