We are diverse congregation welcoming EVERYONE actively seeking to discover what it means to live and work together as people of personal spirituality and social responsibility.
Members can access the directory from right here, coming soon!
ALL means ALL!
We are a Reconciling Church, which means we love, include, and welcome into all ministries and areas of leadership people from every walk of life, no matter their gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, education level, socioeconomic status, employment status, ability level, race, ethnicity, or any other label you can think of. We are a downtown church, which means we often have an eclectic group of visitors and members present–diverse in many ways, but drawn together to be community in practicing the teachings and example of Christ: compassion and justice. We make sure everyone is safe by observing Safe Sanctuary policies, which ensure no children or vulnerable adults are at risk, and all of our staff are background checked and trained.
Coffee with the Pastor
Want to learn more? First Sundays of the month, Coffee with the Pastor welcomes newcomers and anyone who is curious in the Library after the 10am worship service to meet with Pastor Kris, ask as many questions as they like, and even get a tour of the facility. All questions are welcome, including questions about this community, theology, denominational news, leadership and budgeting, and more. If Sunday morning is not a good time for you, call our office and make an appointment, and the Pastor will be happy to meet with you one on one at the church or a coffee shop.
What Is United Methodist?
The United Methodist Church is a Christian denomination born out of the Church of England in the 18th century, which separated from the Anglican Church during the Revolutionary War in what would become the United States of America. A revival movement within the Anglican Church which came to be called Methodism focused on the ways ordinary people could live their faith more authentically through personal spirituality and social holiness. They met in small groups, prayed with one another, fed the hungry, visited prisoners, offered classes to anyone who was interested so they could get an education, cared for the sick, advocated for the marginalized, fought to end slavery and promote the voting rights of women and men who didn’t own land, taught that everyone was loved by God, and more. They were organized by an Anglican priest named John Wesley whose theology of grace described a God who loved us before we could recognize or name it (Prevenient Grace), offered us a way to be like Christ and share love and forgiveness and hope in the world (Justifying Grace), and would help us live deep into a holier way of life (Sanctifying Grace). We create our own practical theology by reflecting on scripture, our own experiences, tradition (what other people’s experiences have been), and using reason (and the best science of the day) in community to decide not what to think, but how to live. We believe we are all on our way to Perfection — which doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes, but does mean that we will become better and better at living loving lives. We don’t believe that scripture is infallible, because people are all capable of making mistakes, but we do believe it is inspired and that reflecting on it can help us navigate our own lives. We also believe there is no such thing as a solitary Christian – we need each other to practice love and forgiveness and work together to make a difference in the world.
The United Methodist Church spans the whole globe, is connectional (which means we work together to do things we could not do on our own), shares an organizational model, but expresses itself differently in different contexts. In Downtown Reno, our local church’s Core Values are on the home page of this website, and you can find all of the ways we live into our mission statement to Seek Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk Humbly with God on our “Get Involved” page. Most ministries are open to everyone. (Exceptions include age-related ministries and ministries that handle sensitive information about vulnerable people in the congregation.)
United Methodist Foundation
Our Foundation is a separate 501c3 that supports the ongoing ministry of the church. You can find their website here: www.RenoFirst.church/foundation