God Dreams

Living through this pandemic has revealed how important our faith and our church community are to us. Now, more than ever, we are called to choose a post-pandemic path of life, vibrancy, and purpose—of seeking to follow Christ together with renewed commitment and intention. We believe that when we do that, God is able to do abundantly more than we could hope or imagine. So, how is our church already flourishing? And where can we make an intentional investment so that FUMC Denton can live into the dreams God has for us? Through months of prayer, discernment, and conversations, we believe there are four essential areas where we can join in God’s dreams for us.

We have a loving, caring, welcoming church. And we are surrounded by a community that is searching for the kind of church family found at FUMC Denton. In 2022 we will answer God’s call to make our welcoming and connecting pathways stronger so that all who come through our doors can find belonging and a deeper life as a disciple of Jesus.

Additionally, during the pandemic we developed new ways of caring for our whole congregation, especially older, isolated, or vulnerable members. As a family of faith we will expand our efforts to ensure we are each cared for in all phases of our lives.

As one church, we worship in different styles in order to meet people where they are and to bring them closer to God. And yet, the unifying purpose of worship is the same: worship calls us out (out of our complacency, our harmful patterns, our entanglements) and calls us in (to a community of belonging, to a life of discipleship, to a time of healing, to a spirit of service and love), then sends us out together to shine God’s love.

In the next year, we will be co-creators in worship that inspires, challenges, more intentionally connects, and moves us together as one church into the dreams God has for us.

FUMC Denton offers many groups, both on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. We have made strides in making those accessible to new people, but these offerings alone do not make a discipleship ministry.

We must actively seek to connect people with meaningful opportunities which bring them joy and fulfillment, and ensure our programs help our whole church travel the path of discipleship together. The church can and should be our guide, inviting us into the “holy cycle” of discipleship and deeper life that leads us farther along in the way of Jesus.

Finally, FUMC Denton’s mission efforts have a profound global impact. From supporting United Methodist Churches in Russia and Honduras to partnering with Tómas Rivera Elementary School, our reach is broad. As we journey ahead, we can have even greater impact by deepening our focus and helping more move from transactional charity to transformational relationships. We will pursue clear, accessible ways for people to become more deeply involved in missions and experience the transformation that occurs when we love our neighbors as ourselves.