Our History and Beliefs
Christ Church is a community of Christians who are excited to be part of the United Methodist Church.
A Brief History of Christ United Methodist Church
Rev. Will Reed was appointed the organizing pastor of Christ Church in June 1983. As Rev. Reed and others joined together in the first worship service on July 17, 1983 in the Kaneb (now Unocal) building, they gave birth to a new vision of “helping people find meaning and purpose to life.” Within two months, the congregation had grown significantly and services were moved to Clements High School on September 17. On October 9, 1983 Christ United Methodist Church was officially chartered with a membership of 107. Groundbreaking for a sanctuary occurred on May 19, 1985 followed by the first worship service in that sanctuary on November 30, 1986. Membership reached 1,356 by 1993 and 3,279 by 2003. Membership in 2007 totals over 3,900. Much has been done and many hands have served and been served.
The vision of our church is to be a church in which every person is actively growing as a disciple by being connected to Jesus Christ, to others in the body of Christ, and to the community. Jesus prayed that we be one with each other just as he and the Father are one, and to that end, we must be in ongoing fellowship with one another. Fellowship, Christian education, ministries, and outreach continue to blossom and grow through the guidance and strengthening of the Holy Spirit as we answer God’s call to make disciples of Christ.
What Is a United Methodist?
United Methodists are the second largest Protestant denomination and hold to the historic doctrines of the Christian faith and share a common heritage with other Christians, including:
- conviction that God has mercy and love for all people
- belief in a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- faith in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ
- the authoritative guide for faith and how we are to live is the Bible as revealed in scripture
- celebration of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion
Methodists have open hearts and open minds, and welcome anyone interested in learning more about the Christian faith.
What We Believe
Grace is God’s loving action in human existence through the Holy Spirit.
God endows each person with dignity and moral responsibility. The full splendor of true humanity is seen in Jesus Christ.
Change in the human heart can and does occur though grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Sacrament of Baptism: Baptism ushers you into the Christian church universal, the family of Christ. Through baptism, we accept God’s gift of grace through Jesus Christ and yield our lives to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Water is the special symbol of baptism. One can be baptized at any age; sprinkling is most commonly used, but pouring and immersion are also permissible. Traditions of the church frown upon rebaptism.
Sacrament of Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is a holy meal of bread and juice that symbolizes the body and blood of Christ. By sharing this meal, we give thanks for Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Holy Communion recalls the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and celebrates the unity of all the members of God’s family. 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. You do not need to be a United Methodist or a member of Christ Church to receive communion with us.
For More Information
If you would like to know more about what it means to follow Christ, please call 281-980-6888 and ask to speak to one of our pastors.