Why did you choose this church?
By Annette Bender
In this business of winning some for Christ, we often wonder what combination of qualities will attract newcomers to our churches ñ and make them want to stay. Here, new members in three Holston congregations answer the question:
Why Did You Choose this Church?
Ya'll come
We also asked these new members why they came and stayed.
Susan Burghardt
Chapel Hill UMC, Chattanooga District
In 1985, Susan Burghardt and her husband moved to Dunlap from Chattanooga. On the way, Susan noticed Chapel Hill UMC and felt drawn to its "beautiful setting." But Burghardt had never attended any church and never felt a desire to - until in May 2003, when she was standing at her kitchen counter and suddenly felt "a huge void" in her life. She remembered the little church and called the pastor for a meeting. The Rev. Tom Tucker prayed with her, and she felt "the weight of the world" lifted from her shoulders. Later, she was nervous about her first visit to the church. "I thought it would be scary, going by myself, but it wasn't. The people were so accepting. What a beacon this church has been to me. It has changed my life." Burghardt, 53, joined Chapel Hill in August 2003.
Regina & Rick Dance
Faith UMC, Knoxville District
The Dance family includes Regina, 36; Rick, 45; Jacob, 10; and Isaiah, 8. The Dances attended Middlebrook Pike UMC for a while, but the drive was too long. When her son's baseball coach made a special effort to invite the family to Faith UMC, Regina was impressed. "That's just the way the whole church is. They embrace you. And the preacher is so enthusiastic, it's contagious." The Dance family visited Faith for the first time at the grand opening for a new building, in September 2003. They joined the church in May 2004. Faith's pastor is the Rev. Bill Akers.
Anne & Jim Putnam
Hiltons Memorial UMC, Big Stone Gap District
The Putnams visited Hiltons Memorial for four years. They lived in Augusta, Ga., but a good friend was the pianist at Hiltons so they made frequent visits to the area. When the Putnams retired and moved to Hiltons on Labor Day 2004, six church members showed up to help them move. The Putnams immediately became members. "Some people just tolerate you," says Anne, 66. "These people have a genuine interest in you. It was never like a "new" church to us. It immediately felt like home." Hiltons' pastor is the Rev. Will Shewey.
Susan & Brian Spencer
First Hillsville UMC, Wytheville District
Ages: Susan, 39; Brian, 40; Katherine, age 7
Occupation: Susan, office assistant in an optometrist office; Brian, area director for Shoney's restaurants
First visit: May 2004
Joined as members: June 2004
Pastor: Ty Harrison
Why did you choose this church?
Brian: I was raised Catholic and Susan was Presbyterian, but we both attended Emory & Henry College. We've moved around a lot and attended churches of many denominations, but we never became members.
When we came to Hillsville, we noticed that the people in the community that we most admired - the people who profess their faith through their businesses and their generosity - all came from the same church. We also wanted to raise our daughter in a church and felt like we weren't doing her justice. So we decided to give First Hillsville United Methodist a try. The first time we came to this church, the warmth was incredible. You could tell the members were excited to be in church. I've heard pastors say that once you get to the parking lot, don't stop being a Christian. You don't get that feeling here. The ministry is so alive. We knew for sure that this church was for us when we were walking down the hall after worship one day. Our daughter said, "Daddy, I like this church. Is this our church?" And I said, "Yes, honey, it is." It was an incredible feeling of wanting to belong somewhere, and finally knowing where that place was.
Mike & Teresa McNeely
Luminary UMC, Oak Ridge District
Ages: Mike, 56; Teresa, 54
Occupation: Retired
First visit: November 2003 Joined as members: January 2004
Pastor: Jay Ferguson
Why did you choose this church?
Teresa: I grew up in Trinity United Methodist in Oak Ridge. Mike was raised in the Church of Christ. When we lived and worked in Oak Ridge, we attended Kern Memorial United Methodist for several years. We had friends there and enjoyed the ministers, but never got around to joining. When we moved to Kingston in 1999, we attended several churches off and on but never felt like we had a good fit.
Then one day we were driving to Blue Springs Boat Dock and we saw Luminary's new building. It was attractive, yet not ostentatious. We had also heard that it was a growing church, with so many people moving to the area. We decided to try Luminary next. Immediately, it felt right. The people were genuinely enthusiastic and friendly. A lot of churches greet visitors and invite you to participate, but I thought, "They really care if I come here. They really care if I participate." There's also an excitement and desire to help everyone worship. I didn't see that kind of enthusiasm at other churches. There wasn't a fire. Too often, the credit goes to the preacher for the excitement. Maybe it starts there, but everyone has to get involved to really make it work. Luminary has that.
Sandra & Rush Guthrie
Spring Creek UMC, Cleveland District
Ages: Sandra, 61; Rush, 66
Occupation: Beef cattle farmers, owners of Guthrie Pumpkin Farms
First visit: August 2002
Joined as members: November 2002
Pastor: Robert Burlingham
Why did you choose this church?
Sandra: We were members at a Southern Baptist church for many years. We raised two children there, always worked and held offices. Rush was a deacon. But the church had a lot of problems, and they started to affect Rush's health. We hated to leave, but we had to. Our son and daughter-in-law had been visiting Spring Creek, and they really liked it. They were sure we would like it. We knew some other people there, too. So we tried it and quickly knew that was where we needed to be.
A lot had to do with the pastor. Robert has a special love for people. It's evident in the way he conducts his services, but also, in how he lives his life and works in the community. I've seen him out with people, and he treats everyone the same. He doesn't just limit himself to church people. I don't think Rush would have moved to a United Methodist church if it wasn't for Robert.
I've also been really impressed with the way United Methodists seem to be more involved in the community, in reaching out to people - not just because they might get more people to come to church, but because that's just part of being a Christian. Of course, they're inviting people to participate, but they don't seem to be limited by that. It's been a real eye-opener. If you're not aware of what your denomination is doing, it is good to find out.
top
|
Bishop's Column
Cover Stories:
Tsunami Relief
and
Sharing Resurrection, Divine Rhythm
INSIDE
Tough choices
Why did you choose this church?
National & World News
Back to The Call Home Page
|
|
