United Catholic Church History

The United Methodist Church was formed on April 23, 1968, when Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, representing The Evangelical United Brethren Church, and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke of The Methodist Church joined hands at the constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas. The new denomination was born with the words, “Lord of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church and now in the United Methodist Church.” The United Methodist Church shares a common history with other Methodist and Wesleyan bodies. The lives of John Wesley and his brother, Charles, mark the origin of their common roots. The two men, both Church of England missionaries at the time visited America in March 1736 on a missionary trip. Their mission was far from a success and they …show more content…
In American, organized Methodism began as a lay movement, meaning by people who were not ordained. The American Revolution profoundly impacted Methodism. John Wesley’s writings against the revolutionary cause did not enhance the image of Methodism among many who supported independence. Although by 1816, the churches had survived the difficulties of early life and were beginning to expand numerically and geographically. United Methodists share a common heritage with all Christians. According to their foundational statement of beliefs in The Book of Discipline, United Methodists share basic affirmations in common with all Christian communities. They believe that God is three persons in one and is revealed in three distinct ways; the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. God created the universe and continues to be active in creation. In particular, United Methodists believe God is involved in our human history – past, present, and future. God loves all creation, especially humankind. They …show more content…
Today, this church continues to be organized by a “connectional” system, which “enables us to carry out our mission in unity and strength” (Book of Discipline, ¶ 701). Every local church is linked to an interconnected network of organizations that join together in the same mission and ministry, allowing for accomplishment far more than any one church or person could do alone. Within this connectional structure, conferences provide the primary groupings of people and churches for judgment and decision-making. Wesley described this Christian conferencing as a “spiritual discipline through which God’s grace may be revealed” (UMC). At every level of the connection, church leaders and members come together in conversation to discuss the important issues and to discover God’s will for the church. These conferences refer to both the assembly and organization of people and the process of discerning God’s