OUR MISSION

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.  So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."   2 Corinthians 5:18-20; New Revised Standard Version

God wants to meet with us, to have a relationship with us!  He took the first step by sending us Jesus Christ to reconcile us to God.  Our first priority at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon is to connect people to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Our primary means of making that connection is through worship.  Through worship, we enter into the presence of God to give Him praise and also to hear from Him as we seek to live out His will for our lives.  If you do not have a relationship with Jesus but would like to know more, we invite you to come and let us introduce you to our friend, our Savior, and our Lord.  All of that terminology may sound strange now, but once you encounter Jesus you will begin to understand and your life will completely change -- for the better.

 We understand that individuals are different.  We believe that God speaks to us through many different ways, and we embrace the different means and styles through which persons relate to Jesus.  That is why we offer a diversity of worship styles and opportunties.  Take a moment to see what opportunity may best help you as you seek to know Christ through worship.

NEXT STEPS: 1.  If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, start there.   God created us to be in relationship with Him.  Our disobedient nature, or sin, separated us from God, though.  God is holy and cannot look upon sin, so we lost our fellowship.  Jesus came to reconcile us to God by taking the punishment for our sin.  Through faith in Jesus and his sacrifice for us, we can be reconciled to God and have a personal relationship with our Savior. If you would like to know more about how to begin a personal relationship with Jesus, or if you would like to speak with a pastor or request for someone to meet or pray with you, feel free to contact us, connect@gmvumc.org.  2.  Find a local church where you can worship and grow.  A Bible-centered church will help you in your journey as you learn about Jesus through the Word of God.  Contrary to what many in society think today, the Bible is not a random collection of fables.  It is the inspired Word of God, and Jesus Christ is its centerpiece.  Engage in Bible study, Sunday school opportunities, and be regular in worship.  God will reveal Himself to you, and you will grow to know him and his will for your life. 3.  Begin practicing Christian disciplines of giving and serving.  As you grow closer to the Lord, you will come to realize that all that we have and all that we are is God's, and he calls us to be good stewards of HIS resources.  Therefore, to continue our journey with Him we must be about his business of giving to support ministries that spread his love and his Gospel while also personally serving others in Jesus' name.

 

Many find their most important connection to Christ in a daily quiet time with the Lord.  There are many online devotional resources that will help you to spend time daily with the Lord in the Word and in prayer.  Many printed materials are available as well.  To learn more about printed materials that may help you, contact discipleship@gmvumc.org. Or to see some of the online resources we recommend, click the image below.