Our church springs from a rich tradition of studying and spreading the gospel to every comer of society, which was begun in 1729 in England and led by John Wesley. The United Methodist Church is the result of the 1939 merger of three Methodist bodies (Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South and Methodist Protestant churches) and a 1968 union of the Evangelical United Brethren and The Methodist churches. The United Methodist Church now has over 10 million members worldwide.

Today we continue our devotion to creating disciples for Jesus Christ and making the good news available to anyone who desires to hear it. All preaching and teaching is grounded in Scripture, informed by Christian tradition, enlivened by personal experience, and tested by reason. Along with other Christian denominations, we believe in God—expressed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The United Methodist Church is part of the church universal. All persons, regardless of race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, are welcome to attend our churches, receive Holy Communion, and be baptized and admitted into membership.

Sometimes people call The United Methodist Church "the church of the warm heart" because we have a history of caring about and working to create justice for all people. It all started with founder John Wesley, who felt his own heart strangely warmed nearly three centuries ago. After this experience he was compelled to reach out to England's poorest citizens, which he did with the help of his brother Charles. Their work launched a movement that spread to the American colonies and took hold with a fervor that still exists almost 300 years later.

During that time, our hearts have led us to build almost as many schools as churches. Methodists were among the first to create institutions of learning for settlers, women and newly freed slaves. There are now 120 United Methodist institutions, including schools outside the U.S., most notably Africa University in Zimbabwe.

Today United Methodists comprise the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Our churches are connected by a system that guides our work and governs our policies. We continue to take the lead in social, spiritual, political, and moral concerns. In the tradition of John and Charles Wesley, our members study Scripture, encourage thoughtful debate, and confront the tough issues of the day. We lead with our hearts, keep our minds open and welcome everyone through our doors.

We are by no means perfect, but we take seriously Christ's call to invite all to participate in a rich experience of faith while working together to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Visit us on the Web at UnitedMethodist.org, or dig deeper with UMC.org.