GREETINGS FROM OUR 

PASTOR

      Loudon UMC is a vibrant community of people who want to make a difference in the world.  Reaching out to all, the people of this congregation respond with love.  Thank you for sharing a moment with us to begin getting acquainted.  

      You'll discover an open-hearted community where people find healing, friendship, acceptance, and opportunities to express and offer their gifts to the world.  We are working together to be a spiritual center for our neighborhood and those beyond.  Every week, we witness Christ's transforming power and loving presence in our work, family, and civic lives.

       Whether you are new to the area or have lived here for a long time, if you are looking for a spiritual home that teaches and trusts Christ's love, please come and worship with us.

        I'm looking forward to meeting you in person!

All Blessings in Christ, 

Rev. Amy Jo Cook

Email:

Home Phone:  865-805-4184

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Welcome, and thank you for visiting Loudon United Methodist Church online. We hope that our website highlights the wide variety of worship, fellowship and service opportunities available. Please feel free to read more about our church on this site, or come in for a visit. We would love to greet you and share with you our love for Jesus Christ and for you, our neighbor.

            OUR MISSION

We believe that the door to salvation is always open and so are the doors to our church. Our mission is to be fully devoted to Jesus by opening our arms to those in search of the truth. We show God’s love and concern for our fellow man at every opportunity. Through works of charity and opening our doors to listen and love, we feel that we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

PASTOR'S PARAGRAPH

Hello, All Saints!

Seems strange to some of us to celebrate something called All Saints’ Day... Especially as protestant Christians. How do Methodists relate to this day?

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, enjoyed and celebrated All Saints Day. In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley calls it “a festival I truly love." On the same day in 1788, he writes, “I always find this a comfortable day.” The following year he calls it “a day that I peculiarly love.”

Do we Methodists believe in calling people saints? Well, yes... and no. Wesley cautioned against holding saints in too high regard. The Articles of Religion that he sent to the Methodists in Americain 1784, include a statement against “invocation of saints” (Article XIV—Of Purgatory, Book of Discipline ¶104). Wesley did not see biblical evidence for the practice and discouraged Methodists from participating.

However, he also advised against disregarding the saints altogether. In studying John Wesley’stheological method, scholars have found four, inter-related theological guidelines: Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason. These are the sources of our understanding of our faith.

By tradition we mean all that has gone before us in the Christian church. We are part of a long history that goes back through John Wesley, to the early days of the Church, and the apostles of Jesus. When we think theologically, we need to keep in

mind the creeds, prayers, sermons, books, music, and all other ways Christians have understood the work of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in their lives. In an All Saints Day journal entry dated Monday,November 1, 1756, Wesley writes, “How superstitious are they who scruple giving God solemn thanks for the lives and deaths of his saints!”If your 18th century English is as rusty as mine, it might help to know that the word scruple means, “tobe unwilling to do something because you think it is improper, morally wrong, etc.” (Merriam- Webster.com).

So, with an eye toward the comfort and joy of celebrating the saints and an ear toward Rev.Wesley’s warning not to be too superstitious in worrying over such celebrations, I invite you to see yourselves as saints. In the future, the church will continue through time. Just as we, in this age, have inherited the great riches of church traditions, buildings, teaching, art, and the very Faith, so we will leave it to the next generations.

Prayerfully consider your support of the church in all forms of discipleship. As it is with the world, this is not your church and mine, only here and now, but we are continuing in care and stewardship of a sacred trust from the following generations.

Happiest of All Saints! May this time bring you each and all a sense of God’s providing for us through those who have come and providing for those yet to come through us!

In Christ,

Pastor Amy

GREETINGS !!

We hope you will worship with us and grow in Christ's love.  

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You are invited to join Loudon United Methodist Church for worship and fellowship!

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Our task is to help all people grow closer to God and one another.  We offer many opportunities to worship, serve others and grow in faith and understanding.  We provide opportunities for fellowship and sharing with programs for children, youth and adults.

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We think you are important to and loved by God and encourage you to live a life of compassion.  We encourage sharing with others the love of God through words and actions.

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