Everyone means everyone

RISE is a community rooted in God's risk-taking love, life-changing grace, passionate outreach and open-armed acceptance. We welcome people from all walks of life and all walks of faith to join us on our journey. And we mean it. Everyone is welcome at RISE. Everyone. We seek to be a place free of judgment and full of love.

A Special Message
from Campus Minister Alexis Ward Owens

In an effort to communicate in the healthiest and most transparent way possible, we are sharing this message from Campus Minister Alexis, in the hopes that a consistent written message will enable our sizable network to remain well informed and connected. Please contact us with any questions or concerns using direct message, email, text (and then there’s always our favorite - face to face). We commit to sharing relevant information and updates throughout the coming months as they become available.

One of the beautiful things about being United Methodist is that we are part of a global connection of churches, working to mend God’s creation together. As a (soon to be) United Methodist Pastor, I have dedicated my life and career to this connection, and as part of that I am sent by the church to do all the good that I can wherever I am appointed. Which brings us to this announcement:

This month, Pastor Gordon at John Wesley UMC is retiring, and Conference leadership has discerned that the best path forward is for RISE and JWUMC to share a Pastor - me! Many of you are now surely wondering: “How is this going to work? How are we going to do this? What will RISE look like now week-to-week?” The most honest answer I can give is, “I am not totally sure.” But here are several things I do know: 

  • Throughout RISE’s almost 15 year history we have faced a number of challenging circumstances, and we have always emerged on the other side. I am confident that through a lot of conversation, discernment, trial and error, and prayer, we will find a path forward for both of our communities together.

  • I believe wholeheartedly in the movement of the Holy Spirit, and that this new direction is Spirit led and of God.   

  • I see so much potential and many possibilities for good in this relationship. And my hope is that in working more closely together in partnership, RISE and JWUMC will grow to be even stronger forces for good in our community!

As we move forward we need your help. We need your feedback and honest opinions. We need you to show up and help us to take this next big step in the life and journey of our community. And if you are wanting to step up, but aren’t sure how to do that, please reach out! We will do our best to follow the guidance of the Spirit, to seek the best for both RISE and JWUMC, and to put all of our diverse gifts and talents to use in mending creation together.

Alexis

We hope you will join us for worship this summer!

Unless otherwise noted, worship begins at exactly 10ish am
John Wesley UMC Fellowship Hall (Downstairs)
445 Sterling St, Hburg

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