Common Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) listed here and more can be found at The United Methodist Church official web site.

If you have additional questions, please contact our church office at (903) 763-4127 or click here to send us an e-mail.

Q: Who is the head of The United Methodist Church?
A: There is no one person, office or agency that is the sole head of The United Methodist Church.  The General Conference is the only body that can speak officially for the church.  The organization of The United Methodist Church is similar to that of the U.S. government.

Q: What is the difference between a United Methodist church and a First United Methodist Church?
A: "First" is simply the name of the church, usually indicating that this congregation was the first Methodist church established in that community.  All United Methodist churches are part of the United Methodist denomination.  The difference is in name only.

Q: Do you have to go to church to be a Christian?
A: The answer to your question is, of course, determined by the definition of what a Christian is. If a Christian is simply someone who assents to belief in the Triune God, then the answer is no. If a Christian is someone who is kind, caring, and keeps the basic ethical teachings of loving God (without specific practices) and loves one's neighbor, then the answer could be no, one does not have to go to church.     However, if a Christian is someone who has been baptized into the church and professed the faith of the church, then the answer is yes.  At baptism or in confirmation/profession of faith, we make very important promises.  We renounce evil, the spiritual forces of wickedness, and repent of our sin. We declare that we accept the freedom God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression. Then we declare we trust in Christ for salvation and promise to serve him in unity with his church.   In those promises we accept God's acceptance of us within the beloved community, we promise to serve WITH THE CHURCH, and the church welcomes us as members of Christ's royal priesthood. 

Q: What will happen during a typical worship service?
A: A typical worship service at a United Methodist church may include:

• a greeting and opening prayer
• a prelude
• a time for the congregation to greet each other
• a responsive reading of a scripture passage where the leader reads a short passage and the congregation responds aloud
• silent prayer time
• a pastoral prayer
• an offering
• the Lord’s Prayer prayed aloud by all
• a time for the children to gather for a children’s message
• scripture readings
• the sermon
• special music or a choir anthem
• hymns sung by the congregation
• an invitation to the altar
• a benediction at the conclusion

   Communion may also be served.  An invitation to the Lord's table will be given for all to celebrate communion.  You can choose whether or not you wish to participate.  There will be some differences in the services from church to church. Some churches have a more formal style, while others may have more casual or contemporary services.  Some churches will offer more than one type of service.

Q: What does it mean to be saved, to accept Jesus as your personal savior? 
A: When God becomes a part of our life, we realize that a focus on self is not a full life. We understand that self-focus alone has no future and offers nothing to build up anyone else or to advance the great causes of humanity.
   But being saved from ourselves also means that we are saved to a life that is the exact opposite. Such a life says that the will of God and living this faith daily is a greater priority than our own will, that being the people of God is more important than anything, that giving and sharing are better than taking and accumulating. Our lives are changed by God to lives that affirm others, lives of healing and wholeness.
   Being saved means that we have awakened to the wondrous opportunities to share each day with our brothers and sisters and see what God is doing in our lives together. Most people who are rescued begin to evaluate their lives, take stock, and find ways to improve their lives; it is a wake-up call. We believe that being saved is, in essence, God's wake-up call to us.
From 10 FAQ's of New Christians by Peter Harrington. Copyright © 2000 Discipleship Resources.

Q: What does The United Methodist Church believe about baptism?
A: Baptism is a sacrament. In a sacrament, God uses common elements — in this case, water — as means or vehicles of divine grace. Baptism is administered by the church as the Body of Christ. It is the act of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Q: What is the appropriate age for baptism?
A: The shortest answer is: as soon as possible and practical.  Our teaching on baptism is found in By Water and the Spirit. Here is the most relevant section to this question:
"Understanding the practice as an authentic expression of how God works in our lives, The United Methodist Church strongly advocates the baptism of infants within the faith community: “Because the redeeming love of God, revealed in Jesus Christ, extends to all persons and because Jesus explicitly included the children in his kingdom, the pastor of each charge shall earnestly exhort all Christian parents or guardians to present their children to the Lord in Baptism at an early age” (1992 Book of Discipline, par. 221)" (para. 226 in the 2004 Book of Discipline).

Q: May a person who has not been baptized participate in Holy Communion?
A: Yes, our church does not seek to close God's Table, although the historic and normal Christian order of the sacraments is baptism first — as birth into the family — and Communion following, as continuing nurture at the family table. Pastors and congregations reach out and encourage those who partake at the Table to share fully in the life of God's people, including coming to the font after appropriate preparation.

Q: I am not a member of The United Methodist Church.  Can I still take communion?
A: The table of Holy Communion is Christ’s table, not the table of The United Methodist Church or of the local congregation.  The table is open to anyone who seeks to respond to Christ’s love and seeks to lead a new life of peace and love, as the invitation to the table says.

Q: Why do most Methodist churches serve grape juice instead of wine for Holy Communion?
A: The United Methodist Book of Worship says, "Although the historic and ecumenical Christian practice has been to use wine, the use of unfermented grape juice by The United Methodist Church and its predecessors since the late nineteenth century expresses pastoral concern for recovering alcoholics, enables the participation of children and youth, and supports the church's witness of abstinence."
(From The United Methodist Book of Worship. Copyright © 1992 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.)

Q: Can children take communion?
A: In The United Methodist Church, children are welcome to take communion.  It is up to the parents to decide when their child should begin receiving communion.
The United Methodist Book of Worship explains, “All who intend to lead a Christian life, together with their children, are invited to receive the bread and cup.”
(From The United Methodist Book of Worship. Copyright © 1992 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.)

Q: At what age are children confirmed?
A: Because the middle school years (6th-8th grades) are when young people begin to move from concrete thinking to abstract thinking, that is when most people begin to make lifelong faith decisions. However, not everyone is ready for such a decision at this time in life and a few are ready even before 6th grade. Also, during these middle school years youth are seeking a sense of belonging. Belonging to the community of faith is an appropriate response to that developmental task.

Q: I have been married before.  Can I get remarried and still be a member?
A: Yes, divorced and remarried persons are welcome to join The United Methodist Church.

Q: Our pastor is being moved to a new church community.  How can a new pastor be chosen for a church without the voice of the congregation?
A: Every year some church members are surprised to find that their pastor will or will not be staying. Under the unique appointment system in the United Methodist Church, only the bishop makes clergy appointments.  A local congregation has no authority over pastoral appointments and the pastor-parish relations committee does not decide reappointments. 
   The Book of Discipline (2004) states, "Clergy shall be appointed by the bishop, who is empowered to make and fix all appointments in the episcopal area....”  It further explains that the pastor-parish relations committee has a responsibility to consult with the district superintendent, and inform him or her of the status of the relationship between the congregation and the pastor, and communicate the desires of the church. Recommendations of the pastor-parish relations committee are advisory only.
Pastors also can indicate whether they wish to stay at their current appointments, wish to move to another appointment or have no preference. However, they are not assured that they will get their first choice. Pastors in the United Methodist Church agree to serve where called and to accept and abide by the appointments.
   The bishop and the cabinet (all district superintendents in the conference) look at appointment needs throughout the conference, taking into consideration the needs of each church, the gifts and talents of each pastor, and other circumstances in the conference. They then determine the appointments for each church in the conference.  Any member can voice concerns to the pastor-parish relations committee and to the district superintendent.  The district superintendent may be able to provide insight into why the appointments are as they are. The district superintendent will certainly want to continue to be updated on any concerns that have not been addressed. 

Q: Why are there different colored altar cloths?  What do the colors mean?
A: “The Christian year contains two cycles: the Christmas Cycle (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany) and the Easter Cycle (Lent-Easter-Pentecost). Within each cycle are a preparatory season symbolized by the color purple and a festival season symbolized by the color white. After each cycle there is an ordinary time of growth symbolized the color green. Thus there is a sequence of seasons using purple, white, and green in that order twice each year.”
(United Methodist Book of Worship, Copyright © 1992 The United Methodist Publishing House, page 226)

• Traditionally purple, representing both royalty and penitence, is used during Advent and Lent.
• Blue symbolizes hope and may also be used during Advent.
• White and gold are used at Christmas and Easter to symbolize joy and festivities.
• Red symbolizes the color of fire to represent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and times when the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasized.  During Holy Week it represents the blood of Christ.  Red is also used for ordinations, church anniversaries and civil observances such as Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.
• Green represents growth and is used during Ordinary Time (the season after Epiphany and the season after Pentecost.)

Q: What is Lent and why does it last forty days?
A: Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection.  In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism.  Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or volunteering and giving of themselves for others.  The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" celebration of the Jesus' victory over sin and death.

Q: Does The United Methodist Church have a position about Halloween?
A: The United Methodist Church does not have an official statement or position regarding Halloween.  Church members are free to make their own decisions about their participation in Halloween activities.  Local churches can decide if they wish to offer traditional or alternative activities for children at Halloween.

Q: Are there volunteer opportunities at the First United Methodist Church of Quitman?
A:  Absolutely!  Click here for a copy of “Opportunities for Service” which lists ministries and volunteer opportunities at our church.  Examples include Worship Service Ministries, Congregational Care, Children & Youth Ministries, Administrative Support Ministries and MORE! 
   Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals and for teams throughout the U.S. and worldwide. The United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) office organizes volunteer efforts for adults on a short-term basis in the areas of disaster relief, teaching and Bible study, construction projects and medical relief.

Q: Who is the head of The United Methodist Church?
A: There is no one person, office or agency that is the sole head of The United Methodist Church.  The General Conference is the only body that can speak officially for the church.  The organization of The United Methodist Church is similar to that of the U.S. government.