The United Methodist Church is the third-largest Christian denomination in the United States, after the Roman Catholic and Southern Baptist traditions, and it is a growing faith community around the world, with about 10 million members worldwide.
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a connectional church, with each congregation linked to all other UMCs through shared organization and mission, a shared hymnal and sacramental understanding, and shared supervision under consecrated bishops’ leadership. Grace UMC is a part of The Northern Virginia District of the Virginia Conference.
The denomination began as a renewal movement in the Church of England at Oxford University in the 1700’s and took off as a revival movement in the Americas in the 1800’s. With this heritage, United Methodists enjoy a unique theological position: it is a church of the academy and the campmeeting, with liturgical traditions and evangelistic passion. We believe that a faithful life is lived out with both personal piety and social holiness, and we are therefore committed to faithful Bible study, sacramental worship, meaningful prayer, and world-changing service to others in Christ’s name.
United Methodists believe that God’s grace is active in every person’s life, whether he or she is aware of it or not, and that Jesus invites all people to participate actively in their own faith journey. Our communion table is an open one, where all who partake are incorporated into the transforming work of God in Jesus Christ. We celebrate baptisms for people of all ages, recognizing that God’s grace always exceeds our own understanding, and it is a gift of the Holy Spirit whatever age we are when we receive it. The UMC recognizes the baptisms of all Trinitarian Christians.
To learn more about the United Methodist Church, please visit umc.org. To learn more about Grace UMC, please call us at 703-361-7800 or email us at office@umcgrace.org.
