We are so glad you are visiting us online! First United Methodist Church is located on the corner of 5th and Locust Streets, at the “five Point” intersection in downtown Newark, Ohio, reminding us that there are many roads traveled to arrive at the one true life in Jesus Christ! We are 202 years old and we are going strong. We are proud to be your neighbor in downtown Newark, Ohio!
Perhaps you’ve heard of us? We are known throughout our community as that church with the wonderful traditional choir; as the home of the Child of God Preschool, and the New-Ark Area Emmaus Community; and as “the church with the Jesus window,” to name but a few.
Perhaps we are new to you? Let us share that our mission at First Church and our covenant with God is that “we will make disciples of Jesus Christ by reaching up to God, reaching in to the church, and reaching out to the community.” What this means is that at First Church you’ll encounter people at all ages and all stages of their Christian walk, discovering together what it means to Be The Church!
We invite you to discover all the ways that First Church reaches up to God, offering our lives in gratitude and praise to the glory of God! From our blended “First Word” service, to our excellent traditional worship, to Taizé worship during Advent and Lent, we offer worship styles with the highest quality of music and preaching, employing the gifts of the many artists with which God has provided this congregation.
Discover how we reach in with intention to each other as we offer instruction for all ages at 9:45 a.m. every Sunday morning. Throughout each week, we share Bible studies and book studies; offer youth ministry for 6th-12th grades, serve one another through pastoral care ministries, like the Stephen Ministry, our prayer teams, the quilt and prayer shawl ministries, and provide retreats, fellowship opportunities and more.
Discover how we reach out beyond the fellowship of our church family and into God’s larger community. We are always finding new and inspiring ways to extend God’s reach to others. Through our community dinner, our food pantry and ministry funds, the seasonal events like Thanksgiving and Christmas Shares, school supplies collection, work camps, and building projects (like our local “ramp” ministry, and our summer commitment to build a house every year through Henderson Settlement), we know that our faith is the expression of God’s work within us, inspiring us to respond in some way to God’s world.
We stand ready to be there for you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Just as you have visited our website, come visit us for worship, small group study, or fellowship. We’d love to have you! If we can be of help in any way in regard to our church, don’t hesitate to ask. Simply email us at office(at)firstumcnewark.org or call the church office (740)349-7020.
In Christ,
Barb Sholis
Senior Pastor, Newark First United Methodist Church