Embrace the spirit. Aldersgate Church stands as a welcoming beacon. It impacts lives positively through Jesus Christ.
Aldersgate UMC embraces everyone. It loves respects and values each person. The church strives for spiritual growth. It shares gifts and talents to reflect God’s grace.
Aldersgate Church offers various ministries. These ministries aim to serve others. The Open Arms Ministry is one such outreach. It supports adults with special needs.
The Open Arms Ministry began in September 2008. Nancy Messuri co-founded it. Her close bond with her sister inspired her. Nancy envisioned a dual-purpose program. It would be socially inviting for adults with special needs. It would also provide respite for caregivers.
Lynn Martin Laura Webb Pastor Woody Weilage Liz Moen and Nancy Messuri formed a committee. They developed The Open Arms Ministry. Open Arms meets monthly. It occurs on the second Saturday of each month except August. The meetings take place at Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
Participant safety is a priority. Open Arms partners with MinistrySafe. This partnership provides training and resources for volunteers.
Open Arms contributes to foundations. They support The Ronald McDonald House. Participants and volunteers collect pop tabs from aluminum cans. They donate these tabs monthly. Open Arms takes a field trip to submit the pop tabs when the collection bin is full.
Aldersgate Renewal Ministries has a rich history. In July 1977 50000 Spirit-filled Christians gathered in Kansas City. They attended a conference on charismatic renewal. Over 500 United Methodists participated. This meeting led to a call for a fellowship. The fellowship would guide the growing renewal movement.
Five United Methodist leaders responded. Ross Whetstone Bob Tuttle Bill Wilson Bob Stamps and Tommy Tyson prayerfully sought God’s will. They laid the foundation for the United Methodist Renewal Services Fellowship Incorporated.
The UMRSF focused on church renewal. Its members prayed and worked within the United Methodist Church. The first official function was a Wesleyan Heritage tour. It included Scotland England and Wales. Aldersgate ’79 was the first annual conference on the Holy Spirit. It took place in Louisville Kentucky.
The UMRSF aimed to interpret the Renewal movement. It interacted with Bishops General Boards and local churches. It also helped the renewal constituency understand the church. The UMRSF served under the authority of the church. It respectfully worked to bring renewal within it.
Local church seminars and regional Holy Spirit conferences trained those who wanted to bring the life of the Spirit into the church. The leadership encouraged local groups for worship praise and study. Manna their original newsletter became a training guide.
In 1998 at Aldersgate in Dallas Texas God confirmed that they were to press on toward the future. God provided a new home and a ministry center. The Aldersgate Renewal Center became a training camp.
Since 2002 international ministries have expanded. They now include Brazil Slovakia Tanzania Nepal Great Britain and Peru.
Aldersgate Church. A place where faith love and service intertwine. A place where everyone is welcome. A place where lives are transformed.