News - FUMC

Room in the Inn is beginning to serve and lend a helping hand to the homeless population of Lexington, Kentucky. Father Charles Strobel initiated the program with four Nashville, TN churches in 1986. Over 156 other Nashville churches are participating this year! First Church along with other local churches will provide critical shelter and meals during the winter months.

During the winter months, our program will be critical in protecting homeless individuals and families from the bitter cold. From November through March, congregations will provide beds, meals, snacks, and transportation. This service could not be provided without the compassion of volunteers who will contribute countless hours of work.

KENTUCKY CLERGY ENDORSE GWINN FOR BISHOP

Lexington, KY (June 15, 2003) – United Methodist clergy and laity across Kentucky have endorsed Rev. Dr. Al Gwinn as a candidate for the Office of Bishop for the denomination. The enthusiastic backing came at the close the 2003 session of the Kentucky Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church held in Bowling Green, June 10 – 14. More than 1,000 clergy and lay delegates were in attendance.

At the conference, Gwinn was also elected on the first ballot by his peers as their first choice to represent them at the 2004 United Methodist Church General Conference in Pittsburgh. Less than 1,000 delegates worldwide are elected to attend General Conference. Gwinn’s run for Bishop will take place at the denomination’s Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina in July 2004. If elected, he will become one of just 50 UMC bishops nationwide to oversee an Episcopal area.

“Dr. Gwinn has exceptional leadership skills as well as a true heart for the ministry and the people of the United Methodist Church,” said Rev. Debbie Wallace-Padgett, UMC district superintendent of the Prestonsburg District. As Dean of Bishop James R. King’s cabinet, Wallace-Padgett affirmed Gwinn’s selection. Bishop King presides over the Louisville Episcopal Area, which encompasses the Kentucky Annual Conference as well as the Red Bird Missionary Conference in southeastern Kentucky.

An ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church for 36 years, Gwinn is now the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Lexington. He also serves as the conference chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry, the oversight committee for clergy credentials and review. Additionally, Gwinn serves on various jurisdictional and general church committees, such as the Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council and the General Council on Ministries.

The United Methodist Church has about 8.5 million members and nearly 45,000 active ordained clergy.

FIRST CHURCH ADDS SECOND CAMPUS

First Church Charge Conference and church leadership team took a vital step in our quest to follow God’s lead and to be faithful stewards of the vision that God is providing.

The Lexington District Superintendent, Dr. Tom Eblin, on behalf of the Kentucky Annual Conference, approached our leadership team with a request that First Church take the property and ministry of Andover Community Church. The 2002 report of our Vision Team, adopted by our February, 2002 Charge Conference, reaffirmed the commitment of our congregation to remain located downtown, yet stated that significant green space is vital to support fellowship and recreational ministries.

The Andover property consists of approximately eleven acres and an 8,000 square foot building with parking consisting of 42 spaces. It is situated on Todds Road east of Interstate 75 at the proposed intersection of the new Polo Boulevard.

The Kentucky Conference Chancellor has placed the deed of the Andover property into the name of the First United Methodist Church Board of Trustees. We will be working to keep you informed, through the Circuit Rider and other announcements, as more details of our plans and vision to expand our ministries through the Andover campus unfold.