Welcome to AFUMC
Thank you for visiting our site!
We hope this website provides you with useful information about our church, our community, and our beliefs. There is a lot happening at Aurelia FUMC and we hope this virtual meeting will lead to an opportunity for us to get to know you over a cup of coffee, in service, or in worship.
Our History
In the fall of 1878, a Methodist Episcopal Church with 52 charter members was organized in Aurelia.
Its name was the First Methodist Episcopal Church. The first meetings were held in the old schoolhouse located in the first block east of Main Street. A building was erected at 417 Main Street in 1881. In 1896, a new church was built at the same location on North Main at a cost of $4,000. A basement was added and other improvements were made in 1910. In 1953, four Sunday School classrooms were added on the west side of the building, the sanctuary was redecorated, and other improvements were made. It was decided the congregation had out-grown the building on Main Street so a site located on M21 on the east edge of Aurelia was purchased. Ground-breaking ceremonies took place August 10, 1966, and the cornerstone was laid in November of that year. The first service was held June 4, 1967. A “Service of Dedication” was held March 23, 1975, with Bishop James S. Thomas as the speaker.
During the first months, itinerant ministers served the church. Since 1878 the church has been served by forty-three resident ministers appointed by the bishop. Many groups within the church are active and do much to further the work of the church. They include the Administrative Church Council, Trustees, United Methodist Women, Sunday School, Junior and Senior Youth Groups, Holy Cows and ACOM, the Praise Band, Bakers and Takers, Library Board, study groups, and committees such as finance, building, and evangelism. Volunteers contribute much time keeping the church and church grounds looking neat and attractive. Coffee fellowship is enjoyed following church services on Sunday morning.
The Mustard Seed Preschool was organized in our church in 1983. It moved to the Aurelia Community School building in 2010. Aurelia Day Care began in our church in July 2000 and moved to the school building in 2011.
In 1978, the centennial of the church was observed with a special service. In 1987, “A Day of Celebration” was observed to recognize the 20th Anniversary of the first worship service held in the new building and the 20th Anniversary of Pastor Ron Kitterman’s ordination as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. In 2003, we observed the 125th Anniversary of our church serving Aurelia and the area. For the 40th Anniversary of the first service in the new building on June 7, 2007, we had a regular service in the morning with the D.S., Bernie Colorado, giving the sermon. Following a catered dinner, our Praise Band provided music for the afternoon program, and several of our former pastors spoke briefly of their memories while here. This was followed by birthday cake to celebrate our building. The theme of the day was “May Those Who Follow Find Us Faithful.”
Our Beliefs
We Are Christians
We believe in one God. We believe that God created and sustains the universe. We believe that God came into this world in a special way through the ministry, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the way that the love of God is present in the world. “To become a Christian involves learning the story of Israel and of Jesus well enough to interpret and experience oneself and one’s world in its terms.” — George Lindbeck (1923-), The Nature of Doctrine:Religion and Theology in a PostliberalAge. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, c1984, p. 34.
Doubts and Questions Are Part of the Journey
Faith grows and changes for everyone throughout life’s journey. Most of us have questions about our faith. We welcome people who are unsure what they believe and are seeking a community in which to explore their beliefs.
Respect for Other Faiths
We believe that God loves all humankind, no matter which religion we belong to, or if we belong to no religion at all. Several interfaith families belong to our congregation. We welcome the richness they bring to our community.
Our Sacraments
Together with many Protestant churches, we recognize two sacraments: Baptism and Communion. In a sacrament, God uses tangible, material things to express sacred mysteries. Holy Baptism is the sacrament that initiates us into the church “through water and the Spirit.” In Baptism we become members of Christ’s church. Holy Communion is the sacrament that nourishes us in our journey by using real food and drink to re-enact Christ’s last meal with his disciples. Over and over again, it gives us the experience of being part of the church as the body of Christ in the world. Our celebration of Communion is open to all who wish to participate in Christian community.
Our Sacred Writings
We believe that the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are collections of writings inspired by God and written down by fallible people. We believe they contain what is needed to give life meaning. We believe they are worthy of our study, preaching and meditation.
A Congregation of the United Methodist Church
We belong to The United Methodist Church, which traces its history back to John Wesley’s ministry of church renewal in England and North America. Through Wesley (1703-1791), we share in older Christian tradition reaching back in history through the Church of England and the Catholic Church back to the earliest Apostles. Today, the United Methodist church is a denomination of 8.5 million Christians in the United States and about one million more around the world. We are a member of the IOWA Northwest District Conference (regional area) of the United Methodist Church.
The “Wesleyan Quadrilateral”
United Methodists have four guidelines, which help us make decisions. They were developed by John Wesley and are called the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral.” They ask these questions:
Is this consistent with the teachings of the Bible?
Is it consistent with the traditions of the church?
Is it consistent with reason and common sense?
Is it consistent with personal experience?
We Respect Science
We respect the insights and discoveries of natural science. We believe that God works through the laws of natural science. We accept the validity of evolution and understand it to be compatible with the Bible’s teachings.
We Are a Caring Community
Our commitment to a common faith draws us together as a church family. We value our experiences of community and mutual support. Our choirs, women’s circles, study classes, children’s programs, leadership teams, committees and mission trips are some of the large and small groups in our church which nurture
A Passion for Social Justice
During his ministry Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, welcomed children, forgave sinners and sought out society’s outcasts. We seek to continue his work for human wholeness by addressing both immediate needs and long-term sustainable solutions. We engage in a variety of social justice ministries with both local and global partners.
A Reconciling Congregation
Aurelia First United Methodist Church affirms that all individuals are of sacred worth without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, education, marital circumstances, economic status, physical and mental condition, or criminal history. We declare ourselves in support of the reconciling movement and welcome the full participation in the church of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender persons and their families, as a reflection of God’s unconditional love. We also recognize differences of opinion on issues of sexuality, and seek to journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect.
Learn more about UNITED METHODISTS HERE