Who We Are

Our Mission

Our mission is making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Our Beliefs
Our Beliefs

Our Christian Roots

The United Methodist Church is part of the historic Christian faith. We hold true to the same beliefs that Christians always and everywhere have believed. We believe in the one true God who is revealed in the three persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible is the Word of God. We also share other Christian beliefs like belief in the Church, the Kingdom of God, and in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The United Methodist Church is distinctly Christian. 

Heritage, Foundations, and Faith in Action

Our Wesleyan heritage, the foundational documents of our faith, and our call to live out that faith in action shape who we are as United Methodists.

The United Methodist Church also has a unique heritage that came from the faith experience of two brothers in 18th century England, Charles and John Wesley. These two priests in the Church of England came to believe and experience that God is a God of amazing grace. The Lord used their faith, actions, and leadership to give birth to the Methodist movement that became one of the largest and most influential revivals in world history. Charles Wesley became most known for his music and hymns. John Wesley became most known for his preaching. Together they focused on small group discipleship that emphasized holiness of heart and life, and they led a vision to reform the continent and spread scriptural holiness. Through music, word, and actions of service, they led the Christians of their day in bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom to their land. Sinners found forgiveness. The lost were found. The poor, the orphan, the widow, the sick, the imprisoned, and the uneducated all found help and hope. Through the Methodist movement, society was truly changed.  

Based on the scriptures, the United Methodist Church looks to five documents to articulate our teaching of the Christian faith. They are:

  • The Articles of Religion of the Church of England
  • The Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren
  • John Wesley’s Standard Sermons
  • John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the New Testament
  • The General Rules of the Methodist Church 

If you would like to read these foundational documents, please visit www.umc.org. 

As United Methodists we look to four sources to guide us in living out our faith in Jesus Christ. The first and foremost source is the Bible. The Old and New Testament scriptures are the primary guide we have for living out our faith. In addition to and secondary to the scriptures are tradition (the witness of faith of past generations), reason, and experience. Using these four sources as guides, we seek to interpret and apply the truth of the Gospel in the 21st century. 

Using this method of living out faith, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has written a document called “The Social Principles”. “The Social Principles” are faith statements guided by the sources of scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, and they address a wide variety of contemporary issues like marriage and sexuality, bio-technology, war and peace, immigration, and many other issues relevant to life in the 21st century.  

“The Social Principles” are not church law, and the United Methodist Church does not expect everyone to think the same on these issues. Instead we look to “The Social Principles” as an invitation for us all to have a prayerful and studied dialogue of current issues. From this study and dialogue, we seek to live out our faith through loving action that will change the world.  

If you would like to read “The Social Principles”, please visit www.umc.org.

Our History

Pipkin’s Chapel, the nearest Methodist church, was some six miles away when the village of Zachary incorporated on August 2, 1889. A core group of Zachary Methodists declared their mission to build a church locally. Zachary Methodist Episcopal Church, South was organized under a brush arbor where we worship and enjoy fellowship today. Noel Norwood, a young “free-lance” Methodist preacher, left his imprint on our church and started Methodism at Zachary in 1890.

Our ancestors fought a yellow fever epidemic, rebuilt their second church from the ashes of a tragic church fire of 1914, and struggled through the Great Depression to keep operational. While enduring hardships, dedicated members planned, financed, and fashioned the growth of our church.

It was organized initially as Zachary Episcopal Church, South, it was renamed Zachary Methodist Church in 1939, and in 1968, it became Zachary United Methodist Church. We worship Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of Christian membership just as the early church members did under the Brush Arbor. Today, our church campus has five buildings and offers traditional and contemporary worship services. Our church has a strong youth program and over twelve outreach adult ministries that welcome new members to participate, and we continue our long legacy of serving the needs of our community.

1891

1891

Zachary Methodist Episcopal Church, South

1914

1914

Zachary Methodist Episcopal Church, South

1949

1949

Sanctuary

1964

1964

Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall

1994

1994

Enlargement of the Sanctuary

2008

2008

Pathway, Fellowship Hall and Little School Building