Join us Sunday Mornings @ 10am for Service. All are Welcome!
Our Faith Statement
“Growing a faithful community of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Ground Up.”
Who We Are
We are a compassionate and faithful community made up of people with diverse perspectives but united in our faith in and desire to become closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We embrace all who emulate the Love of Jesus for all people and for God’s Creation.
We seek to love and care for our neighbors through our support of local ministries including Portland Upper Mt. Bethel Food Pantry and the Slater Family Network as well as other local, regional, and national ministries.
What We Believe
We believe Jesus Christ came to show us the way of peace and reconciliation with all people and we seek to follow the example of Christ in what we say and do. We recognize that we are broken people seeking to understand the fullness of God’s love and grace for everyone
Worship
We worship every Sunday starting at 10:00 AM and participate in Holy Communion the first Sunday of every month. All are welcome to receive God’s grace through this sacrament. You do not have to be a member of the church and all ages are invited to receive. Our ushers will guide you to the communion rail.
Our worship service is about one hour in length and includes a Children’s Message, scripture readings, the Pastor’s message, as well as time to offer up prayer and silent reflection. We are blessed to have talented musicians who play a blend of traditional and contemporary hymns.
Please feel free to fill out a welcome card located in the pew seat in front of you. Our greeters will help you with any questions that you may have and instruct you to the location of the restrooms, family room and Sunday School room.
After worship, we gather in the fellowship hall for coffee, baked goods, and conversation. Once a month we have a fellowship brunch for everyone to share and enjoy.
Plan your visit
Handicap Accessible: We are a handicap accessible church. We have a designated parking area for those who are handicapped as well as a ramp for wheelchairs in the front of the church. There is an elevator for those with mobility issues. Our restrooms are accessible for wheelchairs and we offer headsets for the hearing impaired as well as a large screen for following along in the service.
Family Accommodations Available: We welcome children in our worship service! We want you to feel comfortable keeping our children in the sanctuary with you and encourage it. It’s okay if they can’t sit still. It’s okay if they make some noise. We offer age appropriate Busy Bee Tote bags located at the top of the stairs for busy hands and curious minds.
We offer a family room equipped with a changing table and supplies. Our Family Room is a dedicated area for parents to provide comfort when needed in a nursery type environment. It is located through the left side door in the front of the sanctuary.
A Look at the Past...
The Richmond Methodist Episcopal Church, now recognized as the Richmond United Methodist Church is steeped in history. Its incorporation predates the Civil War by 29 years! In 1820 the Richmond Methodist Church was a preaching point on the Stroudsburg Circuit. A preaching point refers to a small group of people who don't currently attend a brick and mortar church, but gather for Bible study with the hopes of starting a new church in their community.
Regular church services were eventually established and held for many years by Jacob Hevener in an old school house several hundred yards west of the current day church. Several years passed and the actual church as we know it was built in 1832. It continued to be a cornerstone in the new Richmond Circuit. From 1852 to 1871 the Richmond Circuit included the following preaching points, Williamsburg (Mount Bethel), Belvidere Corner, Slateford, Centreville (Stone Church), Bethel, Flatfield (Martins Creek), Slateville, Richmond, Mount Pleasant, Delpsburg (East Bangor). And Pennargil (Pen Argyl).
During the early part of the 1900s, large scale improvements were carried out on the church totaling over $1000. Improvements consisted of changes to the parsonage and the church and newly constructed horse sheds. In 1923 the church was bequeathed a large amount of money from the Fulmer estate. It is at this time that the installation of lights and stained glass windows occurred. A pulpit Bible and a lighted pulpit were added, as well as a communion table and altar rail.
In 1932 the 100th anniversary was celebrated under the pastorate of Reverend Robert Kieffer. In the decade spanning 1932 to 1942 minor repairs were done and new steps were added to the front of the church.
In 1942, no Pastor could be secured to serve Richmond and as a result Richmond Church and the East Bangor Church were put on one Circuit with the Reverend Harry T. Wells as pastor to both until 1944 when East Bangor became a single church.
1950 marked the beginning of a new building program, which was completed in 1952. The church was suffering real growing pains and a building committee was formed to address the problem. The project consisted of adding upstairs Sunday school classrooms and a large adult Sunday school room with a stage. Two kitchens and an ice cream room, furnace room, new lavatories, and storage space were also added. Through the contributions and hard work provided by members of the congregation back then, we are still benefiting from their efforts.
With the 1960s came the removal of the front steps and the new front entrance construction complete with inside steps leading up to the new Narthex. From 1965 to 1985 the church was under the pastorate of Reverend Evan Thomas, who led the church during the 1982 150th Anniversary celebration. During this time there were three hand bell choirs at Richmond that performed in the 1980s both far and wide and at benefit concerts for various causes, providing a musical ministry at Richmond United Methodist. Building improvement continued with the installation of a new elevator and handicap ramp and parking spaces to accommodate members and visitors with mobility issues. The social hall was renamed “Thomas Hall’ and has been the center for many church supper fundraisers and gatherings of families and visitors alike, and also for many different organizations. We continue to update and adapt to our changing world. Our committees and our faithful members are always striving to keep Richmond United Methodist Church a safe and inclusive place of worship.
In 2022, we celebrated our 190th anniversary with celebration and fellowship. A celebration marking all of the achievements past and present in our service to God. Rejoicing in the legacy that all who have gone before us created for generations to come. One hundred ninety years of worship, family, spiritual growth, and commitment to serving our community.
As the years have passed, the church has made and continues to make improvements and make updates and renovations to make our beloved church a welcoming and inclusive place of worship.
“Growing a faithful community of our Lord Jesus Christ from the ground up."
