Come as you are!
Look around and you will find a very diverse group of people that are Vestal UMC. Everyone is unique, has a story, and are in different stages of life, and with their walk with God. At Vestal UMC all are accepted for who they are and encourage based on their specific situations and needs. Most importantly - everyone is a part of our family. It is our continuing mission to be people acting in love, filled with joy and rooted in Christ Lord and Savior.
On any given Sunday you will find an occasional friend dressed in their Sunday best, some dress business casual, and you will find many in jeans and nice shirt or tasteful tee or sweatshirt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you'll find answers to the information that we are asked the most.
Yes! Our Sunday worship services, and most special services, are live streamed here on our website, on our Facebook page, and on our YouTube channel. Live streams usually begin 10 minutes before the scheduled start of our worship.
Come comfortable and casual. If you like to dress up, you can dress up. If you prefer jeans and tasteful t-shirt or sweatshirt then go ahead and wear them. Vestal UMC is about seeking a real relationship with God and with one another. What we wear is secondary.
Absolutely!
The United Methodist Church has an open communion table. This means that it is open to all who love God, who regret their wrongdoings, and seek to live in peace with one another. You do not need to be a member of our church, there is no minimum age, and people of all faiths can take communion here (if your faith permits).
It is up to the parents to decide when their child should begin receiving communion.
Should you have any questions about the Sacrament of Communion we invite you to speak to one of our pastors.
- Confession of Faith: This process marks the initial entrance into membership in the church when one confesses faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
- By Reaffirmation of Faith: This process marks renewing of our confession of faith after a period of inactivity or not being on a church membership role.
- Transfer of Membership: You may be joining from another United Methodist Church or a Christian church of another denomination. We recognize Baptism from all other Christian churches.
Baptism is a covenant between us and God. It is God’s word to us, proclaiming our adoption by grace and our word to God, promising our response of faith and love. Vestal United Methodist Church welcomes your inquiry about the Sacrament of baptism and we look forward to assisting your family with planning this special event during one of our worship services. For membership and confirmation, Vestal United Methodist Church recognizes baptisms from other faith traditions and churches.
If you have your infant or young child baptized you are making a covenant with God to nurture your child in Christ’s holy Church, and that by your teaching and example your child will be guided to accept God’s grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly, and to lead a Christian life. When your child is older they can go through confirmation classes and confirm the covenant you made on their behalf when they were baptized.
When children or adults are baptized it is done during a worship service. This is because the congregation of the church also makes a covenant with those being baptized to help nurture their relationship with Christ.
For more information on baptism and the United Methodist Church click here.
If you would like to speak to our pastor about baptism please email the church office ([email protected]) or call us at (607) 785-3367.
The Wedding Ceremony is one of life’s most significant occasions. Therefore, unhurried, careful planning is essential. This is true whether the couple anticipates a service with only a few relatives and friends in attendance, or a sanctuary service with several hundred guests.
We are happy to make our church available to members of the public as well as to the members of the church.
The Christian wedding is a sacred covenant and those coming to the church for marriage will recognize the conventional character of this Christian act. Those who cannot in good conscience agree to this understanding are encouraged to seek secular assistance for their marriage.
Request a wedding date as early as possible so that it may be placed on the church calendar without a possibility of a conflict. When you call the church, and the date is approved, we will pencil your date in on the calendar. We will send you a Wedding Information Packet and a form to complete. Once we receive the completed form and deposit we will officially put your wedding date on the calendar.
We are happy to help your family in this time of need in whatever ways we can. Funeral services are provided for anyone – not just our members.
The Service of Death and Resurrection expresses gratitude to God for the life of the one who has died and bears witness to our conviction that because Christ has been raised from the dead, we too will be raised to new life. We worship in the assurance that nothing – not even death itself – can separate us from God’s love.
If you would like to pre-plan your funeral please contact the church office.
If you have lost a loved one please contact the office as soon as possible. The staff can provide you guidance in making plans for a funeral, and the pastor will provide comfort, prayer, and help you with service planning.