Frequently Asked Questions

I want to know more about Greensburg First, and I'm interested in growing in my faith. What should I do?

We'd love to meet you, and you should feel welcome to join us for worship at any time. Our pastor and anyone on the staff will be happy to answer your questions. What you should remember is that no one is excluded from our church. Even for communion, all are welcome to participate.

Growing in faith is a process that doesn't happen overnight. It begins with worship, and includes prayer and community. Christianity is a community based faith. We grow in our faith together better than we do separately. Greensburg First is a great place to begin a faith journey, and we'll be thrilled to help you.  Our Pastor embraces a statement from Christian author and pastor Max Lucado:  "God loves you just the way you are, yet He loves you too much to let you stay that way.  He wants you to be more like Jesus."

We have a child and want our baby baptized. How should we proceed?

Baptism is one of our sacraments, so it is treated with great respect. When an infant is baptized, we celebrate:

    1.   God's promise to be active in the life of the child,

    2.   the promise of the parents to raise the child in the Christian faith, and

    3.  the congregation's promise to be there to support that child as he/she grows in faith.

Because of the sacredness of those promises, we require a commitment on the part of the parents (usually meaning one parent should be a member of the congregation). Since our baptisms require a promise of support from the congregation, they are not held privately, but are included in one of our public worship services.

Parents who wish to have a child baptized should contact the pastor, who will meet with them to explain the sacred commitment and offer our support as a congregation.

My fiance and I hope to be married soon. Does one of us need to be a church member? What will be expected of us?

Marriage is a sacred rite, but not a sacrament.

Membership at Greensburg First is not a prerequisite for a church wedding. However, the couple must demonstrate an interest in a religious ceremony, and be willing to give the rite all due respect when the ceremony is taking place in our sanctuary or chapel.

Some churches only welcome members or baptized persons at the communion table.  What regulations do you have on communion? 

United Methodists celebrate an open table. That means we welcome everyone, without exception. Children are welcome to receive the sacrament. Visitors are welcome to receive the sacrament. We recognize the communion table as Christ's table, not ours, and Christ wants all people to come unto Him.

The sacrament of communion is said to be a "converting sacrament" rather than a "sacrament for the converted." Therefore, as we receive the sacrament we experience God's grace and participate in the community of believers. Communion is a blessing and a joy, and we'd be pleased if you joined us. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month, on our weekly Saturday evening worship service, and on special occasions.