WHO WE ARE
Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission…
is to know Jesus and to make Jesus known.
John 20:30-31; The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name (NLT).
Our Vision…
is to be the church that equips every believer for a significant ministry by helping them discover the spiritual gifts and the talents God is giving them. We will accomplish this through worship; growing to Christian maturity through God’s grace; and by serving each other, our community, and the world.
Our Core Value...
is Love. We love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and our neighbors as ourselves. This value is commanded by Jesus, inspired by our Wesleyan heritage including to spread scriptural holiness over the land, and witnessed through our integrity, accountability and inclusiveness.
Luke 10:25-28; One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” (NLT)
Our Beliefs
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- These words from the Gospel of Matthew are the foundation of our beliefs at Franklin First United Methodist Church. We believe that welcoming all persons into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is our highest purpose. Eternal salvation comes through Jesus Christ who offers His love, grace, and forgiveness to all. This means that whoever you are, regardless of race, color, age, national origin, status, or economic condition, you are welcome at First Church.
- As United Methodists, we believe that God is constantly calling us into a more committed relationship with Jesus Christ, no matter where we are on our spiritual journeys. We are a church that touches hearts and extends minds. We are a church that accepts people as they are, and yet we challenge each other to be better. We are a church that worships together, grows together and serves together in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ.
- We are a church that proclaims the gospel with enthusiasm and passion. We are a worldwide church, part of a larger Body of Christ that extends to all parts of the world.
- We are an open church. We believe that Christ welcomes all persons and that as His disciples, we are called to do the same. Jesus Christ is at the heart of everything we do.
- We are a church with a family spirit. This family spirit enables us to be there for each other in our joys and sorrows throughout our lives.
- We believe in building the Kingdom of God, one person at a time. It is our belief that the Kingdom of God will be built by welcoming all persons into the fellowship of the church, nurturing their relationship with Jesus Christ, and then commissioning them into service for Christ into the world.
If you are searching for something to believe in or belong to, you are not alone. Our hearts, minds, and doors are open to you.
If you are searching for Jesus, you have come to the right place!
Meet Our Pastor
Pastor Melissa was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. She grew up being nurtured in the Christian faith at Christ United Methodist Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She was very active in her home church being involved in youth group, singing in the youth and adult choirs and playing handbells in the youth and adult handbell choirs.
Serving outside of her home church, she worked as a camp director for Camp Outreach which was a camp for youth who were underprivileged and at high risk for gang involvement. In addition, she also worked as a Camp Counselor for Life for Youth Ranch. As a young adult, she volunteered in many Christian Education ministries (VBS, youth, etc.) and attending several mission trips.
In 1992, she was commissioned as a Diaconal Minister of Christian Education in the Western PA Annual Conference. Having served as a Diaconal Minister for some time gave her the experience and the sense of call to enter the ordained ministry. In 2016, she was ordained as an Elder in the Western PA Annual Conference. She has served in churches in Washington County, PA, as well as in the Erie County, PA before coming to the Franklin First UMC.
Her spiritual gifts for ministry include teaching, helping, and administration. She has a passion to serve those who are underprivileged and those who are desiring to come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Some of her personal interests include spending as much time as she can with family going on day trips including hiking and fishing. She also enjoys going to the Erie beaches in search for sea glass. Reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, doing crafts, and walking are activities she does to relax. She is a mother of two young men (Andrew 18 and Caleb 21). She is also married to Ron who is also an Ordained Elder in the Western PA Annual Conference.
