Killearn United Methodist Church

About

PRESENT • GROW • SEND

Our mission is to present Christ, encourage growth & holiness and send out to present Christ.

Story

WHO WE ARE
Our mission is to present Christ, encourage growth and holiness and send out to present Christ.

We are a growing body of Christ, committed to building the kingdom of God. As a healing body, we welcome any and all – just as they are. We recognize that we are all here by grace and believe that spiritual growth takes place best within a community of love centered on God’s Word. Together, we strive to be, more and more, the people God is calling us to be.

WHAT TO EXPECT
On Sunday mornings we offer three different worship experiences, two contemporary (9:30 AM - Contemporary and 11 AM Spirit & Truth) , and one traditional at 8 AM. Additionally during all services we offer children's ministries for ages 6 weeks through Grade 5. At 9:30 and 11 AM the youth (Grade 6-12) have Sunday School classes available. Sunday School for adults is available at 9:30 & 11 AM.

During the week, we offer a large variety of classes, small groups and prayer & fellowship opportunities for all ages throughout the week. Casual dress is welcome at all of our church services and events.

OUR HISTORY
Killearn United Methodist Church (Killearn UMC) was founded in 1969 with a membership of 65 and a budget of $1705. David Brazelton was our first pastor and we met at what was then Timberline School, now Gilchrist Elementary School before the acquisition of property for the church at 2800 Shamrock St South and the parsonage on Fermanagh Cir that same year. From a ministry standpoint, Vacation Bible School, Sanctuary Choir, Methodist Youth Fellowship, and Sunday school classes began that year with no paid staff other than the pastor. Additionally, the 1st Women's Circle was established and a live Nativity was held on the church property. We had Easter Sunrise Services, dinner on the grounds, Wednesday night covered dish dinners, basketball and softball teams.

During the next 10 years many activities we still participate in began including, Killearn Pre-School, sponsorship of Scouting Ministries, Communion Services on Christmas and New Year’s Eves, Children's Choirs, United Methodist Men, Prayer Chain, Church Library, adult and youth mission trips, 50+ group, and annual mission festivals. As the ministries of the church grew, our membership also grew to 701. We were able to build the parsonage, Sanctuary and an education building before welcoming a new pastor, Dr. John (Jack) A. Stroman.

In 1983, Pastor Stroman was appointed to Rader Memorial UMC in Miami and we welcomed Pastor Jennings Neeld and to Killearn UMC, who served the church for three years before retiring. We celebrated our 25th Anniversary in 1994 with Pastor Robert (Bob) G. Tindale who retired in 2015 after 29 years of serving as one of our Pastors. Our church campus was completed with the Sanctuary, two education buildings, fellowship hall and youth building. We had a membership of 1634, three morning worship services and two Sunday school programs. Programs began that are continuing today are the Food Bank, Koinonia Dinners (now called Circle of Eight Dinners), After School Program, Summer Day Camp, Quilters, Meal Ministry, Living Christmas Story and Angel Tree. We published several cookbooks, pictorial directories, added pews, held auctions, puppets, hand bells, youth and children's choirs and choir dinner theaters. We were also served during this time by our first Associate Pastors, J. L. Penfold and William (Bill) Rhoads.

From 1994 until present day, Killearn has increased membership to more than 2500 and our ministries have grown proportionately. Two more worship services have been added; Celebrate Recovery on Friday nights in the Fellowship Hall. The original Wesley Building was torn down and enlarged and we purchased property across Shamrock in order to move the administrative offices to that location. Our staff, which includes preschool, after-school, and summer day camper workers totals over 90 people. We currently offer many classes and small groups We helped in establishing Good Samaritan UMC by sending one of our former pastors, Betsy Ouellette and many members to begin this new church. We welcomed Pastors Anna Jackson and Jim Divine as associate pastors. Over the years, Killearn UMC has sent 15 men and women into the ordained ministry. Today, Pastor Mike Fordham serves as our Senior Pastor, with Pamela Green and Tim Willcox serving as Associate Pastors.

Killearn UMC Missions have been shaped and reshaped over the years. Love At Work was begun in Gretna by the youth as a summer project, replacing many years of youth mission trips to Mountain Top in Appalachia. The Coffee Pub ministry was established and passed onto another local church. Killearn UMC established a full time ministry in Gretna called The Shadetree Group. We also have a full time ministry in Nicaragua called 12 Churches. To this day, Killearn UMC continues to uphold its Mission Statement: To present Christ, encourage growth and holiness, to send believers out to present Christ.

Mission

Our mission is to present Christ, encourage growth and holiness, and send out to present Christ.

Impressum

8 AM - Traditional Worship
Familiar, traditional hymns led by choir and organ

9:30 AM - Contemporary Worship
Current songs and hymns in a contemporary style led by the worship band

11 AM - Spirit & Truth Contemporary Worship
Relaxed atmosphere with modern songs led by the worship band. Holy Communion is served each week.