Why I chose the United Methodist Church or why It chose me

Well I've taken a break but now I'm back. My friend Brittny asked me if I could offer her any information about the Methodist Church. Being the Methodist Nerd that I am, I gladly mailed her about 5 books. This brought me to revisit a question I've often been asked. Why the United Methodist Church? Now this question probably wouldn't occur nearly as often, had I not had the distinction of coming to the UMC from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or The Mormons. Before I get to the UMC let me discuss why my mother and I left the Mormon Chuch. My family has never been overly religious. We may have went to church on Sunday we may have missed it. It wasn't a big deal to my family. When we got more diligent about going, my mother quickly realized the Mormon Church was no longer for us. The final straw for us was spending a worship service sitting at the back of the Church with no actual worship going on. The "worship" for the day was an entire family Father, Mother, and three children got up and in front of the church confessed every little thing they had done wrong that week all the way down to the youngest child. I remember the little one confessing things as simple as not sharing with someone at school. While I believe that admission of sin is an important part of reconciliation with God, something moved inside of us. We left the church never to return. After spending about two months visiting various denominations, we arrived at Gateway United Methodist Church. We were given a loaf of fresh baked banana nut bread by the United Methodist Women's group to welcome us as a visitor to the church. Then after the service came the defining moment of what would become my faith journey so far. Unlike the other denominations ministers, pastors,etc the pastor of this church answered our questions that day. You see the other churches we had visited the pastors all wanted us to make time to come in and talk to them. The pastor of Gateway UMC after greeting everyone changed out of his robes and sat for an hour and a half answering our questions. About 6 months later I was baptized and mine and my mothers request as member of Gateway United Methodist Church and the larger United Methodist Church body. When I ask people why I chose the United Methodist Church, I often assert that God chose it for me and brought us there, but the main difference is the welcoming to visitors regardless of circumstances or past. This continues to be a bright point for me as I serve in various capacities within the church. I see a church that fully embraces the belief that Christ loves you enough to meet you exactly where you are, but loves you too much to just leave you there. The people of the United Methodist Church are actively working and serving in this capacity to meet people wherever they are on their journey of faith and work to create Disciples for the transformation of the world. That is why I am United Methodist.