Nice yet powerful words.

Practical divinity is s description that began with John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. These words describe his understanding of the nature and purpose of theology (the study and knowledge of God). For Wesley, you cannot study and know God (divinity) without having real world experiences (practical) of God and his presence.

John Wesley would sum up his theology in this way. His foremost desire was to love God with all of his being and he sought to love his neighbor in and through Christlike service.

And he did. His love for God and neighbor found Wesley "spreading scriptural holiness over the land." Through his actions and the actions of those individuals of the Methodist/Wesleyan movement, England became a renewed and spiritually revitalized country.

That was the 18th century. Now we are in the 21st century. What about today? What about our role in the story of God's kingdom as it unfolds now? How will our "Practical Divinity" impact our church, our neighborhoods and towns, our state, our country, and our world? Let our Practical Divinity be shaped by God, and as we are transformed, we can see our world transformed as well!

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

 Welcome to our journey! We at First United Methodist Church are proudly immersed in the Wesleyan tradition that is rich, varied, and continues today. From its beginnings in the 1700s John Wesley led a Methodist movement that has been around the world facing multiple societies and cultures, attempting throughout to speak faithfully to each of those cultures with an authentic voice. Today we strive to carry on this tradition in South Georgia by hearing the voices of our faith and to discover the contributions of the Wesleyan tradition.

Yet despite this strong foundation, it is very easy to find ourselves lost and disoriented in this crazy, fragmented world. We lose direction. And a disoriented soul struggles to find the truth in existence, in essence some real answers. Join us on our journey. Examine the spiritual life with us, see how spiritual disciplines form character, awaken us to life, help us to experience God and each other in new and fresh ways. Let us find our way together!