All About Luray UMC

Our Mission & Vision

Our vision…

is to: “See the Love, Share the Joy”.

Our mission…

is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The mission of the church is our primary goal, while the vision is the way God is enabling us to meet our mission right now. Join us in seeing the love of God in our church and world, and sharing the joy of a life with Jesus Christ! Through the power of our connection, we are making a positive difference in more than 125 countries. READ MORE 

Our Church History

Briefly, our church was founded around 1852 as the Luray M. E. Church and was located near the Quality Inn on West Main Street on a lot that now is vacant and adjacent to the old cemetery. The church built a new building at the corner of Broad and Main Streets between 1899 and 1900. Tragically, that church building was destroyed by fire in 1931. The church was rebuilt of limestone in 1932 during the Great Depression. Our forebearers were a committed group! In 2007 a new annex was opened that house office space, educational classrooms, and a new fellowship hall. Importantly, an elevator was added to assist those needing to move between floors.

For Our Visitors

Frequently Asked Questions

What do United Methodists believe?

As a part of the worldwide United Methodist Church family, we follow a set of Bible-based, God inspired beliefs set forth by our denomination. To learn more about our beliefs, CLICK HERE.

What should I expect?

We hope that you find us to be warm and engaging. We want to meet you and get to know you. 

We have two worship services, at 8:30 and 11:00. The 8:30 service is a contemporary worship service with a praise band and a less formally structured worship. We have coffee and donuts for the service on most Sundays. Feel free to bring your own tumbler of coffee or tea. 

The 11:00 service uses the pipe organ, has a chancel choir and uses a more traditional service structure. Folks tend to not carry beverages into this service.

We have a nursery for children from infant to five years old. Each service contains a Children’s Message early in the service after which children 3 to 5 leave the service for the nursery. Children six and older tend to remain in the service, however the 11am service has a program for children 6 to 9 that offers an alternative to sitting in the worship service.

If you still are curious, look at recent services that are streamed and saved to our YouTube account. Search for YouTube.com/@lurayumc2058 and check us out!

What should I wear?

What you wear is not important. We stress that folks come as you are, and we mean it. We wear a range of clothing from jeans to suits. A few men wear ties and jackets, but most do not. The dress at the 8:30 service is a bit more relaxed than at 11, but you still see jeans and t-shirts there too. In the summer you will see shorts worn at both services, by men and women. The point is if dressing up is customary for you, then do what feels appropriate. If you are in a more casual attire frame of mind, then do that. Do what makes you feel comfortable. You doubtless will see someone else dressed similarly.

Is there Sunday School?

Yes, there are Sunday School classes and gatherings between the service times, from 9:45 until 10:45. There is a nursery for children younger than 6. There are classes for children aged 6 to 8, 9 to 12, middle school aged, and high school aged. There is an adult group that meets to read and discuss various topics, from Bible study to a variety of Christian literature.

Is there Children's Church or a Nursery?

We have a nursery for children from infant to five years old. Each service contains a Children’s Message early in the service after which children 3 to 5 leave the service for the nursery. Children six and older tend to remain in the service, however the 11am service has a program for children 6 to 9 that offers an alternative to sitting in the worship service.

Is the church available for events (i.e., weddings, funerals, etc.)?

Yes, the church is available for events. Call the church office for more information. Wedding guidelines can be found HERE.

Rooms & Access:

Our Sanctuary accommodates 150 people.

Our Fellowship Hall holds approximately 112.  We can provide 12 round tables and 2 banquet tables.

  • Round tables are 4’8” across and seat 8 people each.
  • Banquet tables are 8’ long. If not used for serving, they can seat 8 people each.

There is an entrance to the Hall from the bank parking lot, which can be used when the bank is closed.

The Auditorium, right off sanctuary, is ideal for more intimate gatherings. Beautiful wood floors and walls. This room contains a few pews and a lectern.

Adjacent to the Auditorium, is the Parlor.  Furnished with comfortable seating for about 6-8 people, this room is a cozy space for small meetings 

The Image Classroom holds approximately 20 people.  The room includes a coffee maker (bring own supplies), sink, and refrigerator. 

Additional auxiliary spaces include the Nursery and the Kitchen.  The Nursery is a playroom for toddlers and infants and ideal for childcare at your event. Our Kitchen can be a useful space to supplement your event. You must be trained on our equipment to use our kitchen.

Our church is handicap accessible with an elevator and handicap bath on 2nd (main?) floor. All other bathrooms have handicap stalls.

How do I join the church?

We would love to have you become a member of LUMC. The process for becoming a member is simple, but unique for each person or family. First, attend LUMC worship and get involved in areas of ministry that interest you. Second, express your desire to become a member to the pastor. The pastor will discuss with you the process and seek to answer questions. If you have been a member of a church elsewhere, LUMC will request your membership to be transferred. If you are becoming a member of a church for the first time then baptism and professing your faith in Jesus Christ will be involved. Lastly, we will welcome you into membership in a worship service, and the congregation will want to express their joy over your decision! Some folks are ready to join shortly after attending, and others have been faithful participants for years without joining. We encourage you to become a member, but hope you’ll become active and involved as you take time to consider that important decision.

Who We Are

Meet Our Staff/Pastor

Rev. Erich Bennett

Pastor

Mark Nichols

Mark Nichols

Organist/Choir Director

Marcy Campbell

Marcy Campbell

Church Secretary

Toyia Wilson

Toyia Wilson

Nursery

Jamie & Brandy Rickard

Jamie & Brandy Rickard

Custodians

Preschool Teachers

Preschool Teachers

Jane Thompson, Donna Epping, Layne Vickers, Sue Raeburn, Amy Chu, & Susan Lloyd