NOTE: The first of the liturgical services at FUMC-Commerce will be at 9:45 a.m.,Sunday, March 13 in the FUMC chapel.
At a time when divisions within society seem increasingly prevalent, two Commerce church congregations are finding common ground in order to better serve their members and other worshippers.
The Epiphany Episcopal Church of Commerce recently closed after gradually losing membership over the years. But the First United Methodist Church of Commerce has decided to offer an Episcopal-style liturgical service at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday in its chapel for local Episcopalians and others.
FUMC Pastor Valarie Englert learned that Epiphany Episcopal would be closing last fall.
“I began to wonder what might be the best way to welcome those who had been members of Epiphany,” Pastor Englert said. “After all, the Episcopal and United Methodist denominations are siblings – we both find our origins in the Church of England, and the United Methodist church’s founder, John Wesley, was an Anglican priest all of his life.”
Coincidentally (or, some might say, providentially) in January, Carolyn Trezevant, who had been a member at Epiphany, approached Pastor Englert. “I have a question for you,” Ms. Trezevant said. “Would the Methodist church here in Commerce consider starting an Anglican-style service, similar to what they have at Highland Park United Methodist?”
The following Sunday, the members of FUMC had a “Coffee Talk” at which interested members gathered to chat about dreams and goals for the church in the coming year. “During the course of our chat, I told them about my conversations with Carolyn, and asked for their feedback,” Pastor Englert said. “To a person, the response was overwhelmingly positive!” FUMC Leadership Team chair Harriet Williams commented, “Offering a variety of worship services is the wave of the future, and may well save our churches. We need to be thinking more ecumenically.”
“Little did I know when I mentioned to Pastor Valerie the possibility of an Anglican rite service at FUMC that it would so quickly become a reality,” said Ms. Trezevant. “Liturgical worship is so very rich. Every action has a meaning that enhances the worship service and enriches us spiritually. I’m grateful to FUMC for giving us Anglicans a new church home in Commerce.”
“FUMC is offering me the opportunity to be part of a spiritual family in my own community,” said Commerce Episcopalian Glenda Parks. “I could travel to Greenville or Sulphur Springs to worship in an Episcopal Church, but I would always be a visitor.”
“Things have fallen into place in such a way that we feel assured that the Spirit is with us in this,” Pastor Englert said. “We have a talented, knowledgeable cantor in Michelle Corazao, who is the spouse of our new associate pastor, the Rev. Marc Corazao. We have an experienced organist in Commerce musician Ron Thomas, and we have gathered most of the necessary vessels and resources at little or no cost. In short, we have most everything we need for an authentic, Spirit-filled liturgical service.
“The progression of events has confirmed for me one of the most wonderful things about our denomination: we can faithfully accommodate a variety of worship styles. We can have guitars with praise and worship music, we can worship with gospel hymns and piano, and we can worship with ancient liturgy and ritual, all under the United Methodist umbrella.”
For more information on the liturgical service at FUMC-Commerce, call (903) 886-3220.