Welcome to All!
We hope you find your time spent here a blessing. Feel free to browse through the various areas to learn more about this special church and its legacy, our commitment to God and each other, and our commitment to the mission of the United Methodist Church.
If you are considering a new place of worship or a relocation to our area, we would love to have you be our guest -- and consider Prospect as your church home and family.
When you visit or join our church, you will find:
- A caring congregation and church family who welcomes you
- Sermons and ministry that encourage Discipleship and commitment to the UMC mission: following Jesus, making disciples, and transforming the world
- Efforts to align with these foundational scriptural mandates and putting beliefs into action
- Mission work through various church groups
And we like fun, laughter, and food! Thank you for visiting us online and we hope you will choose to visit us at church!
If you are already actively involved, we appreciate all that you do in helping us do God's work for the church, community, and beyond!
Greetings from Pastor Ken...
Please come see and be part of what is possible when we unite to serve God and cause great things to happen.
Prospect is very much alive and committed to "walking the talk" to grow as disciples and to touch others in our church, community, and around the world.
In 2019, we adopted two UMC ministry platforms: RethinkChurch and #SeeAllThePeople. Both platforms embrace relationship-building and sharing God's love as the foundation of discipleship. These platforms are also positioned as the vision for our church’s future to Follow Jesus and Make Disciples for Christ to Transform the World.
It is indeed a privilege for Jan and me to continue to be a part of this special church and I invite you to join us on our spiritually fulfilling and rewarding journey.
When God leads you to Prospect, you will always receive a warm welcome. We'll be happy to see you as often as you bless us with your presence!
If you are looking for a church home and family, we hope you will consider Prospect.
If you need my pastoral services or someone to talk to, I am easy to reach via email (kenthrasher@vaumc.org) and by calling the Parsonage at 434-636-4058. If urgent, call my cell at 434-955-0253.
A Note about Disaffiliation as of June 16, 2023
Prospect remains part of the United Methodist Church and had not entered into formal Disaffiliation consideration until May 31, 2023. There continues to be no action required to remain affiliated. As it stands, practicing homosexuality is not compatible with the UMC Book of Discipline. That said many UMC churches - including Prospect - have embraced a "welcome to all" policy. The UMC policy is to be revisited at the 2024 General Conference. One possibility is that the Book of Discipline will be updated to remove language that excludes LGBTQ leadership and same-sex marriages - but not mandated; this would give churches the latitude to decide policy locally. Please feel free to let your position be known to Rev. Ken.
Update: on May 31, 2023, District Superintendent Jay Carey led a session at Prospect providing information and responding to questions. The next step in the process is a vote to determine if the church wants to move forward considering disaffiliation (Discernment) or keep things as they are remaining part of the United Methodist Church and maintaining a welcoming policy to All. A vote is set for June 11 to decide on this aspect. Learn more.
Discernment Vote: the resulting vote was 65 NOT to continue with discernment and 5 were in favor of continuing with discernment. As a result, Prospect will maintain the status quo with no further action toward disaffiliation.
Upcoming Events / News
When we have special events or activities throughout the year, they will be noted on the News page. Those that are current or upcoming will be highlighted in the Upcoming Event section (lower left column).
Year-round Events Overview
Our church calendar year includes the following recurring special events and services along with other things that may come up:
| Lent & Easter |
|
Sep |
|
| May |
|
Oct |
|
| June |
|
Nov |
|
| July |
|
Dec |
|
| Summer | Year-Round |
