History

Who We are and what we believe

The United Methodist Church is a global denomination that opens hearts, opens minds and opens doors through active engagement with our world. The mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

A United Methodist is someone who joins in that mission by putting faith and love into action. We believe that God loves all people, and that we share in expressing that love. So the United Methodist tradition emphasizes God’s grace and in serving others. We believe that Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God’s love–showing us the fullness of God’s care through Jesus’ teachings, death and resurrection.

John Wesley started the Methodist movement in 18th century England. His teachings on practical divinity (living out our faith) and appeals to reason and experience form important aspects of United Methodist practice today

What we believe

God

God, who is one, is revealed in three distinct persons.

Jesus

We believe in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ. God became human in Jesus whose life, death and resurrection demonstrate God’s redeeming love.

The Holy spirit

The Holy Spirit is God’s present activity in our midst. When we sense God’s leading, God’s challenge, or God’s support or comfort, it’s the Holy Spirit at work.

Human beigns

Genesis 1:27 asserts that we’ve been made in the image of the Creator. Like God we have the capacity to love and care, to communicate, and to create.

the church

The church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today.

The bible

We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice.

god’s reign

The kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and future hope.

Our Social Principles

Taking an active stance in society is nothing new for followers of John Wesley. He set the example for us to combine personal and social piety. Ever since predecessor churches to United Methodism flourished in the United States, we have been known as a denomination involved with people’s lives, with political and social struggles, having local to international mission implications. Such involvement is an expression of the personal change we experience in our baptism and conversion.

Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church (WGUMC), grew out of the Washingtonville Methodist Mission, NY in May, 1887, and moved to its current home in the Bronx, at the corner of White Plains Road and Penfield St., in 1891. Since relocating, via horse drawn carriage in 1891, to its current site, Wakefield Grace has been a valued institution contributing to the quality and fabric of its Bronx neighborhood. In 1911, the parsonage was built next door.

The Church survived and was repaired after major fires in 1927 and 1989. Unfortunately, after each fire, the limited insurance proceeds resulted in compromises in the way the Church was rebuilt. Nonetheless, the congregation pressed on. The Church was a stabilizing influence in the neighborhood through some very challenging times, especially the 1980-1990’s when illegal drug trade and prostitution threatened to destabilize the area.

In 2008, new leadership came to WGUMC and revitalized the congregation. The worship experience was enhanced by integrating more contemporary music, song and dance. Technology was incorporated into the Church operations including multimedia streaming via the Internet. Community outreach flourished during this revitalization period. The following are representative activities:

Since 2009, the Mentoring Tutoring Outreach Ministries program was started to provide individual attention to students from grades one to six. The program has evolved into the After School Program, which, since 2012, has been a 5-day per week program for neighborhood children. Due to deteriorating conditions of the building and limited capacity, this program was halted.

Every year and more aggressively since 2011, the Church has been working with the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and those in other underdeveloped countries in Africa to help these needy communities with donations and supplies.

In 2015, the Church commenced a four-week Summer Day-Camp with twenty (20) campers. The Church obtained a license through the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The program has evolved to a maximum of 22 campers for six weeks due to the condition of the building and space limitations. Some of the campers have stayed at sleep away Camp Quinipet on Shelter Island.

Since 2013, WGUMC has been looking for a way to replace their aging and antiquated Church facilities. The existing Church and parsonage buildings are over 100 years old and have limited historic value. The Congregation, on its own, does not have the financial resources to replace the obsolete buildings. What they have of value is the land. In 2017 WGUMC was one of five churches selected to participate in the initial New York Land Opportunity Program (NYLOP).

This Program provided pro-bono technical assistance led by Local Initiatives Support Corporation NYC (LISCNYC) to promote the development of affordable housing by supporting local mission-driven organizations that are long-standing community anchors that play a key role in their neighborhood.