Mission, Vision and Values

The people of First United Methodist Church of Boulder welcome you.

We seek to create an atmosphere of Inclusiveness, Acceptance and Joy for those who enter our doors.

We are a United Methodist Church worshiping and serving the Boulder community since 1859.

We are a Sanctuary for Christian Worship.

We are a Sanctuary for exploring our relationships with God and each other through learning, celebration and action.

Our Vision

To be an inclusive, progressive Christian community seeking to connect individuals and families of all generations with God’s unconditional love.

Our Mission

As an inclusive Christian community of faith, we will celebrate our Christian beliefs through worship, fellowship and service in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment; create vital, relevant ministries for diverse generations, families and individuals; promote theological study and spiritual formation; enrich spiritual life through the arts; and encourage witness and action for a more just, loving and peaceful world.

We Value:

Learning to become more authentic followers of Jesus by sharing and exploring beliefs from our own traditions and the traditions of others whose insight into the divine is seen through different lenses.

Celebration of the deepest meanings, values, and hopes in our lives through fellowship, worship, and ritual as part of our spiritual journey.

Action based upon our belief in the importance of social action to help bring justice, harmony and equality to the world locally and globally.

We are part of the Reconciling Congregations movement within our larger connection of United Methodist Churches reflecting our acceptance of all persons without regard to sexual orientation or other characteristics that may define cultural status.

We value education and activities that support health, healing and stewardship of our world, and we want to partner with organizations that participate in building and sustaining healthy persons and healthy communities.

We recognize other faiths as valid and honor the efforts of all caring people to bring about a more just and compassionate world.

Our Beliefs

• We believe that God is love and that God loves all people unconditionally.
• We believe, as Christians, that Jesus is the decisive revelation of God embodied in a human life.
• We believe that God intends for people to be whole and fully alive, and that Christianity offers a way to fulfill this intention.
• We believe that humanity is inherently diverse and that differences are to be honored.
• We believe that Christianity is one faith among many, that there are multiple paths to God and that Christians are called to respect all persons and other faiths and spiritualities.
• We believe that Holy Communion is a gift offered to all, without restrictions or requirements.
• We believe that our faith calls us to serve others, to work for social justice and to care for the environment.
• We believe, as United Methodists, that faith is grounded in Scripture, tradition, reason and experience, and that Scripture is a chorus of voices which sometimes disagree.
• We believe that the United Methodist motto of ‘Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors’ is true to God’s vision and to the life and teachings of Jesus and includes all people regardless of race, class, ability, family composition or sexual orientation, or any other barrier to a sense of belonging. This belief supports our membership in the Reconciling Ministries Network of the United Methodist Church.