Huntsville, AL -- Two of the fastest growing churches in the country are in Huntsville. That's according to Outreach Magazine, which recently released its list of top 100 congregations. Willowbrook Baptist Church came in 76th. Huntsville First United Methodist came in 74th. First UMC Senior Pastor Dr. Glenn Conner says the news was something of a surprise, "mainly because when I think of fastest growing churches, I think of churches that are new."
Huntsville First UMC is far from new. The church was established in 1808, and it has occupied its present building on Greene Street in downtown Huntsville for more than 140 years. However, while the members respect the past, they also embrace the future. Dr. Conner says, "we claim our history. It's who we are, and at the same time, this church made a decision 11 years ago and bought and built new buildings to incorporate contemporary worship... and now we have five worship services on Sunday morning."
The additional services are needed to accommodate additional members, of which there are currently more than 3,000. Much of that growth is represented by the youth and new couples. "A lot of young couples choose to have their weddings here, " Dr. Conner says, adding, "we do counseling, premarital counseling with them, always invite them to come, and we've been blessed that a lot of them are choosing to come back."
For more information about Huntsville First United Methodist Church, visit huntsvillefirst.org
