West Market Street United Methodist Church
AI summary — doctrinal positions on this page are inferred by AI from this church's own public statements and may be inaccurate.
Historical
Historical details
ArchitectureRomanesque Revival architecture
Heritage statusNational Register of Historic Places listed place
Inherited from denomination
What United Methodist Church teaches
Positions bound by the denomination's confessional standards. This is what the tradition teaches; whether this specific congregation publicly holds each is a separate question — see Statements below.
Affirms
- Homosexual practice and biblical sexual ethicsweakSame-sex marriage authorization implies moral affirmation.
- Infant BaptismstandardWestminster XXVIII; Book of Concord SC IV; Council of Trent Session VII; Wesleyan Articles Art. XVII
- Permissibility of divorce and remarriageweakMatthew 19:9 (adultery ground); 1 Corinthians 7:15 (abandonment ground). Practice varies.
- Women in pastoral / ordained officeweakVarious denominational actions (TEC 1976, ELCA 1970s, PC(USA) 1956, AG 1935, CofE 1994 priests / 2014 bishops, etc.)
Denies
- Assumption of MaryweakUniversal Protestant rejection — not attested in Scripture; not received as dogma.
- Immaculate ConceptionstandardUniversal Protestant + Orthodox rejection. Orthodox reject on the grounds that they hold prepurification at the Annunciation, not conception.
- Marriage as one man and one womanweakPC(USA) 2015; ELCA 2009; TEC 2015; UMC 2024. Same-sex marriage authorized in polity.
- Perpetual Virginity of MaryweakNatural reading of Matthew 13:55–56 (brothers of Jesus); typical modern Baptist / evangelical position.
- TransubstantiationstandardOrthodox reject the Aristotelian metaphysics; Lutherans use 'sacramental union'; 39 Articles Art. XXVIII rejects explicitly; Reformed/Baptist reject substance-change.
Wrestles with
- Apostolic SuccessionweakLutheran and Methodist bodies retain 'succession of doctrine' language without the tactile chain.
- Believer's BaptismweakPaedobaptist bodies practice adult baptism on credible profession where infant baptism was omitted, but do not consider it normative.
- Pacifism vs. just-warweakDefault just-war framework — usually unwritten. Inheriting at weak confidence.
- Real PresenceweakCalvin's spiritual presence (genuinely present but not physically) is neither strong affirm nor deny; Anglican/Methodist typically hold a receptionist view.
- TheotokosweakConfessionally valid title (Ephesus is a received council) but not used devotionally; retained in liturgy where liturgy is retained.
In their own words
Statements
wikipedia_intro
West Market Street United Methodist Church (WMSUMC) is one of the oldest churches in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is over 190 years old; WMSUMC is located in downtown Greensboro across from the courthouse. It is a relatively large church with approximately 1700 members, though not all are active. The current sanctuary was constructed between 1893 and 1898; it was the third sanctuary built by the congregation. Today, the church has expanded, with a larger educational complex adjacent to the sanctuary, and other properties, including an Early Childhood Center, held at nearby. The Senior PastoSource ↗
statement_of_faith
<!doctype html> General 2 — West Market Church West Market Street UMC 0 Skip to Content About Our Beliefs Our Team Church Map New to West Market Street UMC Worship Current Bulletin Traditional Worship Modern Worship Music Ministries Radio Worship Wednesday Midday Worship Prayer Requests Grow Children & Families Youth Adults ECC Preschool Care for Creation Justice & Mercy Book Group Serve Egg Hunt for Good Outreach At Church Volunteer Form Events Resources Publications Enews Subscribe Virtual Guest Pad Church Library Safe Sanctuaries Church History I'mSource ↗
beliefs
General 2 — West Market Church West Market Street UMC 0 Skip to Content About Our Beliefs Our Team Church Map New to West Market Street UMC Worship Current Bulletin Traditional Worship Modern Worship Music Ministries Radio Worship Wednesday Midday Worship Prayer Requests Grow Children & Families Youth Adults ECC Preschool Care for Creation Justice & Mercy Book Group Serve Egg Hunt for Good Outreach At Church Volunteer Form Events Resources Publications Enews Subscribe Virtual Guest Pad Church Library Safe Sanctuaries Church History I'm New Give Open Menu Close Menu About Our Beliefs OurSource ↗
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