A Place to Belong on Franklin Road
Brentwood United Methodist Church sits on the corner of Franklin Road and Williamsburg Road in Brentwood, Tennessee, across from the Brentwood Place Shopping Center. Methodists in the Brentwood community first gathered for worship in 1851, more than a century before the city of Brentwood was incorporated. The congregation has rebuilt, relocated, and grown through fires, storms, and lightning strikes over more than 170 years. Today the church is recognized for its long-running youth choirs, its two on-campus preschools, and a wide network of mission and care ministries that extend from Middle Tennessee to South Africa.
The congregation worships in person and online each Sunday morning with two traditional services in the Sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 a.m., and a modern service in the Chapel at 9:45 a.m. Sunday School classes for all ages meet at 9:45 a.m. The building is open to the public Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The staff and clergy are reachable during those hours, and a pastor is on call at other times for emergencies.
From a Frierson Street Meeting House to a Capital Campaign
The original Brentwood Methodist Church was founded in 1851 on Frierson Street, on the site where Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church stands today. In 1867, the congregation passed a resolution allowing men and women to sit together in worship. The Tennessee Conference later noted that this made Brentwood Methodist Church the first congregation in the conference to authorize mixed seating.
A windstorm or tornado destroyed the Frierson Street building in the 1880s, and the congregation moved to a new location on Church Street, dedicating the new sanctuary in 1886. In 1936, lightning struck the Church Street building and destroyed it completely. The members chose to rebuild brick by brick rather than disband.
By 1968, growing pains led the congregation to vote to relocate again, this time to Franklin Road. The same year, on the national level, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to form the United Methodist Church. The new Brentwood campus opened in 1972 with the Chapel as its primary worship space. In 1989 the Sanctuary was built to accommodate continued growth, and in 2004 the Turner Discipleship Center was added to expand space for youth and adults.
After a 2015 facilities assessment and the formation of a Building Team, the congregation developed a master site plan. Work was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the church shifted to a hybrid worship model that continues today. The Called Together Capital Campaign now funds a multi-phase renovation: new and repurposed spaces for children's ministry, expanded seating and upgraded audio, video, lighting, and acoustics in both the Sanctuary and the Chapel, accessibility improvements including ramps to the chancel areas in both worship rooms, and a refreshed security system throughout the campus. The campaign also sets aside funds to help the partner ministry Healing Housing purchase homes for its residents.
Three Sunday Services, One Modern and Two Traditional
The worship schedule pairs traditional liturgy with a contemporary alternative. Both 8:30 and 11 a.m. services in the Sanctuary use cherished liturgy and hymns, accentuated by the youth choirs and ensembles that have been part of the church's identity for more than 50 years. The 9:45 a.m. Modern service in the Chapel is led by a worship band with a dynamic, contemporary feel.
Music is woven through the congregation's life. The Youth Choir, active for over 50 years, rehearses Sunday evenings and leads worship at the 8:30 a.m. service. The Sonshine and Jubilation Choirs for younger singers rehearse at 4:45 p.m. on Sundays. Children's Choirs for ages four through fifth grade meet Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7 p.m., and a Rhythm and Bells handbell group for children meets Wednesdays from 5 to 5:45 p.m. The Traditional Music program, directed by Ryan Jones, supports the Sanctuary services, and the Modern worship team is led by Campus Worship Leader Ashton Gibbs.
All three Sunday services are livestreamed, and recorded services are available in the Worship Archives, which stretches back many years. Sermon audio and video are also available through a podcast feed. The church describes the format as one where children of all ages are welcome in worship and encourages families to sit together, with worship bags provided for younger children.
BUMC Kids: A Faith Journey from the Nursery through Fifth Grade
BUMC Kids partners with families to support children from birth through fifth grade as they grow as disciples. The Children's Ministry is led by Interim Director Olivia Davis, with Morgan Leonard serving as Associate Director for the Infant through PreK nursery wing and Jenna Elsberry directing youth and children's music. The Day School and Early Learning Center are led respectively by Jenny Hyams and Lori Joiner.
On Sunday mornings the Nursery is available for children ages 12 weeks through three years at all three worship hours. Wonder of Worship, for PreK-4 and kindergarten, gives young children a time of age-appropriate teaching between the scripture reading and the sermon at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. Sunday School for PreK-4 through fifth grade meets at 9:45 a.m. and uses small-group connections, Bible-related activities, and prayer. All nursery staff and Sunday School volunteers are background-checked, Safe Sanctuary certified, and trained in CPR and emergency preparedness.
Family milestones mark the path from nursery to Confirmation. Four-year-olds receive their first Bible in worship. Worship Readiness is an evening event for children and parents. Third graders receive a more mature Bible, and fifth graders attend a two-day Affirmation Retreat. Sixth graders then enter Confirmation in the Student Ministry.
Vacation Bible School runs four days each summer, filled with worship, Bible storytelling, crafts, science, recreation, and music. The church welcomes over 150 volunteers each year and offers scholarships so that any child can attend.
Two on-campus preschools extend the children's ministry into the week. The BUMC Day School is a part-time preschool for ages one to five, open Monday through Thursday from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The BUMC Early Learning Center is a full-time, year-round preschool for ages 12 weeks through five, open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Both preschools maintain a Christian environment and use child-directed play supported by trained teachers.
BUMC Student Ministry: Sixth Grade through High School
BUMCSM, the Student Ministry, gathers middle and high school students in grades six through twelve. Director McKade Stewart leads the team alongside Associate Director Kate Orr, Middle School Ministry Associate Molly McCreary, Confirmation Coordinator Ellen Price, and Youth Cafe Coordinator Laura Buchanan. Jenna Elsberry directs music for both youth and children's programs.
On Sunday mornings, students gather in the Youth Café at 9:45 a.m. for SM AM, a time of breakfast and Q&A with the Student Ministry staff. Sunday evenings begin with choir rehearsal at 4:45 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., youth worship in the Tabernacle at 6:30 p.m., and discipleship groups at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday nights include a shared meal at 5:30 p.m. and Bible study for 6th-12th graders from 6 to 7 p.m.
Discipleship Groups are smaller circles of students and adult leaders that meet to go deeper in faith. The Youth Choir takes a Winter Retreat and a Summer Choir Tour each year. Confirmation is offered each fall for sixth graders in a semester-long class that covers faith basics, United Methodist history, and the Bible, and concludes with students publicly claiming their faith and joining the church. Older students and adults can take Confirmation classes throughout the year.
Students also serve as Worship Acolytes at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services beginning in fourth grade, helping bring the light of Christ into the Sanctuary and assisting with offering, baptisms, and Communion.
Adult Discipleship, Sunday School, and Bible Study
The congregation offers a wide range of adult formation. Sunday School classes at 9:45 a.m. span ages, marital status, and discussion topics. Director of Adult Discipleship Rev. Jonathan Andersen and Pastor of Adult Education Dr. Domenic Nigrelli help newcomers find the right class. The church library on the third floor lends books to class members and small group leaders.
Throughout the week, men and women meet in small groups. The men's ministry, called Point Men, is a chartered member of the General Commission of United Methodist Men. Point Men gather weekly for breakfast, conversation, and study. Women's ministry is rooted in United Women in Faith and includes three Circles that meet monthly: Elisabeth Circle on first Wednesdays at 1 p.m., Rachel Circle on second Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., and Mary Jane Hartman Circle on third Tuesdays at 10 a.m. A bimonthly book club meets Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
A bimonthly women's book club, weekly men's fellowship, several men's small groups, and seasonal Bible studies round out the discipleship offerings. A Spiritual Gifts Assessment is available for anyone considering where to serve.
Caring Ministries: From Prayer Shawls to Stephen Ministers
Caring Ministries, directed by Rev. Casey Orr, is one of the largest areas of congregational life. It begins with prayer: a public prayer list appears in each week's bulletin, and prayer requests can be submitted online or by phone. Prayer Shawl Ministry volunteers meet Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. to knit and crochet shawls given to those in need of comfort.
Stephen Ministry is one of the church's flagship caring ministries. Stephen Ministers are lay Christians who complete a minimum of 50 hours of training and provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to people dealing with grief, divorce, family transitions, illness, caregiving, or loneliness. Care receivers meet with a Stephen Minister of the same gender about once a week for as long as needed. The service is free, available to members and non-members, and can be requested by calling the confidential hotline at 615.577.4881 or by filling out the request form.
Other care offerings include Home Communion for members no longer able to attend in person; Hospital Visitation by pastors and lay volunteers; Fishes and Loaves, which delivers home-cooked meals to those needing a respite from cooking; GraceNotes, a once-a-month letter-writing ministry; Grief Care, a four-week class led by Rev. Casey Orr; and Altar Flower Ministry, which delivers arrangements from Sunday worship to homebound members. The Partners in Hope network connects those journeying through cancer with one another. The End of Life Planning team helps with memorial service planning and pre-purchase of niches in the Chad Welch Memorial Prayer Garden and Columbarium.
The BUMC Counseling Center is an independent collaboration between the church and licensed psychotherapists in private practice. The therapists are not church employees but relocated their practices to the Counseling Center to make mental health care available for children, youth, adults, couples, and families in Williamson County.
Addiction Recovery, Career Transitions, and Memory Loss Support
Group care ministries address specific life needs. Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and Co-Dependents Anonymous hold regular meetings in the Buchanan House. Career Transitions meets Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Buchanan House, offering free presentations on job search techniques, networking opportunities, and career change advice led by local business professionals. The Sunny Day Club is a fellowship group for adults in the early stages of memory loss, meeting Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a Share and Care Group for caregivers on the second Tuesday of each month. Membership costs $1 per meeting.
Two ongoing groups offer grief support for those who have lost a spouse. Widows Ministry meets on the second Thursday of each month from 12 to 1:15 p.m., and Widowers' Gathering meets on the third Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. Dr. Petrie's Dementia Caregiver's Support Group meets on the second Tuesday at 1 p.m. The Sunny Day Club was founded at BUMC and has since expanded to several other Nashville-area congregations.
Repair and Restore Ministry sends volunteers to help fellow church members with basic home repairs, safety improvements, and general maintenance.
Missions and Outreach Beyond the Walls
The Missions & Outreach ministry is built around the conviction that service to God and neighbor is an essential biblical mandate. Rev. Ani Missirian-Wilson directs Missions & Outreach, with Associate Directors Natalie Davis and Valerie Orange.
Several lay-led missions teams engage the congregation. Career Transitions supports job seekers. Creation Care promotes stewardship of the environment through recycling, tree planting, energy efficiency, and education. The Middle East North Africa Initiative provides training and financial support to pastors and local churches in the MENA region, partnering with organizations including the Shai Fund, the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development, and Beirut Baptist School. Race and Faith pursues racial justice through education, relationships, advocacy, partnering, and action, with current partners including Nashville Peacemakers and the Raphah Institute. Refugee and Migrant Ministry, begun in 2019, develops a structure for compassionate care for immigrants and partners with Conexion Americas, Legacy Mission Village, Siloam Health Clinic, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors. Repair and Restore sends volunteers to assist with home repairs. Room in the Inn supports people experiencing homelessness in Nashville. South Africa Outreach connects the congregation with three partner schools in the Howick area. Disaster Relief, in partnership with Hope Force and UMCOR, responds to severe weather events through prayer, giving, and on-the-ground service.
Strategic Partners are nonprofit organizations that were formed out of BUMC and now operate independently with ongoing congregational support. Harvest Hands, founded as a vision of the late Dr. Howard Olds and launched in 2007 with Rev. Brian Hicks as pastor, catalyzes Christ-centered community development in South Nashville. Healing Housing, opened in 2017 by a group of women in the church, is Williamson County's first transitional living program for women healing from addiction, offering counseling, life skills training, savings programs, individualized healing plans, employment guidance, budgeting courses, twelve-step work, Bible study, and mentorship. The Ministry Leadership Center, formerly the Center for Youth Ministry Training, was founded in 2006 in collaboration with First Presbyterian Church and now equips leaders for ministry across contexts. South Africa Outreach is the umbrella for the church's relationships with Brentwood Methodist Church South Africa in Tumbleweed, Angels' Care Centre in Howick, and Thembelihle Primary School, which together served 475 sponsored students and 30 teachers across the three partner schools in 2025.
What the Church Believes
Brentwood United Methodist Church is part of the United Methodist Church and aligns itself with the teachings and practices of John Wesley. The congregation names five core values: Christ-Centered, Teachable, Ministry of All Believers, Risk-Takers, and Wesleyan. The mission statement is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and the vision is creating a culture of love formed through relationships with Christ and others.
Specific beliefs include that all people are loved by God, that God is Trinity, that Jesus Christ is God's Son and Lord and Savior, that the Holy Spirit is active and present in the world, that all are sinners in need of grace, and that God's grace exists before, during, and after our acceptance of Christ. Scripture is God-inspired and the primary source of authority, and the congregation also relies on reason, tradition, and experience in learning and discernment. Community and accountability are essential for spiritual formation. God's kingdom is both a present and a future reality, and the church is the body of Christ at work in the world. Baptism and Holy Communion are recognized as primary means of grace.
How the Church Leads
Senior Pastor Dr. Davis Chappell has served the church since 2013 and completed his Doctor of Ministry at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. The Lead Team, which provides overall leadership for the church, includes Dr. Chappell along with Executive Director Leslie Hotzfeld, Rev. Adam Jones, Rev. Casey Orr, and laity James Wells, Marilyn Webb, and Lee Neumann. Ministry Teams meet monthly and are led by staff and laity. The Church Council discerns and guides major initiatives, and the elected lay leadership includes the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Staff-Parish Relations Committee, Committee on Nominations and Leadership Development, and the BUMC Foundation.
Leadership BUMC is an annual course to identify and train future leaders. Graduates are eligible for nomination to lay committees. Each year the church also hosts the Basecamp Retreat for lay leaders and The Summit for leaders and Leadership BUMC participants. The Discernment Team, formed in 2019 to prayerfully process the church's future in the context of denominational conversations, continues to guide the congregation through this work.
The BUMC Foundation and Giving
The Brentwood United Methodist Church Foundation was established in 1992 as a Tennessee nonprofit corporation to support the church's programs, ministry, and long-term mission. Foundation funds support new ministry initiatives, mission and outreach, worship and arts, facilities and capital improvements, and the Chad Welch Memorial Prayer Garden Fund and Columbarium. The Foundation also administers two scholarship programs: the BUMC Foundation Higher Education Scholarships for high school and college students pursuing caring or helping professions, and the Howard Olds Seminary Scholarship for seminary students pursuing a Master of Divinity. Applications are accepted from March 2 through April 15 each year.
Giving at BUMC is a form of worship and a way of life. Online giving is available through the church's PushPay portal, by mail to the Finance Department, by stock gift, or through the BUMC app. Memorial gifts can be designated to specific ministries or made to the Foundation. The church hopes each person will commit a percentage of their income and grow that percentage as they are able. The Called Together Capital Campaign accepts pledges for the renovation of facilities, support for Healing Housing, and replenishment of the Capital Reserve Fund.
Visiting Brentwood United Methodist Church
The church is located at 309 Franklin Road in Brentwood, Tennessee. From Interstate 65, take exit 74 toward Old Hickory Boulevard west and drive south for 1.5 miles. Parking is available at the U.S. Bank at 289 Franklin Road, the Regions Bank at 329 Franklin Road, and the Brentwood Medical Center at 343 Franklin Road. The 9:45 a.m. service in the Chapel has grown more than 40 percent in the past year, and worship in the Sanctuary continues to draw families and individuals who appreciate the long-running youth choirs and traditional liturgy. First-time visitors are welcomed at the Connection Desk in the Chapel Narthex and can fill out a prayer request, request pastoral care, or sign up for the church's newsletter online.
Music, Arts, and Concerts
Worship & Arts at BUMC includes the Traditional Music program, the Modern Worship Band, Children's Choirs, the Youth Choir, the Sonshine and Jubilation Choirs, and the Rhythm and Bells handbell ensemble. Director of Worship & Arts James Wells leads the broader ministry alongside Associate Directors Dr. Gregg Bunn and Mary Marshall. The church hosts concerts and special services throughout the year, including Christmas Eve, Maundy Thursday, Easter Sunday, Transfiguration Sunday, The Longest Night, and the annual Blessing of the Animals service.
Bridging the Building: Connection and the App
The Brentwood UMC app gives members access to online giving, sermon archives, the church calendar, and member tools. Members can view giving history, manage pledges, update household information, and access the BUMC Foundation Higher Education Scholarship applications. Online forms let visitors request a Stephen Minister, request pastoral care, submit a prayer request, schedule a baptism, or download the BUMC Kids Worship Activities and children's bulletins for use during online worship. Worship services are livestreamed on Sundays, with bulletins, announcements, and prayer lists posted alongside each service for at-home participation.