A Church Between Downtown Clemson and the University
Clemson United Methodist Church sits at 300 Frontage Road in Clemson, South Carolina, a few minutes from the campus of Clemson University. The congregation calls itself a community that seeks to build relationships with God and all of God's children, and the way that community shows up in a week is unusually wide. On a single Sunday morning, three services run back to back, a college ministry meets down the road, a children's choir sings in the Worship Center, and a handbell choir rehearses in the Christian Life Center. By Wednesday, the Chancel Choir is rehearsing, a college dinner is being served at the Wesley Student Center, and a youth group is on its way to Lake Junaluska or Asbury Hills for a retreat.
That mix of generational and stylistic variety is by design. Clemson UMC identifies itself as part of The United Methodist Church, rooted in the Wesleyan tradition. The congregation traces its heritage back to John Wesley and the Apostles' Creed, celebrates the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, and holds that the desire of God is for a relationship with all humanity. Out of that theology comes the practical shape of the church: a body that intentionally makes room for traditional worshipers, contemporary worshipers, college students, young families, retirees, and those who are still figuring out where they fit.
Three Sunday Services: Traditional and The Vine
On Sunday morning, Clemson UMC offers three services in two very different styles.
The Traditional services meet at 8:30 and 11:00 in the Worship Center. The atmosphere is described as warm and comfortable Christian fellowship, with song, scripture, prayer, and a sermon designed to help people follow God in daily life. The Chancel Choir provides music at the 11:00 service. There is no dress code. The Chancel Choir rehearses Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:00 in the Worship Center and welcomes new members.
The Vine meets at 9:45 in the Christian Life Center, or CLC. It is a modern worship service that blends the rich history of the Christian church with contemporary music. A band leads contemporary worship songs and fresh renditions of classic hymns, the congregation shares a time of prayer, hears a message, and celebrates Holy Communion each week. The service is described as laid-back and welcomes everyone just as they are. The Vine has its own Band that rehearses on Sunday mornings before the service, and Vine Kids (children's church) is available during the message for children four years old through second grade, with older elementary children welcome to help provide leadership.
A nursery is available for all three services in the CLC for newborns through four-year-olds. Children's Church (Vine Kids) is available at the 9:45 service after Children's Time. The Traditional services also offer a Prayground at the back left of the Sanctuary with coloring projects, art, stickers, and books so that younger children can stay engaged while remaining in the service. Children's Worship Bags are also available for children who want to stay seated with their family.
Both services are livestreamed. The Traditional service is streamed on the Clemson UMC YouTube channel every Sunday at 11:00, and The Vine is livestreamed every Sunday at 9:45. Videos remain on the channel afterward for anyone who missed a Sunday.
Clemson Wesley: A Covenantal College Ministry
One of the defining commitments of Clemson UMC is its long relationship with college students. The church is home to Clemson Wesley, the United Methodist campus ministry at Clemson University, and the relationship is described as covenantal: Clemson UMC is a congregational home to the ministry, and a place of worship and community for college students, faculty, and staff.
Clemson Wesley is led by Rev. Steve Simoneaux, who is both a graduate of Clemson University and a graduate of Candler School of Theology at Emory. His own call to ministry was shaped by his involvement in the Wesley Foundation as an undergraduate. Clemson Wesley gathers on Wednesdays during the academic year at 6:30 pm at the Wesley Student Center at 105 Addison Lane in Clemson. The evening begins with a free home-cooked meal and is followed by student-led worship. All are welcome.
The Wesley Student Center is in addition to the main church building on Frontage Road, so college students effectively have two front doors at Clemson UMC: the church itself for Sunday worship, and the Wesley Center for midweek community.
Children's Ministry from Nursery through Fifth Grade
The children's ministry at Clemson UMC is led by Candice Bell, who directs programming for children from birth through fifth grade, with the goal of being part of a child's life from infancy until they move into youth ministry. Candice is a 2002 Clemson graduate with a background in psychology and early intervention.
The mission of the children's ministry is to offer a safe, loving, and engaging space where children can be themselves as they mature into disciples of Christ. Programming uses a variety of learning styles so that each child grows up at CUMC with memories of faith formation. The ministry also provides spiritual support for parents and aims to engage church members in mentoring young hearts and minds.
Sunday-by-Sunday, the children's ministry offers a nursery for newborns through age four, a Prayground in the back of the Sanctuary during Traditional services, and Vine Kids during The Vine. For the 9:45 Vine service, Vine Kids welcomes children four years old through second grade for a short kids' lesson with a game or craft, friends, and a snack, returning to the service for Communion. Third through fifth graders are encouraged to remain in worship or to help provide leadership to the younger children.
Beyond Sunday mornings, the calendar is full. Preschool Power Hour is a weekly gathering for potty-trained children ages two to five with a Bible story, music, a craft or hands-on activity, a snack, and plenty of playtime. IGNITE meets one Sunday a month for third through fifth graders for lunch, fellowship, a Bible lesson, and games. Kid's Club is the largest and most popular program, meeting on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5:30 with Bible school lessons, snacks, five rotations, and free time. Vacation Bible Camp is a weeklong summer experience for children four years old through fifth grade with a new theme each year. The church also hosts an annual Asbury Hills Church Family Retreat for all ages, a Palm Sunday Egg Hunt and Pastry Breakfast, and a Blessing of the Animals among other family events.
All volunteers working with children complete a background check and adhere to the church's Safe Sanctuary policies.
Youth Ministry: Sixth through Twelfth Grade
The youth ministry at Clemson UMC serves students in sixth through twelfth grade and is led by Brauer Kittrell, a recent Clemson graduate who is pursuing an MDiv at Candler School of Theology at Emory with goals of being an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church. Brauer brings prior experience as a Licensed Local Pastor at two United Methodist churches in Anderson, South Carolina, and as a counselor and retreat host at Asbury Hills Camp and Retreat Center.
The weekly rhythm has two anchor points. Youth Fellowship meets on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Christian Life Center, with dinner, games, fellowship, and a Bible lesson, mixing large-group time with small-group discussion. Youth Breakfast happens on Thursday mornings from 7:15 to 8:00 in the CLC, with a meal, a devotion, and time together before school. The church provides a ride to school for youth who attend RC Edwards Middle School and Daniel High School.
Retreats are a major part of the year. The youth travel annually to places like Lake Junaluska, Asbury Hills, and Epworth by the Sea, with some trips adding skiing, white-water rafting, or other high-adventure elements. REVOLUTION, the annual United Methodist youth retreat, is on the calendar in January. Confirmation is offered for youth in sixth grade and up, taught for twelve to fourteen weeks beginning in January by the senior pastor, covering the Church, Methodism, Christian teachings, the way of Jesus, and life as a committed disciple, with a vital retreat at Hinton Rural Life Center.
Adult Discipleship: Twenty-Plus Cell Groups
Adult life at Clemson UMC is organized around what the church calls Cell Groups: small groups for study, faith formation, fellowship, and leisure. The metaphor comes from biology, and Rev. Meg Wilkes, the Minister of Discipleship, oversees more than twenty of them. Meg is an ordained Deacon in the SC Conference of The United Methodist Church, and the Cell Group network is the connective tissue of adult ministry at CUMC.
Sunday morning classes include New Spirit, a discussion-oriented class that meets at 9:45 in Room 116; Faith Friends, which meets at 11:00 in Room 106; The 11th Hour Community, a group of young couples with and without children that meets at 11:00 in the CLC with childcare provided; and As You Are, an officially recognized class within the Reconciling Ministries Network and the SC Reconciling Ministries Council, devoted to the welcome and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals, friends, family, and allies. As You Are meets at 1:30 in Room 116.
Bible study and discussion groups meet on multiple days. Men's Bible Study gathers Tuesday mornings at 8:30 in Room 402 of the CLC. The Monday Discussion Group meets at 4:00 in Room 106 and is a book study that has included authors like Barbara Brown Taylor, Richard Rohr, C.S. Lewis, Anne Lamott, and Howard Thurman. The Zoom Adult Discussion Class meets at 8:45 on Sundays, hosted by Bruce Yandle, and has welcomed participants from New Jersey, Georgia, Mexico, Ukraine, and New York.
Younger adults have #Adulting!, a fellowship for adults in their twenties and thirties that meets on the second and fourth Mondays from 6:30 to 8:00 in rotating locations such as the CLC, coffee shops, restaurants, homes, and trails. Senior Singles meets on the third Thursday of the month for dinner and entertainment, and The Golden Guild is a ministry of nearly sixty active and nearly retired adults that meets monthly, usually on the fourth Thursday, for a meal outing, fellowship, and occasional bonus events like shows at Flat Rock Playhouse or afternoons on the lake. CUMC Hikers heads out on the second Saturday of each month to trails within about a thirty-minute radius of Clemson, while Table for Eight builds small dinner groups that meet over three shared meals across a few months.
United Methodist Men (UMM) and United Women in Faith (UWF) are active fellowships in their own right. UMM meets for breakfast on the third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 in the CLC during the academic year, with speakers and mission projects. UWF has four active circles: Miriam (second Thursday at 5:30 in room 115), Abigail-Dorcas (second Wednesday at 10:00 in the Worship Center overflow), Hannah-Priscilla (correspondence with periodic in-person gatherings), and Mary-Martha, which serves women in their thirties, forties, and fifties with a yearly calendar of service, spiritual, and social events.
Smaller groups add a crafts and service layer. Chrismon Crafters meet on the first and third Tuesdays at 12:30 in Room 115 to make beaded Advent ornaments for the Christmas trees in the Worship Center and the CLC. Samaritan Stitchers meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays in Room 106 to knit and crochet prayer shawls, lap blankets, and baby items, with no expertise required. The Nurture Team meets on the third Tuesday and focuses on care for senior members of the congregation.
Two specialty offerings round out the small-group life. Still Waters is a contemplative ministry led by Rev. Meg Wilkes that explores centering prayer, lectio divina, guided meditation, immersion in nature, and breath prayers, with intermittent hour-long, daylong, or multi-week seasons of practice. Faithful and Inclusive is an annual course, also led by Meg, that uses Christian resources (including the work of Rev. Rob Fuquay) to explore scripture, theology, and stories around LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
Music Ministry
Music at Clemson UMC is led by Rodney Cleveland, Director of Music Ministries. Rodney came on staff in August 2024, with a background that includes serving as Organist/Choirmaster for Grace Episcopal Church in Anderson, Staff Accompanist for Newberry College, and Adjunct Professor at Lander University. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Anderson University and holds a Master of Music from Emory University, where he served as Chapel Organist at Candler School of Theology.
The cornerstone ensemble is the Chancel Choir, which sings at the 11:00 Traditional service. Rehearsals are Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:00 in the Worship Center, and new members are always welcome. The Celebration Ringers handbell choir is a 5-octave Malmark ensemble with a 3-octave set of choir chimes. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 in the Worship Center, with no audition required. The Vine Band leads the 9:45 modern service each Sunday, and the church also draws on guest musicians for special services.
The Vine's overall musical identity is shaped by Dusten Bybee, a singer and musician who has led or supported worship teams across the U.S. for more than a decade. Dusten is also a foster parent to teens and works with college students in the area, often running on local trails, paddling whitewater, or fly fishing when he is not leading.
Mission and Outreach in Pickens County and Beyond
Clemson UMC describes itself as a missional church, and the local mission budget is large for a single congregation. The annual budget supports apportionment giving through the UMC for connectional ministries such as camps and retreats, the Ministerial Education Fund, UMC missionaries, scholarships, and Methodist Homes, in addition to direct support for individual missionaries, local missions, and disaster response.
Locally, the church partners with a long list of organizations: Our Daily Bread in Seneca (a feeding ministry for the homeless); Meals on Wheels in Clemson; Family Promise of Easley and Clemson; Backpack Ministries in Clemson and Pendleton; Clemson Community Care; the Free Medical Clinic of Clemson; Habitat for Humanity of Pickens County; the Child Development Center in Clemson; Fostering Families Faithfully in the Clemson area; Epworth Children's Home in Columbia; Epworth Foster Care Support in the Clemson-Oconee area; the Golden Corners Food Pantry in Seneca; Safe Harbor; Helping Hands; Spirit Lake Reservation Ministries (through shoeboxes); refugee family support in Clemson; CUMC Transitional Housing on the church's own campus; the Clemson University Wrapping Ministry at Christmas; the Healing Bridges Counseling Center in Clemson; and a small group ministry that supports scouting. The Rotary Club of Clemson and the Sertoma Club of Clemson also meet at the church, and the church hosts Cub Scouts, Boy Scout Troop 161, multiple Girl Scout troops, and a Boy Scout Round Table.
Globally, the church supports three named missionaries: Dr. Luke Rhree, a United Methodist pastor and doctor serving with Healing Guatemala; Connie Wieck, a GMGM missionary to Asia; and Dr. Chris Hena, a United Methodist missionary serving Healthy Liberia.
Two hands-on mission programs get particular attention. Salkehatchie Summer Service is a weeklong commitment in Bishopville, South Carolina, to repair and renovate homes for neighbors living in substandard housing. Senior Pastor Rev. Tommy Wilkes serves as Director of the Bishopville Salkehatchie Camp, and the program has been part of his life since middle school. The congregation also sends teams to UMCOR and UMVIM disaster response, including a recent deployment to Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
Care for the Whole Person: Stephen Ministry, Prayer, and Counseling
Pastoral care at Clemson UMC runs through several overlapping ministries. Stephen Ministry provides one-to-one, Christ-centered care from trained lay Stephen Ministers for people in the congregation facing life difficulties such as grief, divorce, change in living situation, or illness. The program is part of the national Stephen Ministries network. Stephen Leaders are Pam Ardern and Bruce Nessler.
The Prayer Ministry accepts prayer requests and offers a Prayer Toolbox with resources like the Lectio Divina process, the ACTS Prayer Model, the Five-Finger Prayer Model, links to UMC Prayer Ministries, and the Upper Room Daily Devotionals.
The Nurture Team extends caring attention to the full membership, with an emphasis on senior adults, through calls, cards, visits, and bereavement bags. The church also partners with Healing Bridges Counseling Center in Clemson for those who need professional support.
Worship itself includes sacramental care. Holy Baptism is offered for persons of all ages who are presented or present themselves as having trust in God and a willingness to follow Jesus Christ. Holy Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper or the Holy Eucharist, is celebrated at The Vine every Sunday, and the table is open to all who wish to come.
A Wesleyan Identity, an Open Door
The church's statement of belief is rooted in Wesleyan theology. Salvation is described as a free gift of love from God, demonstrated and made effective in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and made available for all humankind. The congregation holds to the historic creeds of the church as found in the Apostles' Creed, believes in the priesthood of all believers, and understands the life of faith as a life together: caring for creation, advocating for the poor and forgotten, working for equity and justice, and bringing heaven to earth.
The welcome statement at the heart of the church is one of the most direct in the area: "We welcome all who seek to explore their faith and build a relationship with God. No matter who you are, who you've been, what you do, what you've done, what you have, what you lack, what you can do, what limitations you have, who you love, the color of your skin, where you are from, or anything else... the answer to the question, 'Even me?' is 'Yes!' every time." The church is an active participant in the Reconciling Ministries Network through its As You Are class and the Faithful and Inclusive course, and it is intentional about being a place where LGBTQIA+ individuals, friends, family, and allies are welcomed, affirmed, and supported.
The mission is captured in a single sentence: Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World by Building Relationships with God and ALL of God's Children.
Pastoral Leadership
Rev. Tommy Wilkes has been in ministry for more than thirty years as an elder in the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. A graduate of the University of South Carolina and of Candler School of Theology at Emory (MDiv), Tommy arrived in Clemson in 2021 after appointments at Edisto-Charge (Orangeburg), Central UMC (Spartanburg), Tabernacle (Lancaster), Red Bank (Lexington), First UMC (Clover), and Grace (North Augusta). He is married to Rev. Meg Wilkes, an ordained Deacon in the SC Conference who also serves through CUMC, and they have three adult children.
Rev. Meg Wilkes serves as Minister of Discipleship and oversees the Cell Group network, facilitates a biweekly young adult group and the monthly Golden Guild, leads the As You Are and Faith Friends Sunday school classes, and leads Faithful and Inclusive initiatives for LGBTQIA+ allyship in the church. Her ministry background includes youth and women's discipleship, retreats for all ages, and design of modern and special-topic worship services such as the annual Light in the Darkness Christmas service. As a musician, Meg offers ministry in concerts and occasionally provides special music for services, programs, weddings, and funerals.
Rev. Steve Simoneaux serves as Director of the Clemson Wesley Foundation and Campus Minister. Steve graduated from Clemson University and from Candler School of Theology at Emory (MDiv) and previously served as Associate Pastor at Bethany United Methodist Church in Summerville, South Carolina.
Little Lights Learning Center and Mother's Morning Out
The church operates a full-time, year-round preschool and child care program called Little Lights Learning Center (LLLC), directed by Jacqui Rice, a Clemson native and Clemson University graduate whose grandfather, Harvey Morgan, built the wooden cross that hangs in the Narthex. LLLC is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm and serves children from six weeks through five years across eight classrooms, with staff-to-child ratios set by the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Monthly tuition runs $700 for infants through two-year-olds and $650 for preschoolers three and up, with a $10-per-child monthly discount for families with more than one child enrolled.
Enrichment activities for children two and older include Music Mondays with Mrs. Yaya, Children's Church with the CUMC pastoral team, dance with Elevation Dance Company, and Amazing Athletes. Application requires a tour and a nonrefundable $50 fee, with CUMC members, LLLC staff, and currently enrolled families receiving priority enrollment.
For younger children, Mother's Morning Out (MMO), directed by Amy Rawls, provides part-time child care for children nine months to three years of age from September through May, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. MMO is open to all children in the community and offers a Christian atmosphere with free play, puzzles, books, music, simple crafts, a mid-morning snack, and outdoor play when the weather permits.
The Columbarium and the Building
The main church campus on Frontage Road is a working building as well as a worship space. In addition to the Worship Center, the Christian Life Center houses a fellowship hall, kitchen, and classrooms; the Adult Education and Church Office Building includes a range of meeting rooms. The Christian Life Center Fellowship Hall is regularly used for events like the UMM breakfast, men's basketball, the Clemson Rotary, and youth fellowship.
The church maintains an on-site columbarium for the inurnment of cremated remains, with niches available to members and the community. Inquiries can be directed to Perry Hiott, Stan Childers, or the church office.
Clemson UMC also rents its facilities to outside groups, including the Clemson Rotary and the Sertoma Club of Clemson, and the building regularly hosts the Cub Scouts, multiple Girl Scout troops, Boy Scout Troop 161, a Boy Scout Round Table, a Girl Scout Service Unit Meeting, and Kuk Sool martial arts.
Visiting Clemson UMC
The church sits at 300 Frontage Road in Clemson, with a mailing address of PO Box 590, Clemson, SC 29633. The phone number is (864) 654-5547, and the general email is cumc@clemsonumc.org. Sunday services are at 8:30 (Traditional), 9:45 (The Vine), and 11:00 (Traditional). The nursery is available for all three services, and children's programming is provided during The Vine.
There is no dress code. Both the Traditional service and The Vine are livestreamed on the Clemson UMC YouTube channel, with videos available afterward. For those who want to be part of the church in a deeper way, a New Member Interest Form is available, and a Connect Card is offered for guests who want information about a specific ministry. Visitors who would like a name tag and a name to learn can introduce themselves to any greeter or staff member on Sunday morning.
Generosity is part of the life of the church as well. Giving can be made in person on Sunday mornings, dropped off at the office, or mailed to the PO Box. Online giving is available through the church's Vanco portal, and giving via PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay is also supported.
Clemson United Methodist Church describes itself, simply, as a community seeking to build relationships with God and all of God's children. The shape of that community shows up in the calendar: a Chancel Choir rehearsal on Wednesday night, a college dinner at the Wesley Center, a hiking group on a Saturday morning trail, a youth retreat at Lake Junaluska, a Stephen Minister sitting with someone who is grieving, and three Sunday morning services full of children, college students, parents, and grandparents gathered to worship together.