On the corner of Tate and Spring Garden Streets in Greensboro, College Place United Methodist Church has rooted itself in the city's college district. The building sits within walking distance of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a short drive from Greensboro College, and its motto - Hope, Love, Belong - frames a congregation that has made room for newcomers from across the street and across the country.
The congregation describes itself as "A Merged Congregation: A Place to Be," a name that points to a heritage of combining communities. Beyond that history, College Place has stepped into a wider role. The church became the first Lighthouse Congregation of the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church, a designation earned in partnership with The United Methodist Collective. In accepting that role, the church pledged not only to remain United Methodist but also to be a welcoming home for people who have lost their church homes through disaffiliation or closure - offering space, ministry opportunities, help organizing remnant groups, and assistance in discerning next steps.
Sunday Worship at 11 a.m.
Worship gathers at 11 a.m. every Sunday in the sanctuary on Tate Street. The service blends organ or piano with guitar and, from time to time, guest instrumentalists. The liturgy follows a classic order that the pastors shape to address life in the twenty-first century. All who attend are welcome at the Lord's Supper, which is generally celebrated on the first Sunday of the month and at the opening of seasons such as Lent and Advent.
The service is livestreamed on YouTube, where recordings of the full service and sermon-only videos are posted. Subscribers receive weekly email links to the videos and to special services.
Visiting College Place
Parking is available in the church's own lots, accessible from Tate and Spring Garden Streets. Additional on-street parking runs along Spring Garden in front of the church and along Tate. For larger events, non-reserved spaces in the nearby UNCG lot open up as well.
Many first-time visitors come in through the main entrance on the corner of Spring Garden and Tate. A ramp entrance in the alleyway off Spring Garden Street is convenient for drop-offs and accessible entry. On weekdays the easiest access is on the back side of the building, under the awning and through the full glass door.
The congregation has no dress code. Members and guests arrive in everything from suits and dresses to shorts and jeans; people come in what makes them comfortable.
Pastoral Team and Worship Arts
The Rev. Philip Kuntz became pastor of College Place UMC in July 2025. He grew up in Dunwoody, Georgia, where his home church, Dunwoody UMC, sparked his call to ministry. He attended Sewanee: The University of the South, majoring in religion and playing varsity tennis, and met his wife, Emma, there. The couple married in Sewanee's All Saints Chapel in 2014. He earned his Master of Divinity from Emory University's Candler School of Theology, was commissioned in the North Georgia Conference in 2014, and was ordained in 2019 when he transferred his membership to the Western NC Conference. Phil and Emma have two children, Edie and Thomas. He is a certified Stephen Leader and Intentional Interim Minister, and has served churches in rural, suburban, and urban settings of varying sizes. He stays active in Greensboro's tennis scene and enjoys recreational time with his family.
The Rev. Dr. Robert Brewer serves as the church's Director of Outreach and Worship Arts. A United Methodist minister, he has been the Campus Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion at Greensboro College since 2005, holding a Doctor of Theology in homiletics from the University of Toronto. At Greensboro College he oversees religious life and community service and teaches courses in spiritual development, hermeneutics, homiletics, Methodism, and juggling. He has contributed to "The New Interpreters Theological Companion to the Lectionary" and the "Common English Student Bible," and has spoken at Summit, NC Kaleidoscope, and the Canadian National Youth Conference. He is a certified professional coach who works with North Carolina ministers on renewing their preaching, and he has released an album of original music.
Susan Young joined the College Place staff in 2001 as Director of Music. A graduate of Appalachian State University with a bachelor's degree in Music Education, she also holds a master's in Accompanying from UNCG. She serves as vocal coach and accompanist on the staff of Greensboro College, where she prepares the opera and music theatre productions. She lives in Greensboro with her husband, Kevin, and their three children, Jonathan, Lauren, and Emma.
College Connections
The church's location shapes its ministry. College Place connects with students through the Wesley-Luther Campus Ministry at UNCG and through the Religious Life Office at Greensboro College. Several students regularly take part in the 11 a.m. Sunday worship, and the church hosts periodic student lunches after the service as a time of fellowship between students and members of the congregation.
Student hunger has been a focus of recent outreach. The congregation collects food and supplies for the Greensboro College Pride and Open Pantry, which serves students, staff, and recent alumni who struggle to afford meals. The pantry distributes free, accessible food and personal care items on campus, with current needs including mac and cheese, instant noodles, minute rice, oatmeal, vegetables, canned meats, hygiene essentials, and feminine products.
Missions and Outreach
Each fall, College Place takes part in the Fight Worldwide Hunger Crop Walk, a tradition the congregation has kept for forty-six years. Friends, family, and donors can register under College Place UMC's page or contribute without taking part in the walk. Twenty-five percent of donations benefit Simple Gesture and Outreach Garden Project, with the remainder supporting church-wide service, fostering self-resilience, and world disaster relief.
Hurricane relief is an ongoing collection. Members give financially through the Annual Conference's hurricane relief efforts after major storms, with 22 of the 44 counties in the conference having been impacted by recent weather. The church is also a past $1,000 Roofing Sponsor of a Habitat for Humanity Pride Build House.
A holiday gift card program lets members and friends raise money for charity by ordering gift cards through the church. Each purchase returns 1.5 to 14 percent of the card's value to College Place, with the funds shared with the holiday charity chosen for that year.
A Reconciling, Welcoming Community
The congregation describes itself as a diverse community welcoming all persons and embracing differences of age, racial and ethnic background, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, family configuration, socioeconomic status, and physical and mental ability. College Place connects with the Reconciling Ministries Network and holds the first Lighthouse Congregation designation in the Western North Carolina Conference - a commitment that places the church at the front of the conference's work to receive those who have left or lost other United Methodist congregations.
"In our worship, fellowship, and service we seek to grow in our faith and care for our community with acts of love and service," the congregation writes. "We believe that God's transformative grace for us moves us to be a people that seek justice and solidarity with those who are oppressed."
Methodist Beliefs and Roots
College Place is a congregation of The United Methodist Church, part of the Western North Carolina Conference. John Wesley's charge - "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can" - is shared as a touchstone of the congregation's life.
The United Methodist Church frames itself as a global denomination that opens hearts, opens minds, and opens doors through active engagement with the world. Its mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Wesley and the early Methodists placed primary emphasis on Christian living - putting faith and love into action - a hallmark the church still calls "practical divinity."
Joining the Life of the Church
Forms for weddings, building use, parking permits, gift card orders, and new member information are available through the church. Sunday bulletins, weekly newsletters, sermon recordings, and an archive of recent services are posted online, and giving is available through the church's PayPal link. The church office can be reached at 336-275-3363.