Edenton Street United Methodist Church sits on the corner of Edenton and McDowell Streets in downtown Raleigh, where its Sanctuary has stood for generations and where, today, three Sunday morning services still gather, a Wednesday night dinner brings the whole church together, and a yearlong Bible reading plan moves the congregation from Genesis to Revelation. Across nearly a city block of buildings at 228 W. Edenton Street, ESUMC runs a wide range of ministries for children, youth, adults, and seniors, hosts the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center for older adults in its own first floor, and partners with a long list of organizations serving neighbors in Raleigh, in Haiti, and in Liberia.
Three Sunday Morning Services, Two Different Styles
The Sunday schedule at ESUMC is built around three services so that people can worship in the style that fits them, then share the rest of the morning together.
At 8:00 a.m., the Early Sanctuary service opens the day with a traditional liturgy of hymns, prayer, and scripture-based preaching. At 9:00 a.m., The Gathering fills Kerr Hall with a contemporary service and a relaxed atmosphere, with the Gathering Band leading music. At 10:00 a.m., the Discipleship Hour takes over the building with Sunday School classes for every age group. At 11:00 a.m., the Sanctuary service returns with the full Chancel Choir, the Letourneau Op. 112 organ, and the day's sermon.
Each service runs about an hour and includes singing, prayer, scripture, a thought-provoking message, and weekly communion. Communion is open to everyone regardless of membership or age. Grape juice and gluten-free options are available so that as many people as possible can take part. Members of the hospitality team are stationed at multiple entrances from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. to greet newcomers and walk them to the right room.
Bringing Kids Into Worship
Kids of all ages are always welcome to stay with their families in worship. The church's kids offerings are designed as options, not requirements. The nursery on the second floor serves infants through Pre-K during every service, and the team asks parents to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early so they can register their child. Early in the 9:00 and 11:00 services, children ages three through first grade are invited forward for a prayer, then released to Wiggler Worship, an age-appropriate liturgy, before returning to their families for communion after the sermon.
What to Wear and Where to Park
ESUMC tells visitors to come as they are. Suits and dresses sit alongside jeans and casual attire in the pews, and the only dress code is whatever makes worship comfortable. Dedicated visitor parking is available in the main lot, entered from Dawson Street or McDowell Street between Edenton Street and Jones Street, with a second free paved lot at the corner of Dawson and Edenton Streets managed by My Power Parking outside church hours but free for churchgoers on Sundays and during special services.
Wednesday Nights: Midweek Connections
Wednesdays at ESUMC are designed to bring the three Sunday services together as one church family. Midweek Connections runs each Wednesday evening during the fall semester, with dinner at 6:15 p.m. and a 30-minute intergenerational program from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. in Kerr Hall. The buffet line stays open through the program so that latecomers can still eat, and registration is encouraged so the kitchen can plan enough food.
The weekly program looks a little different each week. Some Wednesdays feature game nights or karaoke, others feature service projects, creative experiences, storytelling, or seasonal events. The Chancel Choir, the Gathering Band, and the children's Music and Worship Arts programs all call Wednesday nights home, so choirs and ensembles rehearse in parallel with dinner and the program. The midweek schedule intentionally includes everyone from preschool through senior adults, and no separate childcare is offered; intergenerational mixing is the point.
Alongside Midweek Connections, two Bible study options meet on Wednesdays in the Chapel during the fall: one at 5:00 p.m. sponsored by the Senior Adult Ministry and another at 7:30 p.m. Both groups work through the New Testament texts in the church's Bible Year reading plan.
The Bible Year: Reading Scripture Together in 2026
The most distinctive congregational initiative at ESUMC is The Bible Year. Each day's reading takes about 15 to 20 minutes and averages roughly three chapters. The translation used in worship is the CEB, though participants are free to read in any translation they prefer.
The Bible Year is more than a personal reading plan. During Ordinary Time in the summer and fall, the Sunday preaching series follows the books the congregation is reading, so that personal study and corporate worship reinforce one another. A companion podcast by Magrey R. deVega introduces the journey in a 20-minute primer on how to read Scripture well, and a five-week study called Making Sense of Scripture ran in January to give first-time and seasoned Bible readers tools for engaging the text through prayer, context, and meditation.
The reading calendar is offered in printable and seasonal formats, and a devotional guide is available for a suggested $15 donation to help cover costs for the church. Anyone who falls behind or starts late is encouraged simply to jump back in at the current day's reading.
The Sanctuary, The Organ, and the Music Program
The Sanctuary at the heart of the campus is anchored musically by the Letourneau Op. 112, a V/97-rank instrument that leads congregational song and liturgy each week in the 8:00 and 11:00 services. Around that organ, three ensembles keep the church's musical life going.
The Chancel Choir, open to high schoolers and above, rehearses on Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. and leads hymnody, anthems, and major works in the Sanctuary service. No auditions are required. The Wesley Ringers, an intermediate-to-advanced handbell ensemble, rehearses on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. on a five-octave set of handbells plus a three-octave set, and serves in worship several times a semester. A seasonal Youth Handbell group, led by Michael Clinkscales, gives younger ringers their own place in the rhythm.
The Music and Worship Arts program extends to children on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m. Pre-K through sixth graders rotate through Music through Scripture in the Sanctuary, handbells in Room 351, Pre-K through first grade music in Room 314, and the Children's MWA Choir in the Choir Annex. The same children then serve in worship several times a semester. Mark Hopper serves as the Director of Music and Worship Arts.
Kids, Youth, and Young Adults
Children's ministry at ESUMC is organized around age-specific Sunday School classes that meet on the third floor during the 10:10 to 10:45 a.m. Discipleship Hour: Preschool in Room 316A, Kindergarten and first graders in Room 314, second graders in Room 306, third and fourth graders in Room 305, and fifth graders in Room 300. The Wonderful Worship ministry provides care and an engaging space for children and youth with special needs during the 11:00 a.m. service so parents and caregivers can fully participate in worship, and volunteers often serve in parent-teen pairs.
Youth ministry, branded as eStreet Youth, serves sixth through twelfth graders from the Bulla Youth Building at 301 W. Jones Street, just across the street from the Sanctuary. The year opens with eStreet Youth reStart in September, an evening where parents and students meet small group leaders together. The largest retreat of the year is the Fall Retreat at Camp Don Lee, and a separate Discovery Retreat serves middle schoolers. Small group leaders and adult volunteers walk alongside students throughout the year, and Shannon Montague oversees children's ministry while Rush Beam oversees youth ministry.
Young adults meet for small group gatherings that include dinner, worship, and time together as a community, often hosted in members' homes.
Senior Adults and the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center
The Senior Adults Ministry at ESUMC is led by Rev. Suzanne Cloyd Hultman and centers on faith, friendship, and continued service for older members. The ministry plans outings, intergenerational trips, and regular gatherings, and it sponsors the 5:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible study option during the Bible Year.
Sharing space with the Senior Adults Ministry is one of ESUMC's largest in-house partners, the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center. For more than 30 years, Ruth Sheets has provided a state-licensed adult social and health day program for older adults facing the challenges of aging, Alzheimer's, dementia, and other chronic conditions. Participants arrive at 8:30 a.m. and stay until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, with a high staff-to-participant ratio that includes nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, a registered dietician, and experienced caregivers.
The program combines stimulating morning activities, music therapy, current events, and exercise with a home-cooked lunch, afternoon arts and crafts, snacks, and rest. Care plans are tailored to each participant, with initial assessments, ongoing monitoring, and direct communication with outside doctors and therapists. A caregiver support group meets virtually on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. for families who need respite and conversation. Rates typically start at $86 per day, and Ruth Sheets is an approved VA and Medicaid CAP-DA provider. Matt Frazier directs the center.
Small Groups: The Wesleyan Model
Small groups at ESUMC are organized around a Wesleyan model in which three or four people, called the band, start the group and invite others to grow it to no more than 12 to 15 adults. Groups meet weekly to share a meal, read the lectionary Scripture for the coming Sunday, share their stories, and pray for one another. The life cycle runs about nine to ten months across four stages: Gathering, Proclamation and Response, Great Thanksgiving, and Sending Forth, with a rest period before starting a new season.
The fall Small Group season typically runs from mid-September through mid-December and kicks off with a dinner and vision night hosted by pastors and current leaders. Those who are new in town, new to the church, or simply do not know whom to invite are paired with Rev. Ashley Griffith, Pastor of Community Life, who prays with them and connects them with others in the same position.
Sunday School for Adults
For those who prefer a more structured hour, Sunday School classes for adults meet during the Discipleship Hour at 10:00 a.m. The Aldersgate Class gathers young families in Room 316B, New Beginnings meets in the Chapel for Generations X, Y, and Z, and the Intentional Journey class meets via Zoom on Sunday afternoons for those who travel or have Sunday morning responsibilities. The Foundry Fellowship class, one of the larger classes, rotates four to five member teachers throughout the year and hosts guest speakers on local and global mission during quarterly Muffin Sundays. The Francis Asbury Class, founded in 1958 and now the oldest at ESUMC, meets in Room 251. Jubilee, a member-facilitated class in Room 161, focuses on scriptural book studies and welcomes adults in their fifties and above, while the Parents of Youth class in Room 164 creates space for parents raising teenagers.
Congregational Care and Prayer
The Congregational Care Ministry walks alongside the church through prayer, presence, and compassionate care. Confidential prayer teams are available for individuals, loved ones, and church events, and the ministry celebrates milestones as well as supports seasons of transition, including end-of-life spiritual care. Personal care offerings include hospital and home visits, home communion, prayer shawls, and ongoing connection through notes, calls, and texts. A grief care ministry provides sustained support for individuals and families following the loss of a loved one. Children and families experiencing illness, grief, or loss can receive resources and care packages, and the ministry helps families plan funerals and celebrations of life at the church. Prayer and Care Request cards are available in blue boxes throughout the building, and an online form routes requests to the care team.
The Doorstep Ministry and Local Outreach
The Doorstep Ministry is one of the most direct ways ESUMC serves its neighbors. Each week, Doorstep helps Wake County households pay rent or utilities when they face the choice between a bill and groceries. The ministry also connects people with food and diaper referrals, other aid programs, and a listening ear. To apply for financial assistance, neighbors fill out a form that goes live each Monday at 11:00 a.m. and stays open until appointments fill, generally 10 to 12 households a week out of about 100 requests. Doorstep is funded entirely by donations, and volunteers serve on Thursday mornings. The ministry has its own giving page and accepts checks made out to Edenton Street UMC with "Doorstep" on the memo line.
Beyond Doorstep, ESUMC partners with a wide range of organizations across the city.
- Children and youth: Brentwood Boys and Girls Club, Conn Elementary School reading buddies, Learning Together (a Developmental Day Center that shares the church building), Methodist Home for Children, Neighbor to Neighbor mentoring, and Pastors for NC Children.
- Health and medical care: Alliance Medical Ministry, the Urban Ministries Open Door Clinic, and the Alliance Medical Community Garden.
- Housing and homelessness: Green Chair Project, Family Promise of Wake County, Habitat for Humanity, Oak City Cares, the Urban Ministries Helen Wright Center for women, Raleigh Rescue Mission, and ONE Wake.
- Food security: A Place at the Table, the New Bern House monthly meal, Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen, and the Urban Ministries Food Pantry.
- Additional partners: L'Arche NC, Murphy School Apartments, The Encouraging Place, and White Flag, the cold-night shelter that uses the church as overflow space.
The church building itself is shared with several of these partners, including Empowering Steppers, L'Arche NC, Learning Together, Pastors for NC Children, the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center, White Flag, and Zoe Empowers.
Local and Global Engagement Beyond Raleigh
The Local and Global Engagement ministry extends ESUMC's reach far beyond Wake County. Two long-term global partnerships anchor the work.
Through Help One Now, the church supports classrooms in Haiti, and the next tentative vision trip is scheduled for summer 2027 to the Dominican Republic to meet local leaders and see the impact firsthand. Through Zoe Empowers, the church has come alongside nine empowerment groups in Liberia since 2016, journeying with more than 750 children and youth. A monthly gift of $10 over three years is the figure Zoe uses to empower an orphan out of poverty for good, and a vision trip to Liberia runs November 4 through 12, 2026. Stories of individual Zoe participants, including James, Musu, Daniel, Sayadute, and Lawina, are featured on the eStreet Stories blog.
Closer to home, the church partners with Rise Against Hunger to pack up to 100,000 meals a year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and at other times. Disaster response volunteers take weekend day trips and occasional longer trips to help families recover from hurricane and natural disaster damage, with no special skills required.
Welcome, LGBTQ+, and the Open Table
ESUMC's welcome statement reads, "You are welcome and wanted here by a God who knows you by name and loves you without limits." The statement continues through a series of sentences, including "No matter who you are, where you're from, or who you love." The church's LGBTQ+ ministry page is part of the About section, and the communion table is open to people of all ages, with no membership requirement and no restriction on who can take part. Communion is offered weekly at every Sunday service.
Pastoral Team and Leadership
Rev. G. Kevin Baker serves as Lead Pastor. Rev. Ashley Griffith is the Pastor of Community Life and oversees connections, newcomer pathways, and small groups. Rev. Amanda Rigby supports Sunday School and spiritual formation. Rev. Suzanne Cloyd Hultman joined the clergy team on November 1, 2025 as Pastor of Senior Adult Ministry; she is an ordained elder in the NC Conference of the UMC, a Duke Divinity School graduate, and is training in Spiritual Direction with the NC Institute of Spiritual Direction and Formation. Mark Hopper directs Music and Worship Arts. Renae Newmiller directs Local and Global Engagement. Matt Frazier directs the Ruth Sheets Adult Care Center. Shannon Montague oversees children's ministry, and Rush Beam oversees youth ministry.
Vision, Mission, and Core Values
ESUMC's mission is to invite all people to know, love, and serve God, each other, and the world. The vision is a spiritually alive and connected community where lives are transformed and Christ's hope is shared with neighbors near and far. Four core values shape the life of the church.
- Centered: identity is centered in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the teachings of Jesus are the primary source of inspiration, guidance, and unity.
- Connectional: all people are invited, embraced, and belong at God's table, with pathways for healing, healthy relationships, and stronger community.
- Curious: questions are welcomed, listening and dialogue deepen faith, and new insights and opportunities are explored.
- Compassionate: the church follows Christ's example by acting justly, forgiving freely, walking humbly, listening respectfully, and giving generously.
Take-Home Meals and Weekly Food Ministry
Each week, ESUMC offers a take-home meal that can be picked up on Sundays between 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Menus rotate through dishes like Bacon and Cheese Quiche, Cheesy Zucchini Casserole, Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, and French Onion Chicken Casserole, each with an order deadline the week before. A portion of the proceeds supports neighbors facing food insecurity.
Podcasts and Broadcasting
Two podcasts extend the church's reach. The First Read Podcast offers a weekly look at the Scriptures that will be preached in worship, designed to listen to on the way to work or during a workout. The Edenton Street Podcast features Good Neighbors episodes that highlight the people and partners connected to the church, including a recent conversation with Methodist Home for Children President and CEO Rev. Ben Williams and foster-to-adoptive parent Gail High about the ministry's roots as an orphanage in 1899 and its evolution into foster care and family support.
Worship is also broadcast on WPTF Radio FM 92.9 and AM 680 each Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Both the 9:00 and 11:00 services are livestreamed on the church's livestream page, and bulletins are posted online for those following along from home.
Weddings, Funerals, and Facility Use
ESUMC hosts weddings and funerals, and the Sanctuary, Kerr Hall, Curtis Center, and Chapel are available for ministry partners and other gatherings through the Rent Our Space form. The church is part of the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church and is recognized as a Lighthouse Congregation by the NC Conference.
Visiting Edenton Street
Three Sunday services, a Wednesday night dinner and program, a year of Bible reading, an intergenerational music program, an adult daycare on the first floor, and a long list of local and global partners all coexist under one roof at 228 W. Edenton Street. Visitors can park in the main lot off Dawson or McDowell Street, enter through the glass doors on Edenton Street or the Curtis Center Lobby under the portico, and be greeted by a hospitality team ready to point them to the Sanctuary, Kerr Hall, the nursery, or coffee. A Plan Your Visit form connects newcomers with a pastor or staff member before they arrive, and the New Here Connections Brunch on the first Sunday of every other month offers a relaxed way to meet lay leaders and learn more about the church. Anyone considering membership is welcome to ask questions, and the open communion table, the open welcome statement, and the open front doors all make the same point: come as you are.