Franklin First United Methodist Church sits at the center of Franklin, Tennessee as the oldest worshipping congregation in the city and in Williamson County, a Methodist society organized in 1799 on land set apart by town founder Abram Maury. More than two centuries later the church is one congregation with two campuses: a spacious Main Campus at 120 Aldersgate Way on the corner of Mack Hatcher and Franklin Road, and a restored 1871 Historic Sanctuary at 148 Fifth Avenue South in the heart of downtown Franklin. Under the motto "Seeking first the Kingdom," Franklin First offers three Sunday morning worship services at its Main Campus, an early Word and Table communion service at the Historic Sanctuary, a weekday preschool, and an unusually broad portfolio of children's, youth, adult, music, mission and recovery ministries.
Two Campuses, One Church
The Main Campus at Mack Hatcher opened on December 5, 2015 on a 107-acre property purchased in 2007. The building includes a main lobby called Friendship Commons, a covered walkway entrance, an elevator to the second floor, a sensory room, and classrooms designed for mobility access. Around it sit the Giving Garden, the Davis Christian Wright all-abilities playground (open to the public from dawn to dusk), and the Blessing Box free little pantry at the circle drive on Mack Hatcher.
Four miles east, the Historic Sanctuary at Fifth Avenue and Church Street is the congregation's third location. The present sanctuary was completed in 1871, with handcrafted pews made by a local carpenter whose shop sat next to the railroad depot, gothic arched windows filled with handmade colored glass, and a communion rail and pulpit original to the building. An adjoining annex with fifteen Sunday School rooms was added in 1916, a basement hall seating 200 was dug in 1949, and the bell tower and steeple - lost in the 1920s - were rebuilt in 1995. The building's bricks were fired from Harpeth River mud and originally painted white, then red, before the mortar was repointed and the red color returned to view. A wheelchair ramp at the rear makes the sanctuary accessible.
Worship Times and Styles
Sunday worship at the Main Campus runs three times: 8:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Modern Worship services feature a casual, blended style mixing current worship songs with the great hymns of the church, led by the praise team and vocalists. The 10:00 a.m. Traditional Worship service offers a formal approach with hymns, choirs and classical instrumentation. Each service is available in person and via the church's livestream.
At the Historic Sanctuary on Fifth Avenue, a single 8:30 a.m. Word and Table service offers a traditional liturgical format with weekly communion. Children's, youth and nursery programming is provided only at the Main Campus.
First Look and Plan Your Visit
Visitors are greeted at the Welcome Center in the main lobby at the Main Campus, where volunteers help with directions, children's check-in, and information about upcoming events. A welcome tour on a Wednesday night includes dinner and a walk through the building with a staff member, sharing some of the history behind the corner of Franklin Road and Mack Hatcher.
Three First Steps sessions cover the "why" of the church's mission, the "what" of next steps, and the "how" of participation in God's redemptive plan. Next Steps then opens the door to Sunday School, small groups, serving teams, and church-wide events. First-time families can fill out a Plan Your Visit form in advance.
There is no dress code. People come in anything from jeans to suits; the focus is on worship, not on clothing. Children's worship kits are available at the back of both sanctuaries. Parking surrounds the Main Campus, with several spaces reserved for visitors. At the Historic Sanctuary, street parking and the City of Franklin's public garage on 4th Avenue next to the Williamson County Courthouse are the closest options.
What We Believe
The congregation's vision, drawn from Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, is to "seek first the Kingdom of God, his righteousness, and to trust God will provide everything we need" (Matthew 6:33). In early 2019, lay leaders and clergy turned to the Holy Spirit seeking God's vision for the congregation rather than their own, and adopted the aim of transforming Williamson County into a reflection of the Kingdom of God.
The mission shared with United Methodists around the world is "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." The congregation affirms its faith with all Christians in the Apostles' Creed, and worship follows the wider United Methodist practices of grace, spiritual formation, and connectional ministry through the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference.
First Kids: Infants Through Sixth Grade
First Kids is the children's ministry at Franklin First, led by Director of Children's Ministries Carrie Altman and Associate Director Emily McMillan. A fully staffed nursery is available at the Main Campus for newborns through age three at all three Sunday services, using an electronic check-in system with security codes that match children to the parent or guardian picking them up. Preschool through sixth-grade Sunday School meets at 10:00, with age and grade-level groups using the Orange curriculum. Tweens in fifth and sixth grades have their own space, gathering for a lesson and then splitting into gender-based small groups.
Beyond Sunday mornings, Wednesday Night Live for Kids runs from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. during the school year with a nursery for children age six weeks through three years, the Wednesday Night Recharge program for first through fourth grade, and a dedicated Tweens track for fifth and sixth graders. Cherub Disciples Choir (age 3 through kindergarten) rehearses Wednesday evenings, and Angel Chorus (first through sixth grade) rehearses Sundays at 11:15.
Special events include the summer Rainforest Falls day camp for ages 4 through rising fourth grade, Service Squad for rising fifth and sixth graders, retreats, choirs, and family events such as the Christmas Workshop. Children with special needs are served through the Best Buddies program (extra volunteer helpers), Special Friends (one-on-one aides), and a Sensory Room staffed by special education professionals. The Davis Christian Wright Playground, designed to be inclusive and wheelchair accessible, is open to the community every day from dawn to dusk.
415 Youth: Grades Seven Through Twelve
415 Youth, named for John 15 ("I am the vine, you are the branches"), centers on belonging, building community, and helping students grow in their faith. The Sunday morning THRIVE program meets at 10:00 with community time, a teaching message, and age-level small groups.
Wednesday Night Live for youth begins at 6:00 with pizza, worship, and hang-out time, followed by D-Groups from 6:30 to 7:30 - small groups organized by grade and gender, each led by a team of two or three adult leaders who stay with their group across multiple years. Sunday night events each month - including the Back to School Bash, the Fall Hayride and Bonfire, and the Christmas Party - draw the wider youth group together for fun and fellowship. Retreats include weekend retreats at a nearby center and overnighters or late-nighters held at church and off campus.
Confirmation is a 16-week program for seventh graders and up, exploring the Trinity, sin, the Social Principles, spiritual gifts, sacraments, and what it means to be a United Methodist. Students meet on Sunday mornings at 8:30 in the Youth space, with two Sunday afternoon retreats and a Faith Friend mentor. An annual Chili and Trivia Fundraiser supports summer mission trips.
Adult Ministries and Sunday School
Pastor of Adult Ministries Sarah Carty oversees a wide range of Sunday School classes for adults at all three service hours. At 8:30 a.m. classes include Good News (seniors and retirees), Voyagers (age 55 and up), Weekly Readers (adults 50 and up reading authors like Henri Nouwen and Philip Yancey), and Parents of Young Children. At 10:00 a.m. options include Amanda Young, Common Ground, Kindred Spirits, Koinonia, McSwiney, New Horizons, Seekers, Still Waters, Women in Christ, and 30 Something. At 11:15 a.m. classes include Connections, Holy Households, The Righteousness Series (a Race and Faith discussion group), and short-term studies. Garfield's Friends at 10:00 is a class for adults with special needs.
Adult Ministry Plus serves adults 55 and older with Primetimers (monthly dinner, fellowship and entertainment), a Novel Bunch Book Club, the Dining Out Group, Sisters in Stitchery, Coffee and Conversations on aging-related topics, a Quilting Group that makes baptismal quilts for FFUMC infants, Silvers in Service, short-term Older Adult Bible Studies, and groups for knitting, crocheting, and games.
Men's ministry includes a Tuesday morning men's group at 7:30 a.m. in Room B-144, Thursday night groups meeting the first and third Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., and a third-Thursday small group meeting in the Youth Area. Women's ministry is organized through United Women in Faith with four Fellowship Circles (Lydia, Mary-Martha, Sisters, and Ruth), three Mission Circles, a Hand Quilting Group, Sisters in Stitchery, and the Prayer Shawl Group, plus Bible study groups such as Sweet Soul Sisters, Mix Tape Moms, and Pointed.
Wednesday Night Live
Wednesday Night Live (WNL) is the church's midweek ministry, running fall and spring semesters. A community dinner is served from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. ($15 for adults, $6 for children). The afternoon session from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. offers short-term studies geared toward older adults. Evening options from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. include the Pastor's Bible Study with Bryan Brooks through the Gospel of John, Disciple Bible Study, and rotating short-term studies on the Book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit (Adam Hamilton), and an Advent study by Rachel Billups. The Chancel Handbells rehearse from 5:15 to 6:15, and the Chancel Choir rehearses from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. for the 10:00 a.m. traditional service. Children's choirs, the Wednesday Night Recharge program, Tweens, and D-Groups for youth run alongside the adult classes.
Disciple Bible Study, a 34-week foundational overview of the Bible, is offered along with Disciple 2 through 4. Disciple 1 begins with Genesis and continues through Revelation; Disciple 2 examines Genesis, Exodus, Luke, and Acts; Disciple 3 covers the major and minor Old Testament prophets and the Pauline letters; Disciple 4 studies Old Testament Writings, the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, James, Jude, and Revelation. Disciple 1 is the suggested prerequisite for the others.
Music and Arts
Music and Arts Ministry is led by Director of Music Ministries Garth Olson. The Chancel Choir sings weekly for the 10:00 a.m. traditional service and presents major works at seasonal celebrations. The Chancel Handbell Choir rings monthly and rehearses Wednesdays from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. A Brass Ensemble and Orchestra welcome instrumentalists of all skill levels, and the Modern Worship Team rehearses Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for the 8:30 and 11:15 a.m. services. Children's choirs include Cherub Disciples (age 3 through kindergarten) and Angel Chorus (first through sixth grades).
A Liturgical Arts Team designs stage sets, altar scapes, banners, and other visual elements for worship seasons and special events at both campuses - including the All Saints Sunday banners created each year to honor members who have died in the past year.
On Mission
Missions are organized by Pastor Carlisle Jones and the FFUMC Missions Committee. Locally, the Giving Garden, started in 2010 before any building stood on the Mack Hatcher property, partners with more than 15 community organizations to deliver organically grown produce. Giving Garden on the Go collects unsold produce from the Franklin Farmers Market on Saturdays and brings it into local neighborhoods. The Blessing Box is a free little pantry at the circle drive on Mack Hatcher. Meals on Wheels, started at Franklin First in 1975, now involves eleven faith-based groups cooking meals for about 130 guests across eight delivery routes. Room in the Inn hosts twelve individuals from Nashville each Thursday night from November through March for dinner, showers, a safe place to rest, breakfast and a to-go lunch, plus clothing and toiletry needs. The church partners with Freedom Middle School through United4Hope, supports Project Transformation Tennessee as reading buddies and meal providers, sends volunteers to Take the Reins at White Fawn Farm for therapeutic riding, and fills food and hygiene pantries at the school.
Globally, Franklin First has partnered with ACD Guatemala since 1999, supporting a faith-based organization serving children and families exposed to violence and migration in rural Guatemala. The church has been a partner with Africa University in Zimbabwe since 2004, sponsoring students and welcoming university leaders to worship. Disaster Response trains an Early Response Team that deploys when communities are affected by storms or other events. Kairos Prison Ministry receives prayer, financial, and material support from the congregation. Franklin First also partners with Ebenezer UMC, a Nashville-based Hispanic ministry, and supports the wider United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
Care, Recovery, and Prayer
Pastor John Melick oversees Congregational Care, supported by Stephen Ministers (trained lay listeners for hospital, divorce, grief, job loss, illness, and other life transitions) and Congregational Care Ministers who visit hospitals, care facilities, and homebound members. The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. to knit and pray, and the shawls are given to those walking through difficult times. A Prayer Team lifts up first names shared through a weekly prayer chain email.
Franklin First hosts a remarkable range of recovery and support groups at the Main Campus. Anonymous meetings include AA at 6:30 a.m. weekdays and noon Monday through Friday; Al-Anon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) on Wednesdays and Fridays; CoDA on Wednesdays; NA on Thursday evenings; SA on Sunday afternoons; and S-Anon on Saturday mornings. DivorceCare is a 13-week seminar-style support group led by trained facilitators. GriefShare, Stephen Ministry, and the Congregational Care Ministers round out the care network.
Memorial Garden, Weddings, and Accessibility
The Memorial Garden and Columbarium along the cedar-lined path south of Wesley Hall provide in-ground spaces and niches for members, clergy, staff, and immediate family. Each circular in-ground space ($1,000) carries a bronze nameplate; each columbarium niche ($2,000) is engraved on its granite faceplate.
Weddings are held as services of worship at both campuses. The Historic Sanctuary offers a rich historical setting with a pipe organ; the Main Campus offers a modern setting in Wesley Hall or an outdoor ceremony on the 100-plus-acre property. Contact Holli Dawson in the church office for a Wedding Information Packet.
The Main Campus is ADA compliant with twelve van-accessible handicapped parking spaces, automatic hands-free doors, wheelchair-accessible sidewalks, an elevator, easy-to-reach seating for wheelchairs and walking aids, and a unisex accessible restroom with an adult-size changing table. Large-print bulletins are available on request. The Historic Sanctuary has a rear wheelchair ramp. A sensory room, Best Buddies volunteers, and Special Friends one-on-one aides support children with disabilities, and the Davis Christian Wright Playground is open to the public every day from dawn to dusk.
Franklin First UMC Preschool
The Franklin First UMC Preschool and Parents Day Out program, directed by Jennifer Thorington and assistant director Suzanne Strong, serves children from the toddler years through Pre-Kindergarten using the Learning without Tears and Creative Curriculum approaches and earning the State of Tennessee's highest quality rating. Tuition ranges from $2,900 for two-day Parents Day Out classes for younger twos to $4,800 for four-day Pre-Kindergarten. Weekly chapel time with the Children's Ministry staff introduces Bible stories through an A-Z curriculum. The preschool operates from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. out of the Main Campus.
Get Connected
Ways to serve at Franklin First span Hospitality (greeters, ushers, coffee brewing, golf cart, weekday office volunteers), Music and Worship teams, First Kids, 415 Youth, Adult Discipleship, Congregational Care, and Missions. The church uses Pushpay for online giving and offers text-to-give by texting "givetoday" to 77977, plus stock donations through FHB Advisors. Staff offices at 120 Aldersgate Way are open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed on Friday. After-hours pastoral emergencies are handled through 615-794-2734, option 6.