A Church Designed to Connect on Land O Lakes Boulevard
Land O Lakes United Methodist Church stands along Land O Lakes Boulevard in the heart of central Pasco County, a stretch of road that links the communities of Lutz, Land O Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Trinity, and Spring Hill. The church has long been a fixture of this part of Florida, and its motto - "A Church Designed to Connect" - captures the way the congregation weaves worship, fellowship, study, and service into a single rhythm. Whether someone prefers timeless hymns or modern worship music, whether they arrive with young children or come on their own, the church opens its doors with the same invitation: join in, get to know others, and grow in faith together.
The congregation lives out a simple mission: to love God, love others, and serve the world. The leadership describes the church as deeply committed to connecting and serving, both locally and beyond, and rooted in the Wesleyan tradition that gave birth to the Methodist movement. Two Sunday services anchor the week, and from there the ministry stretches into nearly every day, from nursery care and Sunday school to recovery meetings, a sewing ministry, a bicycle ministry, scouting troops, a mobile dental clinic, and global mission partnerships that reach Cuba and beyond.
Two Sunday Services, One Hour Each
Sunday mornings at Land O Lakes UMC are built around two distinct worship services, both held in the sanctuary and both designed to run about an hour. At 9:00 AM the Traditional Service offers a classic style of worship, with a choir leading timeless hymns and traditional songs, accompanied by piano or organ. At 10:30 AM the Modern Service offers an engaging alternative, with uplifting contemporary music and a relaxed feel. The two services share the same pastor and the same message but give worshipers a real choice in musical style.
Those who arrive early for either service find Adult Groups and Sunday School classes meeting in the same hour. The SonRise Class meets at 9:00 AM in Room 107, using a structured discussion approach that combines video, current events, and focused Bible study to help new and mature believers discover God's will. The Fellowship Class gathers at 10:30 AM in Rooms 108-109 as a welcoming space for open discussion and shared insight, while the Seekers Class meets at 10:30 AM in Room 107, using Christ-based materials and a shared teaching style to explore scripture together. Each class integrates thoughtful discussion, scripture study, and practical application.
Sunday Evenings and the Pacific Islanders Service
The Sunday rhythm does not end at noon. The Pacific Islanders Service meets at 2:00 PM in the sanctuary, offering a culturally specific expression of worship that draws from the islands of the Pacific. The Table, an evening worship service, meets at 6:00 PM and gives the week a reflective close. On Sunday evenings at 5:00 PM, students in middle and high school gather for Student Night, a faith-filled evening of fellowship designed just for them.
Family Ministry: From Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Family Ministry is the heart of the church's work with children. Its mission is to support families and the community in leading and discipling children within the home, the church, and beyond, raising global disciples who serve, grow God's kingdom, and care for His creation. Children's Ministry Director Rachelle Newton leads a team dedicated to nurturing faith, fostering joy, and guiding kids on their journey with Jesus in a safe, engaging, and loving environment.
On Sunday mornings, the nursery is available for children ages 8 weeks to 2 years at the 10:30 AM service. Sunday School for children ages 3 through fifth grade meets at both 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM, with high-energy music, a Bible lesson, games, and a lot of fun in the Spiritual Life Center. Families are welcome in the sanctuary at either service; children may stay with their parents or participate in the Family Ministry opportunities tailored just for them. Family Ministries Director Hannah Smith oversees this work across the church's full ministry to children and students.
Vacation Bible School is offered each summer. Registration opens in advance, and the program reaches children across the community. The church also walks alongside families through programs that emphasize that the neighborhood is the mission field, that showing God's love through action and service is central to who they are, and that every child is a disciple of the Kingdom.
Student Ministry for Middle and High Schoolers
Student Ministry follows the same mission: Love God, Love Others, Serve the World. The student ministry lives out the words of 1 Timothy 4:12 - "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." Sunday nights at 5:00 PM are built around Student Night, a regular gathering for middle and high schoolers filled with faith, friendship, and purpose.
Hannah Smith serves as the Student Ministry Director, walking alongside middle and high school students as they grow in faith, friendship, and purpose. She is passionate about creating spaces where young people feel known, valued, and encouraged to ask big questions about God and life. Her approach centers on relationships, showing up consistently, and helping students discover how deeply they are loved by God. Through weekly gatherings, service projects, retreats, and everyday conversations, students see how faith expands their everyday lives.
Adult Ministry, Bible Studies, and Sunday School
Adult Ministry offers a diverse range of Bible study classes designed to meet people where they are on their spiritual journey. Whether someone is a new believer seeking to understand God's will, a seasoned follower looking to deepen their faith, or simply someone eager to explore scripture in a welcoming community, there is a place for them. Beyond the three Sunday morning classes already mentioned, additional groups meet during the week.
Community Bible Study meets on Thursdays at 8:00 AM and welcomes participants from toddlers through adults, introducing people to God through study of His word. A UWF (United Women in Faith) Bible Study gathers on the second Wednesday of the month at 10:00 AM in Room 107. The Mission Team meets monthly in Room 103 to review past projects, identify new needs, and develop a calendar of missional activities. A Leadership Team gathers regularly to guide the congregation's direction.
Mid-Week Recovery and Support Groups
The church's facilities are a hub for recovery and support throughout the week. On Wednesdays at 6:00 PM, Steps by the Book, an open Alcoholics Anonymous group, meets in Rooms 108-109. On Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Freedom in Sobriety, a women's AA group, gathers in the same rooms for weekly support and care. Both groups are open to the community.
YANA - You Are Not Alone - is a support group for family members impacted by a loved one's addiction, meeting on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. The Caregiver Support Group meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM in Room 104, offering empathy and encouragement to those caring for others. These ministries reflect the church's broader conviction that walking with people through hard seasons is part of Christian community.
The Mission Team and Local Outreach
The Mission Team undertakes the responsibility of identifying mission opportunities within the community and around the world. Team members serve as liaisons between the church and community agencies, foster avenues for church and community members to give back, and search for creative pathways to see transformation within individuals and the global community. The Mission Team meets monthly to review past projects, identify new needs, and develop a calendar of missional activities.
Several hands-on ministries make this real each week. The Mobile Dental Clinic partners with Mission Smiles, a mobile dental unit that offers free emergency dental care to those who financially qualify, bringing the hands of Jesus to those in need. Blood Donations events partner with OneBlood, hosting the Big Red Bus on the campus to make it easy for the community to give the gift of life. Food Distribution partners with Metropolitan Ministries to assist in collecting and distributing meals, contributing to the organization's effort to serve over 75,000 meals each month.
Christian Social Services (CSS) is another local partner. The church supports with gathering food and items and supplying volunteers for CSS, a specialized ministry of local churches that offers food, clothing, supportive services, and Christian hospitality in the name of Jesus Christ in central Pasco and north Hillsborough counties. The church also hosts Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on the campus, with multiple troops meeting weekly and throughout the year. A Monthly Veterans on the Home Front gathering meets on the third Thursday of each month in Room 103, offering support to those who have served.
The Sewing Ministry makes items for people in need of love and comfort. Volunteers make quilts, homeless mats, fidget pillows, and more, one stitch at a time. The Creation Care Ministry emphasizes the church's duties as stewards of creation, working to be plastic and foam free, and engaging in opportunities like the Blessing of the Pets, a joyful outdoor gathering that welcomes dogs, cats, and small critters accompanied by their owners. The Prayer Ministry organizes education opportunities, prays over requests that come to the church, cultivates immersive prayer encounters, and works to grow disciples of Jesus Christ through this spiritual practice. The Congregational Care Ministry visits the sick, sends cards, prays, offers hospitality, makes meals, and walks with people through every stage of life.
Circuit Riders: A Bicycle Ministry on Wheels
One of the more distinctive ministries is Circuit Riders, a bicycle ministry of Land O Lakes UMC. Circuit Riders hosts family events and group rides, offers bike repair services in the community, and provides bicycles to those who want one. The focus is on building community on wheels, and the ministry maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram for the latest information on rides and pop-up bike repair spots.
Global Mission Partners
The Mission Team continually works to build relationships with worldwide missional partners, supporting them financially and through other means to carry out Christ's direction to care for neighbors. Caring for others goes beyond the street; the responsibility extends to the global community. Two named partners anchor this work.
Zoe Empowers is making a difference by equipping vulnerable youth and their families, providing access to education, healthcare, and other resources to help people thrive. Palmas Altas Methodist Church in Cuba, led by Pastor Aliosky Romero, engages in feeding and ministering to its community, and is the church's Cuban sister church. The church is also directly involved in UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, through donations, volunteers, and supplying disaster recovery buckets. UMCOR comes alongside those who suffer from natural or human-caused disasters - famine, hurricane, war, flood, fire, or other events - to alleviate suffering and serve as a source of help and hope for the vulnerable.
Early Life Academy: Childcare for the Community
First United Methodist Early Life Academy is a fun, loving place for families to bring their little ones while at work. The program plays, reads, sings, and does all the things children love to do. Stephanie Moser serves as Assistant Director of Early Life Academy, and families are encouraged to call for information about enrollment. The academy extends the church's ministry to children beyond Sunday morning into the workweek of local families.
Staff and Leadership
Rev. Lance Newton serves as Pastor of Land O Lakes United Methodist Church. Mike Wilson leads the Modern Worship team as Modern Worship Director, and Vira Ocheret leads the Traditional Worship team as Traditional Worship Director. Hannah Smith is the Family Ministries Director, and Rachelle Newton is the Children's Ministry Director. Lee Edwards serves as Facilities Manager, Sue Shea is the Church Administrator, and Suli Klingler is the Bookkeeper.
The Leadership Board provides governance and direction, including Lary Hershelman, Diane Kuenzel, Dee Dee Foyle, Dale Posey, Betsy Lamoy, Andrew May, and David Smith. The choir practices on Wednesday evenings and supports both the Traditional and Modern services with music each week.
What United Methodists Believe
Land O Lakes United Methodist Church is rooted in the Wesleyan tradition and embraces its part in the Methodist movement that has transformed lives and shaped history. The United Methodist Church is a global denomination that opens hearts, opens minds, and opens doors through active engagement with the world. The mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
A United Methodist is someone who joins in that mission by putting faith and love into action. The church believes that God loves all people and that believers share in expressing that love. The United Methodist tradition emphasizes God's grace and serving others. The church believes that Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God's love, showing the fullness of God's care through Jesus' teachings, death, and resurrection.
John Wesley started the Methodist movement in 18th-century England, and his teachings on practical divinity and appeals to reason and experience form important aspects of United Methodist practice today. The United Methodist Church is a worldwide connection of more than 12 million members in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States, and a member of the World Methodist Council, which ties together Methodist denominations worldwide.
Methodists believe that God's grace is open to all, and the church practices "open Communion," meaning that anyone may participate in receiving Communion. Salvation is understood as an open gift from God, accepted by individuals according to their own free will. The United Methodist denomination is described as a "big tent" theologically, providing space for theological discourse and, at times, disagreement. Like many other Christian groups, United Methodists affirm the beliefs expressed in the Apostles' Creed: belief in one God, Creator and sustainer of the universe; belief in the Trinity, one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is fully human and fully divine.
United Methodists are active in their communities and in the world through local mission projects and service initiatives, global mission efforts through UMCOR and other mission organizations, advocating for social justice and addressing issues such as poverty, hunger, and inequality, providing educational and vocational training opportunities, offering counseling, support groups, and other forms of pastoral care, and creating and supporting community development programs.
Planning a First Visit
First-time visitors often have questions about what to expect, and the church welcomes them warmly. Sunday services are designed to create a meaningful and welcoming worship experience, blending music, teaching, and community connection in just about an hour. Each message from the pastor is rooted in the Bible and filled with truth, hope, and love to encourage and inspire the faith journey.
There is no dress code. The dress code, as the church puts it, is simple: wear something. The goal is for guests to feel welcome just as they are. A welcoming team is ready to meet first-time visitors, show them around, and give a small gift; visitors are encouraged to introduce themselves as first-time guests so the team can guide them.
Families are welcome in the sanctuary. Children and youth can stay with their parents in worship or participate in Family Ministry opportunities tailored for them. The nursery is available for children 8 weeks to 2 years at the 10:30 AM service, and Sunday School is offered for ages 3 through fifth grade at both 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM in the Spiritual Life Center.
Parking is available all around the church campus, with handicap parking located near the entrance of the building. Visitor parking spots are reserved at the entrance of the church for those arriving for the first time. The office can be reached by phone at 813-996-3533, Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, or by email at Office@lolumc.org. Online giving is available through the church's giving page, and a visitor form can be filled out in advance to help the church personalize the visit. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, and sermon recordings are archived there as well. The church is located at 6209 Land O Lakes Blvd, Land O Lakes, FL 34638, a short distance from Lutz, Land O Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Trinity, and Spring Hill. From Lutz, Land O Lakes, Trinity, and Wesley Chapel, head north at the intersection of Hwy 41 and SR 54 and drive 4.1 miles; the church is on the left. From Spring Hill, head south on State Road 41; the church is 6.8 miles south of Hwy 52, on the right.
Land O Lakes United Methodist Church stands as a place where the gospel is taught, where children are loved, where recovery is supported, where neighbors are fed and served, and where the call to make disciples of Jesus Christ is lived out across the community and around the world. The doors are open, and the table is set.