At the foot of the Smokies in Maryville, Tennessee, 1st United Methodist Church has been gathering disciples for more than a century and a half. From its 1865 beginnings as a Methodist Episcopal congregation to its present identity as a congregation of the Holston Annual Conference within the United Methodist Church, the church has kept its eye on the same goal: making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The 1st UMC @ Sycamore Tree Campus, opened in 2023, has given that mission a fresh shape, turning a former United Methodist building on Clydesdale Street into a hub where Family Promise of Blount County, Compassion Counseling, and DayBreak Dementia Respite Care now share space with a Barrier Free Worship service.
From Mount Gilead to 1st Church: More Than 160 Years in Maryville
The story begins long before 1865. The congregation's roots reach back to Mount Gilead Church, built around 1822 in the early days of Blount County settlement. In 1865 the Methodist Episcopal Church was formally established as 1st United Methodist Church, the name it still carries. Today the church sits on Montvale Station Road across from Maryville Junior High School, its sanctuary built in the late 1960s and renovated in 2015, and its ministry footprint stretches across two campuses and dozens of community partnerships.
The Holston Annual Conference, which runs from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Radford, Virginia, connects 1st UMC Maryville to a wider network of United Methodist congregations. Within Holston, the church belongs to the Smoky Mountain District. This connection shows up in tangible ways: 1st UMC partners with the Holston Home for Children in Greeneville, supports the Jubilee Project in Sneedville, and sends youth each January to Resurrection, a regional youth worship weekend in Pigeon Forge.
Three Sunday Mornings, One Mission
Worship is at the heart of everything the church does. On any given Sunday, three distinct services take place simultaneously in two different spaces.
The 8:15 Traditional Service in the Sanctuary is the early-bird gathering. Come as you are, grab a cup of coffee on the way in, and settle into a relaxed, traditional atmosphere. The Morning Glory Chorus, a small ensemble of dedicated singers, prepares music for this hour each Sunday, rehearsing at 7:30 am before the service.
The 10:30 Traditional Service fills the same Sanctuary with the full Chancel Choir, a 60-voice ensemble led by Director of Music Dr. Dwight Dockery, accompanied by a pipe organ, with handbells, guest musicians, and children's choirs joining throughout the seasons. Annual highlights include a televised Christmas Cantata with full orchestra and special music for Easter. The Church Orchestra plays periodically for both 8:15 and 10:30 services.
The 10:30 Contemporary Service takes place downstairs in Asbury Hall, the church's gym on the lower level. Led by the Praise Band, with electric and acoustic guitars, piano, drums, and vocals, the service is designed for people of all generations, whether they grew up in church or are just beginning to explore faith. Come in running shorts or in a suit, the welcome is the same.
For children 3-years-old through Kindergarten, Kids Own Worship begins during the 10:30 services. Around 10:45 am, children are invited to leave worship with adult leaders and head to the 1st Kids Area on the lower level for a worship experience tailored to their age. Parents pick up their children in the 1st Kids Area after the service. Children are welcome to remain in any worship service as well.
All three Sunday services are streamed live on YouTube and Facebook, with recordings archived so that anyone can catch up later.
Wednesdays at 1st: Dinner, Choir, Bible Study, and Celebrate Recovery
Wednesday evenings are some of the busiest hours at 1st Church. Beginning at 5:00 pm and running through 8:30 pm, the church fills with the sounds of children's choir rehearsals, shared meals, Bible study, recovery worship, and adult choir practice.
A free dinner is served from 5:30 to 6:15 pm in Asbury Hall on the lower level. The meal is open to anyone in the community, and it is the common table where Wednesday night guests and regular members sit side by side.
At 5:00 pm the children's choirs begin: Beginner Choir for kindergarteners and first graders, Elementary Choir for second and third graders, and Intermediate Choir for fourth and fifth graders. The Intermediate Choir includes chorus and two handbell choirs.
At 6:00 pm, 1st Youth Choir and Youth Handbells begin rehearsing for students in grades 6 through 12. No prior music experience is required.
At 6:15 pm, two children's Bible studies meet in the 1st Kids Area on the lower level. Tots of Truth is for nursery and preschool children; Trackers of Truth is for kindergarten through fifth grade.
At 6:30 pm, two adult offerings begin simultaneously. In Asbury Hall, Celebrate Recovery worship gathers people working through hurts, habits, and hang-ups in a Christ-centered setting. In Room 202, Rev. Teanna Black leads Beyond the Sermon, an adult Bible study that dives deeper into the previous Sunday's sermon themes.
At 6:50 pm, 1st Youth Bible Study meets in Room 151. At 7:00 pm the Chancel Choir rehearses in Room 249, and at 7:40 pm the Celebrate Recovery Share Groups meet in separate rooms for men and women.
Celebrate Recovery: Healing for Hurts, Habits, and Hang-Ups
Celebrate Recovery @ 1st is one of the church's signature ministries. Modeled on the international Christ-centered 12-step program, the ministry exists to reclaim, restore, and rebuild broken people into living testimonies for Jesus. It meets every Wednesday evening with a simple meal at 5:30 pm, worship at 6:30 pm in Asbury Hall (in-person and online), and Share Groups at 7:40 pm.
Childcare is provided during Celebrate Recovery. Volunteer needs are steady: greeters, kitchen servers, food preparation, cleanup, and childcare workers. Amelia Geis-Scott coordinates kitchen help, and Rev. Don Jones oversees general volunteers. More information is at CRat1st.com.
1st Kids: Belong, Believe, Become
The 1st Kids Ministries carry a clear mission and vision. The mission: inspire children to fall in love with Jesus and empower them to be lifelong disciples. The vision: first they must belong, then they will believe, and finally become lifelong disciples.
Kristi Alton is the Director of 1st Kids Ministries. Under her leadership, the church provides nursery care for children under 3-years-old in the 1st Kids Area on the lower level on Sunday mornings from 8:00 am until 11:30 am, and for some special events. The nursery is a nut-free environment.
Sunday School for 1st Kids runs from 9:15 to 10:15 am and is open through fifth grade. Families check in at the 1st Kids Welcome Desk on the lower level. New families are introduced to 1st Kids policies, classrooms, and team members.
Beyond Sunday programming, 1st Kids hosts Vacation Bible School each summer, Parents Night Out, and special themed gatherings throughout the year. Children's choirs meet on Wednesdays as part of the broader music ministry.
1st Youth: A Place for Students in Grades 6 Through 12
Brayden York is the Director of Youth & Student Ministries, and 1st Youth is built around the idea of creating a safe, welcoming, and fun space for students to grow closer to Christ and to each other.
Sunday Youth Fellowship happens each Sunday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, beginning in Asbury Hall and rotating to Wesley Hall in subsequent weeks. The night includes learning, games, and small group time.
Wednesday Bible Study begins at 6:50 pm in Room 151 as part of the broader Wednesdays at 1st rhythm. Rise and Shine happens on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:00 am in Wesley Hall during the school year, with devotion, prayer, and a free breakfast for students.
Sunday School for students meets at 9:15 am, with 6th and 7th graders in Room C10 and 8th through 12th graders in Room 151. Youth Choir and Youth Handbells meet on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm and 6:25 pm respectively.
Throughout the year, 1st Youth also attends Resurrection, the Holston Conference youth weekend in Pigeon Forge each January, and takes trips like the summer Smokies baseball outing at Covenant Health Stadium in Knoxville.
Music at the Heart of Worship
The Music Ministry at 1st Church is built around the conviction, drawn from John Wesley's 18th-century Directions for Singing, that the whole congregation should lift its voice in praise. Five octaves of Schulmerich handbells, a church orchestra, children's choirs, a youth choir, a 60-voice chancel choir, and a contemporary praise band all serve the same purpose: to help people connect with God.
Dr. Dwight Dockery directs the Chancel Choir, the Morning Glory Chorus, the Church Orchestra, and the Youth Choir. Dr. Jennifer Anderson directs the Evensong Handbells (advanced 5-octave ensemble rehearsing Sundays at 3:00 pm), the Intermediate and Elementary Choirs, and the Youth Handbells. Ralph Jeffers leads the Praise Band for the 10:30 Contemporary service and for Celebrate Recovery on Wednesday nights.
Throughout the year, music extends beyond Sunday morning. The Chancel Choir prepares a televised Christmas Cantata with orchestra, the Intermediate Choir presents special music at Christmas, and the Praise Band fills Asbury Hall weekly.
Sunday School: A Class for Almost Anyone
Sunday School at 1st UMC runs from 9:15 to 10:20 am each Sunday, and the church offers classes for ages 3 through 103. Adult classes include Bible Study Buddies (Room 201, with Zoom available), Bible Survey Class (Room 205), Challengers (Room 254), Christian Living (Room 153), Compass (Room 124, for young adults with careers and children), Heritage (Room 152), Inspiration (Room 126), Open Arms (Room 119), Sojourners (Room 204), and Trendsetters (Room 202).
Several of these classes, including Christian Living, Heritage, and Inspiration, partner with local ministries such as Family Promise of Blount County, the Humane Society of East Tennessee, and Lions Club International, weaving service into study.
Open Arms describes itself as a class of progressive Christians of all ages and backgrounds, drawing on the United Methodist tradition of open minds, open hearts, and open doors. Heritage, formed in the early 1960s, gathers singles and couples of all walks of life for study, fellowship, and quarterly social gatherings.
Small Groups, Bible Studies, and a Book Club
Beyond Sunday School, 1st UMC runs a healthy calendar of small group opportunities.
The Men's Bible Study meets Tuesday mornings (with summer gatherings at Panera Bread in Alcoa) in a video-based and discussion-led format. The group draws 10 to 15 men, generally between 40 and 90 years old, and is led by Cliff McCartney.
The 1st UMC Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month from 10:00 to 11:00 am in Room 205. Coordinated by Patsy Lunde, the club reads a wide range of fiction and nonfiction throughout the year.
Seasonal studies appear throughout the church calendar, including Advent and Lenten studies that draw small groups together around specific themes.
Welcome Table: A Weekly Meal for the Community
Welcome Table is a free community meal served in Asbury Hall on the lower level each Thursday from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. There is no charge and no qualification required. Guests are seated by volunteer servers who take drink orders and bring food to the table.
Church Chef Amelia Geis-Scott coordinates the meals at 1st UMC and at a second Welcome Table location at New Providence Presbyterian Church at 703 W. Broadway in Maryville on Tuesday evenings at 5:00 pm. The two locations combined serve around 26,000 meals a year, with an average cost of about $4 per meal. Food donations come from area businesses, and donations are always welcome.
Volunteers serve as servers, greeters, table bussers, beverage station attendants, kitchen help, table setters, dish room assistants, and dessert plate fillers. Each volunteer typically helps one Thursday per month.
Family Promise, DayBreak, and Compassion Counseling
The 1st UMC @ Sycamore Tree Campus, opened in 2023 on a 17,000-square-foot building on a five-acre lot at 1830 Clydesdale Street, is home to several partner ministries that work together to assist vulnerable neighbors in Blount County.
Family Promise of Blount County is part of a nationwide organization envisioning a future where every family has a home. The program helps homeless families get back on their feet through emergency housing and other supports. The Family Promise offices have moved into the Sycamore Tree building, and the facility will eventually be used for emergency housing. 1st UMC serves as a host congregation several times a year, with the next scheduled host week in mid-September.
DayBreak Dementia Respite Care opened in October 2024 at the Sycamore Tree Campus. The ministry serves families caring for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, providing social, physical, and intellectual stimulation for participants and respite for caregivers. Inquiries can be made to info@daybreakcare.org or 865-315-2371.
Compassion Counseling, which grew out of 1st UMC, has moved its offices and counseling services to the Sycamore Tree building.
Barrier Free Worship and a Wider Reach
A Barrier Free Worship service designed for people living with dementia, cognitive challenges, or various expressions of neurodivergence is held at the Sycamore Tree Campus. The simple service emphasizes atmosphere and music and prioritizes how people feel in the time and space. If a person wants to vocalize or move during worship, that is welcome.
Off-site worship is also part of the church's rhythm. Since March 2024, a 30-minute service of hymns and a brief devotional has been held at Clover Hill Senior Living (2317 U.S. 411 in Maryville) on the third Sunday of each month at 2:00 pm. The service is led by Rev. Don Jones and welcomes volunteer musicians and devotional speakers.
Missions: Local, Regional, National, and Worldwide
Around 30 percent of the church's tithes and offerings go to mission and compassion outreach. Local partners include the Boys & Girls Club, Blount County Community Food Connection, Blount County Ecumenical Action Council, Celebrate Recovery, Compassion Counseling, Family Promise of Blount County, The GATE (Gateway to Independence), Good Neighbors of Blount County, Habitat for Humanity of Blount County, Haven House, Home Repair Collaborative, Jail Ministry, Montvale Elementary School Support, Trinity Dental Clinic, and Welcome Table.
Regionally, the church supports the Holston Annual Conference, the Holston Home for Children in Greeneville, the Jubilee Project in Sneedville, Wesley House in Knoxville, and Harry Howe's salary support in Marion, Virginia.
Nationally and internationally, the church partners with Bayou Mission, the Hispanic Ministry Program, A Future with Hope (Hurricane Sandy recovery), a Latvia Partnership with Kuldiga UMC, Africa ELI, Gideon International, Rise Against Hunger, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
1st UMC has built more than 20 homes through Habitat for Humanity of Blount County and currently participates in a faith build with other area churches and organizations. The Latvian Mission Team maintains a partnership with Kuldiga UMC, supporting the work through prayer, financial assistance, and personal trips.
Communications and the Grace for All Podcast
The Church Bell, a printed newsletter, comes out at least once a month and is available in archive from 2015 onward. Sign-up for church emails is available online.
Grace for All is a devotional podcast produced by members of the church. Each episode presents a verse of scripture with a brief reflection written by a member. Daily episodes are planned, with help welcomed from anyone willing to write or record a devotion. The first year of devotions has been compiled into a book available in the church office for a suggested donation of $10 or on Amazon.
Wesley Day School
Wesley Day School is a preschool program meeting three mornings each week during the school year at 1st UMC. The school operates independently from 1st UMC and serves three, four, and five-year-old children. More information is at wesleydayschool.com.
Beliefs and Connection to the United Methodist Church
As part of the worldwide United Methodist Church, 1st UMC Maryville shares the denomination's core teachings. The Bible is the primary authority for faith and practice. The church understands grace as God's loving kindness and mercy that cannot be earned, and proclaims that the central message of Jesus is one of grace for all human beings.
The Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed are standard parts of worship services, along with a statement of faith from the Korean Methodist Church. The United Methodist view of baptism, communion, and salvation is taught through the church's preaching and study offerings.
Worship services follow the rhythms of the United Methodist liturgical tradition, with traditional services featuring the historic order of worship, communion, hymns, and choral music, and the contemporary service offering a more modern setting in Asbury Hall.
First-Time Visitors: What to Know
The church office is open Monday through Friday and can be reached at 865-982-1273 or info@1stchurch.org. The main entrance is on the left side of the building from Montvale Station Road, marked by a Porte Cochere, a covered pull-through. Inside, signs point the way to the Church Office, Wesley Hall, and the elevator.
On Sundays, greeters and ushers are available to answer questions. Free wi-fi is available in the building (network: Maryville FUMC guest), with the password posted on signs throughout. Communion is celebrated in worship services; the church practices open communion.
What to wear: come as you are. The 8:15 service is described as informal and come-as-you-are. The 10:30 Traditional Service draws a mix from Sunday best to business casual. The 10:30 Contemporary Service welcomes running shorts and suits alike.
Children are welcome in every worship service. The nursery is open for children under three from 8:00 to 11:30 am. Kids Own Worship is offered during both 10:30 services for children 3-years-old through Kindergarten. Sunday School is available for children through fifth grade at 9:15 am.
Guided visits of the building can be arranged by contacting the church office. The church's motto sums up the rhythm of life together: Reach, Connect, Equip, Send, with the persistent reminder to always put love first.