First United Methodist Church has stood at 850 16th Street in downtown Modesto for more than 150 years, longer than most of the buildings on its block. The congregation's motto - "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors." - sets the tone for everything that happens inside: a United Methodist community that has welcomed generations of Modesto families and continues to welcome newcomers with the same warmth. Today, a livestreamed service, an active preschool, and a long list of ministries keep that welcome alive for neighbors near and far.
Sunday Worship at Ten
The congregation gathers every Sunday at 10 a.m. for a single service that is offered both in person and as a livestream. Members and visitors enter through the side or front doors of the sanctuary, where greeters hand out an Order of Worship and a weekly insert with announcements, a calendar of "This Week at FUMC," and contact information. Visitors are invited to fill out the insert and drop it in the offering box in the narthex - an optional gesture that simply helps the church follow up.
The virtual Order of Worship is posted online so those who cannot attend in person can follow along. The full service is streamed live each week, and the same Sunday rhythm is shared by everyone, whether they are in the pews or watching from home.
After the service, people linger for the Postlude music or slip quietly out after the Benediction. Many head to the Fellowship Hall, where the monthly Birthday Celebration, United Women in Faith activities, and other seasonal events take place.
The congregation's full inclusion statement reflects the welcome at the door: people of every race, ethnicity, age, income, ability, physical or mental condition, political affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, family structure or marital status are invited into the full life of the church.
A Pastor with a Southern Drawl
Rev. Jay Parr leads the congregation as pastor. A lifelong Methodist who grew up in the church, he spent twenty-five years in tech sales before answering a call to seminary and ministry. Originally from Texas, he still carries a bit of a southern drawl - and still uses "Y'all," with "All Y'all" as the plural. His wife, Bridget, is his best friend and partner in ministry, and the couple has four young adult children.
Pastor Jay finds his greatest joy in the Methodist slogan that the church lives by: "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors." He writes that church is "a wonderful place to be filled with God's love and then share that love with all," and that he loves "that all means all! Yes, we are all God's children, with no exception."
Children, Youth, and Tiny Tots
Children are central to life at First United Methodist Church. Nursery Care is provided for children from birth through age four during the 10 a.m. worship, and Sunday School is offered for kindergartners through fifth grade. On the first Sunday of each month, the children come back into the sanctuary for communion rather than staying in their classrooms.
Older youth are encouraged to attend worship with their families, and they sometimes take visible roles in the service - serving as liturgists, acolytes, greeters, or ushers. The Children & Youth Ministry, led by Kelsea Overstreet and Bridget Parr, also runs a Youth Group and Vacation Bible School, with Tiny Tots Preschool Chapel Time woven into the week for the youngest learners.
Methodist Tiny Tots Preschool has shared the church's campus for more than sixty years. The program spans an entire block in downtown Modesto, giving young children plenty of room to explore, create, and discover. Director Alex Candelario oversees a play-with-purpose, hands-on curriculum that builds social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills, with a steady focus on kindergarten readiness. The preschool is a nonprofit and offers a sibling discount on tuition. It sits across the street from the Stanislaus County Library and down the road from the Gallo Center of the Arts.
Music Across Generations
Music at First United Methodist Church draws on both traditional and contemporary expressions. Music Director Arvin Berner and Pianist Lisa Battista lead a program with room for many kinds of musicians.
The Music Ministry Team includes the Chancel Choir and Chancel Bells for those who love the classic repertoire, and a Praise Collective and Worship Band for those who prefer a more contemporary sound. Congregational singing anchors every service, with ensembles supporting the assembly and special music woven through the liturgical year. Anyone interested in joining one of the groups is invited to reach out to the music director.
Reaching Into the Neighborhood
The Community Encounter Ministry, led by Jennifer Ward, opens the church's doors outward to the Modesto area. The team organizes ESL Classes for adults learning English and coordinates volunteer service with the Salvation Army Meals program. Two long-running partnerships - with Heifer International and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) - carry the congregation's reach beyond Modesto.
Fundraisers are part of the rhythm of this ministry. The Apple Pie Fundraiser is a beloved seasonal tradition, and the Falling Leaf Boutique & Pantry Fundraiser brings the community together for a good cause. Each Sunday, food and clothing barrels in the Narthex collect donations that volunteers deliver to Inter-Faith Ministries each month.
Women United in Mission
United Women in Faith at FUMC brings together women who are committed to mission work that improves the lives of women, children, and youth locally and around the world. The group meets monthly for a program that explores current issues and upcoming service projects, with study, prayer, and service at the center.
Several interest groups grow out of the larger meeting. Nifty Needles is a crafting and fellowship circle. Saturday Seekers is a book club with a focus on spiritual formation, community, leadership, and social action. BRAGG - the Book Reading and Gourmet Group - adds good food to good conversation. Brenda Witt leads United Women in Faith at FUMC.
Caring for One Another
The Congregational Care Ministry, led by Bob and Janet Harper as Ministers of Pastoral Care, surrounds members with practical attention. Feed My Sheep delivers meals to those in need. The Birthday Fellowship Celebrations gather the congregation for cake and company. Home and hospital visitation, a Memorial Service and Reception Committee, Membership Care, a Prayer Card Ministry, and a Prayer Pyramid Team round out the work.
For families navigating a loss, the church also accepts memorial gifts - contributions that can support an existing endowment fund, help maintain facilities, fund scholarships, or back a specific ministry. Memorials can be made online, by check, or at the church office.
Growing in Faith Together
The Faith Development Ministry, led by Brenda Morris, gathers adults around study and conversation. Small Groups meet around shared interests. The Men-to-Men Group builds fellowship among the men of the church. Patch of Blue and Tables for Eight are smaller gatherings that mix study with hospitality. These groups give members ways to grow in faith beyond Sunday morning.
A Methodist Heritage
First United Methodist Church is part of a tradition that began in 1729 in England under John and Charles Wesley. The United Methodist Church was formed through the 1939 merger of three Methodist bodies - the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South, and Methodist Protestant churches - and a 1968 union with the Evangelical United Brethren Church. Today the denomination has more than ten million members worldwide.
Locally, FUMC belongs to the California-Nevada Annual Conference. The congregation's John Wesley Society is a chapter of that conference. The church's mission is to "Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World," and its vision is to address the physical and spiritual needs of the Modesto community while seeking to bring about the Kingdom of God.
Giving and Planned Gifts
First United Methodist Church offers several ways to give. The Sunday offering can be placed in the offering box during worship. Online giving, through a dedicated portal, allows one-time donations or recurring contributions by debit, credit, or e-Check. Members who use online banking can send checks through their bank's Bill Pay. Donations can also be mailed to the church office or made in person during business hours, which run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For those planning an estate, the church offers planned giving options, including endowment funds, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and bequests. The Endowment Committee welcomes conversations with anyone considering a legacy gift.
Walking Through the Doors
Driving into downtown Modesto, the church is easy to find. From CA-99 North, take exit 226 toward CA-132/CA-108, follow G Street to 16th Street, and turn left; the church will be on the right. From CA-99 South, take exit 226A for Central Modesto, merge onto 5th Street, turn left onto I Street, and then right onto 16th Street; the church will be on the left.
The church office can be reached at (209) 522-9046 or fumc@firstumcmodesto.org. The sanctuary, fellowship hall, preschool classrooms, and music spaces fill with life each week, a story that has been unfolding in downtown Modesto for more than a century and a half.