From a Hilton Village Shipyard to Warwick Boulevard
First United Methodist Church traces its beginnings to a June 1919 meeting of twelve people led by a Presbyterian minister from Norfolk and a Methodist minister from Newport News. They had come together to organize a Sunday School for the families pouring into the newly built Hilton Village, a federal housing development created for shipyard workers on the Virginia Peninsula. After gathering along the riverbank, in a firemen's clubhouse, and under a tent, the mixed group of Presbyterians and Methodists eventually divided into two congregations.
The Methodists built their first church on land donated by the Newport News Land Corporation, which had set aside plots at either end of Main Street for four churches: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal. That original white frame building served the congregation until 1952. The sanctuary members know today was constructed in 1954, and an educational wing was added in 1963. The congregation was first called Hilton Village Methodist Church, became First Methodist Church in 1954, and adopted its present name, First United Methodist Church, in 1968 following the merger with the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Sunday Worship at Ten
Worship is held at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, and the service is livestreamed on the church's Facebook page for those unable to attend in person. Sunday School for all ages meets an hour earlier, at 9:00 a.m., giving families a chance to study and fellowship before the service begins.
A Place for Every Age in Sunday School
Sunday School has been part of the church from its very first gathering in 1919. Today, four classes carry that tradition forward. The Bithynia Class follows a traditional teacher-and-classroom model, opens each Sunday with a hymn and prayers, and works through the Adult Bible Studies series. Members contribute Happy Dollars each week, with each person sharing what makes them happy that day. The collection sponsors a child to attend the Peninsula Rescue Mission summer camp and buys Christmas gifts for residents of the Main Street Home.
The Good News Class meets upstairs in room 203 and uses a roundtable format to discuss contemporary books and videos on Christianity, including works by Virginia pastor Tom Berlin. The Saint Thomas Class, also upstairs in room 215, follows the same roundtable approach and supplements its Sunday study with monthly dutch-treat dinners at local restaurants. Both the Good News and Saint Thomas classes partner with Newport News Social Services to adopt and provide Christmas for a local family each year. A Children's Sunday School class runs upstairs as well, and teens are welcome in any adult class.
Music in Worship
Music has long been a point of pride at First Church. Three choirs - an Adult Chancel Choir, a Handbell Choir, and a Children's Choir - lead worship throughout the program year. During the summer months, a relaxed Summer Choir gathers on Sunday mornings and sings a simple anthem during the 10:00 a.m. service without robes or processional, offering a low-pressure way to try choir before committing to a full season.
Men's Ministries
The men of the church meet for breakfast on the third Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m., skipping July and August. The gathering combines a meal, fellowship, and a guest speaker on a topic of interest. The United Methodist Men also host an annual garage sale, with proceeds supporting ministry and mission work.
United Women in Faith
Women of the church gather through Circle Groups affiliated with United Women in Faith, meeting monthly between September and May. Daytime and evening groups meet in various locations and focus on specific mission programs and speakers. New members are warmly welcomed.
Children, College Students, and Couples
Beyond Sunday School, the church runs a Children's Ministry and a College Ministry that keeps students connected while they are away from home. Couples preparing for marriage find pastoral support and preparation through the church as well.
Serving the Hilton Village Community
First Church has always looked outward as well as inward. The congregation maintains a food pantry that supplements other local resources, including Thrive Peninsula and the City of Newport News, for neighbors facing hard times. An annual Red Cross Blood Drive is held each summer. A preschool program, started in 1967, helps young children think creatively and grow in an atmosphere of Christian love. The First United Church Foundation, established in 1980, administers the church's benevolent program and supports students and community outreach groups. Each summer, First Church joins St. Andrew's Episcopal, Hilton Presbyterian, Hilton Christian, and Trinity Lutheran to host a cooperative Vacation Bible School for area children. The Life Enrichment Series, begun in 1982, brings musical and cultural programs to the congregation and the wider community.
Visiting First United Methodist Church
The church stands at 10246 Warwick Boulevard in Newport News, on the same corner of Hilton Village where the Newport News Land Corporation once laid out a four-church campus. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday School begins at 9:00 a.m. and worship at 10:00 a.m. Those wishing to watch the livestream, read recent bulletins and newsletters, or follow church news can find First United Methodist Church on Facebook.