A Church at the Corner of East and South
Redding First United Methodist Church stands at 1825 East Street in downtown Redding, California, on the corner of East and South Streets. A huge mural of doves faces South Street, making the building easy to find for visitors and a familiar landmark for regulars. Inside, the congregation describes itself as a community that "passionately puts love into action in every aspect of our journey - from worship to outreach, nurturing to learning, and in making a positive impact in our world."
As a proud member of the Reconciling Ministries Network, Redding First UMC explicitly celebrates LGBTQ+ persons as a beautiful expression of God's diverse creation and advocates for the affirmation of all of God's children in the church and the world. Its motto is "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors." The congregation welcomes everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, age, economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The building itself is a working community space. The Social Hall on the first floor hosts coffee hour, the United Women in Faith luncheons, the Thrift Shop, the Inclusive Ministries dinner, and all-church gatherings. The Fellowship Cafe on the third floor is the meeting place for the monthly book club and other small groups, and the church library on the top floor hosts several of the weekly Bible studies. A three-story sanctuary is upstairs, and parking is free in the church lot, entered from South Street.
Sunday Mornings at Ten
The church gathers for one Sunday worship service each week, beginning at 10:00 AM in the sanctuary. Members describe the gathering as a large, diverse mix of people from different social and theological backgrounds who share a love for each other and a focus on social justice. Communion is celebrated every week using bread and grape juice. The congregation calls this 2,000-year-old sacrament a sacred tradition that connects Christians of every belief across time and culture.
Children are part of worship from the start. Early in the service, kids are invited up on stage for a Children's Moment, a short message of love and hope, before being dismissed to their own program. After the service, a coffee hour in the Social Hall on the first floor gives everyone a chance to linger, greet one another, and connect with newcomers.
What First-Time Visitors Find
Worship at Redding First UMC is intentionally relaxed. Hawaiian shirts, bright floral prints, and shorts are common, especially in summer, and suits and ties are rarely seen. The advice to newcomers is straightforward: wear whatever puts you at ease.
Members and visitors wear name tags each week so it is easier to learn names, and warm handshakes are the norm. Childcare is available for toddlers, and programs are offered for first through twelfth graders during the service. Parking is free in the church lot off South Street, with no meters and no parallel parking to navigate. Early arrivals can usually find a spot in the shade under the trees.
Music That Mixes the Old and the New
Music is central to Sunday worship, and the church embraces both traditional and contemporary styles. The chancel choir, directed by Gwen Rooker, is always open to new members. A separate bell choir is led by Shannon Park, and a music team of vocalists and instrumentalists (Lindy Jenkins, Vicki Ono, Greg Lawson, Scott Lewis, Katrina Welty, and Emma White) supports congregational singing. Lindy Jenkins and Scott Lewis serve as the church's Music Directors, and Alda Turgieva is the pianist.
The only stated requirement for participation is "to make a joyful noise." Anyone who is musically inclined is invited to introduce themselves to the choir director.
Wonder Years: Children's Ministry
Children's ministry takes the shape of Wonder Years, a program for kids age four through fifth grade that meets every Sunday during the worship hour. After the Children's Moment in the sanctuary, children head to Room 33 for a weekly Bible lesson paired with crafts, science experiments, games, and discussion. Curiosity is welcomed, and the goal is to help children connect Bible stories to their own daily lives.
A nursery is available for babies and toddlers under four. Michelle Powell directs both Children's Ministry and Youth Ministry.
Youth Group on Sundays
The Youth Group gathers twice each Sunday. During the 10:00 AM service, youth head out for a morning program. They meet again from 4:30 to 5:45 PM for games and conversation. The stated purpose is to spend time together, become empowered as a community of Christ, and grow spiritually as individuals and as a group.
Bible Study Six Days a Week
Redding First UMC maintains an unusually broad slate of weekly Bible studies and small groups, and newcomers can drop in at any time. The full weekly rhythm includes:
- Sundays, 8:45 to 9:45 AM - a study of the previous Sunday's sermon and scripture, led by Mary Doty in Rooms 10/11.
- Wednesdays, 2:00 to 3:00 PM - a Bible study and discussion of faith-related topics led by Ed and Carol Whitmer in Rooms 10/11.
- Wednesdays, 6:00 to 7:00 PM - an open Bible study conversation led by Pastor Charles White in the church library on the top floor.
- Thursdays, 7:30 to 8:30 AM - a discussion of faith-related topics and prayer concerns led by Lynne Wonacott and Donna Holscher at From the Hearth on Market Street.
- Thursdays, noon to 1:00 PM - a Bible study conversation led by Pastor Charles White in the church library.
- Fridays, noon to 12:20 PM - an interfaith meditation gathering led by Leroy "Perk" Perkins in the church library on the third floor. Participants gather, greet one another, sit quietly, and let their minds relax.
Inclusive Ministries: Reaching Beyond the Walls
Inclusive Ministries is a signature outreach of the church, serving community members who are often marginalized - especially participants from local group homes and care facilities. The monthly highlight is a Ham Dinner and Sing-a-Long held on a Sunday afternoon in the Social Hall, with a worship service to follow. Volunteers help with the potluck, transportation, set-up, clean-up, nametags, photo fun, and singing. Vicki Ono chairs Inclusive Ministries.
The ministry also hosts longer Sunday-afternoon gatherings in the Social Hall, sometimes stretching into the early evening with worship, dinner, and conversation. The events are described by the church as a powerful way to connect and share time and joy with the larger community.
The Anti-Racism Task Force
The Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF) is one of the church's most visible commitments to social justice. Co-chaired by Sue Kermode and Greg Lawson, the ARTF hosts an ongoing film series that has featured screenings of 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture, Rising From the Rails - The Story of the Pullman Porter, In the Heights, and Smoke Signals. Film nights are free and open to the wider community, often held in the church sanctuary.
The ARTF also organizes fundraising events, including a Chipotle ARTF Fundraiser, a Dinner, Silent Auction, and Live Concert at Fratelli's Pizza Parlor, and a recurring Faithworks Fundraiser that supports local housing efforts. The church co-sponsors the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Celebration at Sequoia Middle School's Performing Arts Center, with performances, an information fair, a shared lunch, and a march to City Hall.
United Women in Faith and the Thrift Shop
United Women in Faith (UWF) is the church's women's ministry, with a stated purpose of knowing God and experiencing freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ, developing a creative and supportive fellowship, and expanding concepts of mission through the global ministries of the church.
The group gathers on the third Wednesday of each month at noon in the Social Hall for a luncheon, program, business meeting, and fellowship. Luncheons run ten months a year, taking a summer break in July and August. A $3 donation is appreciated, church membership is not required, and child care is available at general meetings upon request. Connie Lancaster is the UWF Chair, with Cathy Joplin leading the thrift shop.
Twice a year, on the first full weekend of the month, UWF hosts its renowned Thrift Shop in the Social Hall. Donations are accepted Wednesday and Thursday, and the shop is open Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to around 12:30 PM. Proceeds go to local, meaningful, and socially conscious organizations and projects.
A New Pastor and a Season of Listening
Pastor April Sousa began her appointment at Redding First UMC on July 1, 2026, arriving from Elk Grove United Methodist Church in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. She holds a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology (2023) and was commissioned toward ordination in the United Methodist Church in June 2023. Before her appointment at Elk Grove, she served the Church of the Joyful Healer as a Certified Lay Minister and then as a Licensed Local Pastor, where she helped launch the Saturday Gathering, an outreach ministry for unhoused neighbors, and led the congregation to become a reconciling ministry church.
Her arrival followed a season of intentional listening. In March 2026, the church held twelve facilitated Listening Post Sessions involving 86 participants, asking why people are part of the community, what they need from it, times they have been uplifted or helped, difficulties they have experienced, and hopes for the road ahead. The take-home lessons from those sessions were shared at an all-church meeting in May, and the responses are described by the church as filled with hope.
Pastor Charles White, who preceded Pastor April, continues to lead two of the weekly Bible studies. The church sits within the California-Nevada Annual Conference, with Bishop Sandra Kay Olewine serving the Western Jurisdiction and District Superintendent Mike Harrell serving the Greater Northern District.
Weddings and Funerals in the Sanctuary
The sanctuary is available for weddings of any size, from intimate gatherings of fifteen to services of up to two hundred guests. The space features traditional stained glass windows, a grand piano, a pipe organ, wood pews, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Membership in any denomination is not required, and the church is willing to work with any budget. The Fellowship Hall and parking lot are also available for receptions.
The church also hosts funerals and memorial services for anyone desiring a Christian service, regardless of church membership. No fees are charged for funerals or memorial services, and the service may take place in the sanctuary, at a funeral home, or at another location of the family's choosing. A reception can be held in the Fellowship Hall, and the media team can create a video slideshow memorial set to music.
The church's facility is also available for use by outside groups. The first-floor Social Hall, the third-floor Fellowship Cafe, the church library, classrooms, and the sanctuary host a steady rhythm of small groups, all-church gatherings, study groups, and community events. An all-church calendar keeps the schedule visible to everyone.
What Redding First UMC Believes
The congregation has stated its mission in clear terms: to welcome and include everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, age, economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity; to minister to the whole person and nurture a faith that works in real life through worship, education, fellowship, service, and justice; to create a spirit of belonging through Christian care-giving, fellowship, and service; to collaborate both within the congregation and throughout the greater community; to work, educate, and advocate for social justice locally and globally; and to use time, labor, and other resources to respond to the needs of local, national, and global communities.
Worship services are livestreamed on YouTube each Sunday at 9:50 AM. Recorded services are posted to the church's YouTube channel on Monday afternoons. Giving is available through a secure giving partner. Visitors who want to know more about becoming part of the community can simply show up on a Sunday morning, sign up for the newsletter, or contact the church office at (530) 243-2403 or admin@reddingumc.org.