Tucked into a quiet stretch of Old Saint Augustine Road on the south side of Tallahassee, John Wesley United Methodist Church has been a steady neighbor to the Indian Head Acres subdivision since 1960. The congregation was founded on April 3 of that year by 122 charter members who first gathered in the crowded cafeteria of Hartsfield Elementary School, drawn together by a shared desire to plant a new church for the growing community around them. More than six decades later, the church still keeps close ties to that same elementary, partnering with Hartsfield and with Fairview Middle School on neighborhood mission work.
A Place Where We Can Grow Together
The church's stated purpose is simple and far-reaching: John Wesley United Methodist Church, directed by prayer and the Holy Spirit, shall be a worshiping, caring group of believers who make and equip disciples for serving Jesus in the community and beyond. Senior Pastor Rev. Bethany Douty describes the congregation as a place where people of different political, ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds choose to worship side by side. Her anchor verse, John 10:10, frames the church's welcome around Christ's promise of an abundant life, and she often says the congregation's differences are among its greatest strengths.
Worship at John Wesley intentionally blends the traditional with the contemporary, and the congregation places a high value on being intergenerational. Children are not sent away to a separate program - they are welcomed into the sanctuary as full participants in the church's life together.
Sunday Worship at Ten
Sunday worship is offered in person and online each week at 10:00 a.m. The services follow a familiar United Methodist shape: a prelude, the chiming of the hour, an invocation, opening hymns drawn from The United Methodist Hymnal, a children's message, the pastoral prayer and Lord's Prayer, the sermon, a closing hymn, and a benediction. Communion is observed in services such as the Advent communion on the second Sunday of Advent. Music mixes classic hymns (Praise to the Lord the Almighty, O Come O Come Emmanuel, In the Bleak Midwinter, Joy to the World) with newer worship songs (Forever, Be Unto Your Name, One Day, Days of Elijah), and seasonal services like the Advent pageant and a Christmas Eve candlelight worship at 5:00 p.m. give the year a special rhythm.
For those who cannot attend in person, services are livestreamed on Facebook Live through the church's JWUMC Worship page, and no Facebook account is required to watch. Previous services are archived on the same page, and the church also posts the worship video to its own site.
Music That Lifts Every Voice
The music ministry is a centerpiece of life at John Wesley. Whether someone has sung in a choir their whole life or only in the shower, the invitation is the same: come and lift your voice to the Lord. The choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and sings regularly in worship, with anthems ranging from traditional arrangements (Angels! arranged by Keith Christopher, Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten) to gospel and contemporary pieces.
Amanda Gorham serves as Director of Music Ministries, Yue Sun as accompanist, and Martha Capelouto as Pianist Emeritus. Angelyn Hirai is a frequent soloist and choir leader. Music is woven throughout the year - from soloists and small ensembles during Advent and Christmas to full choral pieces on ordinary Sundays - and the music ministry partners with the children's and youth director so that younger members are part of the sanctuary's musical life too.
Children and Youth in Worship
Children are a visible and valued presence at John Wesley. The church's intergenerational philosophy means that kids ring or chime the hour at the start of worship, say the Lord's Prayer, sing with the choir, light candles as acolytes, read scripture, help with the offering, and usher. A children's message is included in every service, and children's Sunday school follows worship online.
Melinda Stanwood serves as the church's Children's and Youth Director, organizing hands-on activities for use at home during the week and coordinating family devotionals throughout the year. Children can also serve as acolytes, scripture readers, or special music leaders. For families with babies and toddlers through age two, a nursery is available just outside the sanctuary doors, staffed by background-checked volunteers trained in Safe Sanctuaries. Activity bags with coloring books, crayons, drawing paper, and books sit in a bin near the rocking chair outside the sanctuary for those who want to stay in the room with their children.
The church takes child protection seriously, with a formal Child/Youth Protection Policy, volunteer applications, worker applications, and driver forms on file. A scholarship fund in memory of Vesta McElroy Baird is also administered through the church.
Little Lambs Preschool
Little Lambs Preschool is the church's weekday ministry for children ages one through four. The preschool operates Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a VPK program running 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and wrap-around care available until 5:30 p.m. Kelly Zorn and LaKysha Perkins direct the program, supported by a team of teachers. The phone line for tours and enrollment is (850) 656-6651.
Little Lambs describes itself as a Christian, faith-based program dedicated to the emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and cognitive growth of each child. Its philosophy emphasizes learning through play, critical thinking, creativity, confidence, sensitivity to others, and a loving Christian atmosphere. The preschool welcomes children from all backgrounds, faiths, and abilities, and is proud of its diverse, multicultural character. Current monthly tuition (effective January 2026) runs from $675 for VPK wrap-around care to $1,000 for the Ones classroom, with a one-time $150 registration fee and a $100 annual re-enrollment fee each March. All preschool and church employees are required to pass a Level II background check.
Prayer at the Center
John Wesley describes itself as a praying church. Anyone in need of prayer can contact the church secretary for confidential handling of a prayer request, and those who want to pray for others can join the prayer chain. When in-person gatherings resume, small intercessory prayer groups meet on the church grounds.
Mission Work Close to Home
Mission is woven into the identity of the church. Local partnerships begin with Hartsfield Elementary and Fairview Middle School and extend to community organizations across Tallahassee:
- ECHO (Emergency Care Health Organization) - a faith-based ministry that serves people in crisis and poverty in Leon County through emergency relief, job-skill development, and family sustainability programs. John Wesley members volunteer alongside ECHO's small staff.
- Big Bend Habitat for Humanity - an ecumenical Christian housing ministry that builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside partner families. Pat Davis is the local contact.
- Alternative Christmas Market - held each December, the market gathers charitable organizations and church members who want to give alternative Christmas gifts by donating to charities in honor of loved ones. The market also features fair-trade and handmade gifts from local and international artisans.
Mission Partnerships Around the World
Beyond Tallahassee, the congregation has long-standing global partnerships. Teams regularly visit the church's sister congregation in Aguada, Cuba, where members exchange letters and prayers. In Panajachel, Guatemala, the church supports Porch de Salomon, a multifaceted ministry that reaches expatriate and indigenous populations. In East Angola, the church partners with missionaries Leonardo Garcia and Cleivy Benitez of the Methodist Church in Cuba, who teach at the Faculty of Theology in Quessua near Malanje and coordinate Florida volunteer groups. Donations from Florida Conference churches help feed and educate children and youth who lost families during Angola's civil war - thirty dollars covers a month of meals for one child at the Quessua orphanage/boarding house. Terry Denham, Lloyd Monroe, Cindy Cosper, and Icel Rodriguez serve as contacts for these global ministries.
Through the Florida Conference, John Wesley also connects with United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, which organizes hands-on mission experiences for children, youth, and adults from Vacation Bible School and Christian witnessing to construction of chapels and parsonages around the world.
United Methodist Women
The congregation hosts two United Methodist Women circles that are open to all women, Methodist or not. The purpose of UMW is to know God, experience freedom as Jesus's disciples, become a supportive community, and expand concepts of mission. Activities include child advocacy, retreats, mission Bible studies, the School of Christian Missions, bake sales, and group dinners out.
Becoming Part of the Congregation
People interested in joining John Wesley are asked simply to contact the pastor. After a meeting - either in person or via Zoom - to discuss the membership covenant, new members commit to support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. The church uses a six-part set of commitment forms called Team JWUMC to help members grow in each of those areas: Financial Commitment, Prayer Commitment, Presence Commitment, Scripture Commitment, Service Commitment, and Witness Commitment.
The congregation also keeps its calendar open through the Breeze ChMS calendar, and church members and outside groups can request building use through online forms. The church does not rent its facilities on Sundays.
Staff and Leadership
The pastoral and ministry staff includes:
- Rev. Bethany Douty - Senior Pastor
- Amanda Gorham - Director of Music Ministries
- Melinda Stanwood - Children's and Youth Director
- Kelly Zorn - Preschool Director / Nursery
- LaKysha Perkins - Preschool Director, Little Lambs
- Martha Capelouto - Pianist Emeritus
- Yue Sun - Accompanist
- Angelyn Hirai - Choir Contact
John Wesley United Methodist Church is affiliated with the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and belongs to the worldwide United Methodist communion. Members and friends can give online through the church's Breeze ChMS giving page or by mailing a check to the church office at 1689 Old St. Augustine Road, Tallahassee, FL 32301.