A Church That Says What It Is For
New Haven United Methodist Church sits along Lincoln Highway East in New Haven, Indiana, where the church has chosen to be known by what it stands for rather than what it opposes. The phrase that captures that posture is simple: #forNewHaven. Visitors driving up to the awning-covered main entrance off Mourey Street will see that motto worked into signs, banners, and the church's online presence, and it shows up in everything from the food pantry outside the front door to the children's ministry in the back hallway.
The building itself is laid out for hospitality. Guests walk through Door #1 into a Gathering Space, where greeters wait to say hello and a small cafe offers coffee, tea, and donuts. From there the path leads straight ahead into the Worship Center, where the main Sunday service takes place. Two of the church's rooms - the Gathering Space and the Jungle Room - are also available to rent for community events, which keeps the building busy well beyond Sunday morning.
Sunday Mornings at 10:00 a.m.
One Sunday morning service gathers the congregation at 10:00 a.m., and the service runs about an hour. People arrive in everything from suits and dresses to jeans and T-shirts; both are equally welcome. A timer at the front of the Worship Center counts down the final five minutes before things begin, and the service opens with a short video announcement, moves into several worship songs, and centers on a message that runs twenty-five to thirty minutes. Children are part of the life of the church from the moment families arrive: a nursery is available for infants through age four, and Preschool through fifth-grade students head downstairs to the Jungle Room for Blast Children's Ministry during the sermon.
Worship is also shared online. Services are livestreamed through Vimeo, with full message archives going back through recent sermon series, so anyone who is traveling, homebound, or simply curious can follow along from a distance. The church's Spotify account also publishes playlists that line up with the current teaching series.
A Table That Stays Open
On the first Sunday of every month, the congregation gathers around the table for Holy Communion. New Haven United Methodist Church practices an open table, meaning that anyone who wishes to receive the bread and cup is welcome - whether or not they are a member, whether or not they have been baptized at the church, and whether or not they are a child. Communion is one of the two sacraments recognized in the United Methodist tradition (the other being baptism), and the pastors describe it as a visible sign of an invisible grace.
The invitation is repeated often: Jesus calls all to the table, and everyone is free to come forward or to remain in the pew. Participation is always a choice and never a requirement.
Love, Grow, Share, and Serve
The congregation organizes its life around four verbs drawn straight from the church's mission statement: to love, to grow, to share, and to serve, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Love is rooted in the command to love God fully and to extend that same love to neighbors. Grow happens through the spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, and Bible study, both individually and in community. Share is the outward expression of that growth, telling the good news in word and deed so that others know they are loved and forgiven. Serve puts hands and feet on the faith, using whatever gifts God has given to help people near and far, whether or not they are part of the church.
The beliefs underneath those verbs are stated in plain terms. The church confesses that God became human in Jesus of Nazareth, and that his life, death, and resurrection demonstrate God's redeeming love. The Holy Spirit is recognized as God's present activity, sensed in guidance, challenge, comfort, and support. Human beings are made in the image of their Creator, with the capacity to love, communicate, and create. The church itself is understood as the body of Christ and an extension of his ministry in the world today. The Bible is the primary authority for faith and practice, and the kingdom of God is held as both a present reality and a future hope.
Children, Youth, and the Preschool Next Door
Three distinct programs care for the youngest members of the community. Blast Children's Ministry serves infants through fifth grade, with a staffed nursery for the littlest ones and a Sunday School class in the Jungle Room for Preschool through fifth grade. Rise Up Youth Ministry gathers students in grades four through twelve around discipleship, worship, small groups, and shared life. The youth ministry is currently being revamped, but the commitment to walking alongside teenagers through some of their most formative years is clear.
During the week, the church also runs a preschool with its own director and curriculum. The preschool operates out of the same Lincoln Highway East campus and can be reached at nhumpreschool.com for families looking to enroll younger children. A separate childcare program, also led by a dedicated director, rounds out the early-years care available at the church.
The Food Pantry That Never Closes
Perhaps the most visible sign of the #forNewHaven commitment stands right outside the main entrance. In partnership with Forward Indiana, the church has built a community food pantry at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Mourey Street that is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The pantry operates on a simple, radical principle: solidarity, not charity. Anyone in need is welcome to walk up and take what they need, and anyone with extra is invited to leave what they can for others.
The pantry is stocked with grab-and-go items that don't require any cooking or preparation. Most-requested donations include granola bars and other ready-to-eat snacks, tuna and chicken packets, and personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, pads, tampons, and diapers. The church also welcomes help spreading the word about the pantry so that neighbors who could benefit know it is there.
Gathering and Growing in a Community Garden
On the same campus, the church hosts the Gather & Grow Community Garden, a place where neighbors can rent a plot, put seeds in the ground, and share in the slow work of growing food together. Full plots measure twenty feet by twenty feet and are available for the gardening season, with raised beds offered on a limited basis. The garden is one more way the congregation weaves itself into the everyday rhythms of the neighborhood beyond Sunday morning.
A Building That Hosts the Neighborhood
The Gathering Space and the Jungle Room are available to rent for showers, parties, meetings, and community events of all kinds. The Gathering Space rents for $150 for the first three hours and $50 for each additional hour, while the Jungle Room rents for $75 for the first three hours and $50 for each additional hour. Each rental requires a refundable $150 deposit, a $20 key fob deposit, and a non-refundable $75 custodial fee. A Facilities Manager handles inquiries and walks renters through the application process. The facility is also used for weddings and funerals, and the building stays active with seasonal community events such as the annual Rummage Sale and Trunk or Treat Block Party that draw neighbors in from across the area.
Volunteer Teams for Every Shape of Service
Behind every program is a long list of volunteers. The church organizes its service opportunities into several teams:
- Children's Ministry volunteers teach Sunday School, lead small groups, and create activities that help kids encounter Jesus' love.
- Facility & Groundskeeping volunteers handle the hands-on work that keeps the building and grounds running smoothly.
- Student Ministry volunteers walk alongside middle and high school students, from leading small groups to playing ping pong on a Wednesday night.
- Digital Ministry volunteers serve in audiovisual, photography, and cinematography roles, helping the church's online reach match its in-person ministry.
- Hospitality volunteers greet, smile, and make sure everyone who walks through the doors feels at home.
- Administration volunteers handle the quieter, behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything else moving.
Leadership and Staff
The congregation is led by Rev. Dr. Jenothy Irvine, the Lead Pastor, who is often accompanied around the church and on pastoral visits by Titus, the congregation's visitation dog. Mallory Marhenke directs the preschool, Heather Sprunger leads the childcare program, Kent Hills serves as Facilities Manager, Tina Logan directs the music ministry, and Beth Monn and Michelle Nettles handle the books and the front office. A volunteer Leadership Board chaired by Keven Linker oversees governance, with additional chairs and members serving on Finance, Facilities, and HR teams.
Staying Connected Through the Week
Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone with questions, prayer requests, or a desire to get involved can text the church at (833) 423-2498 and a staff member or Prayer Team volunteer will respond. Online giving is set up through the church's secure giving portal, with both one-time and recurring donation options. A monthly newsletter, a connection card, and a community garden signup form are available online, and the Google Calendar is embedded for anyone who wants to see what is coming up next.
For those ready to walk through the doors on Sunday, the route is straightforward: enter the parking lot off Mourey Street, pull up under the awning at the main entrance if needed, and step into Door #1. From there, the coffee is hot, the donuts are out, and a few smiling faces are waiting to say the words: You're welcome here.