Windsor Hills United Methodist Church, at 3591 Windsor Road SW in Roanoke, is known for blended worship, a wide fellowship of groups for every stage of life, and mission work reaching across the Roanoke Valley and beyond. It also has a distinctive role as a Bridge Church of the Virginia Annual Conference, receiving people who have lost their church homes while remaining part of the United Methodist Church.
A Bridge Church on Windsor Road
Windsor Hills describes its mission as bringing people to Jesus Christ and a new life in God's family. Scripture and prayer guide its ministries of worship, spiritual growth, fellowship and hands-on service for members, the community and the world. The church states that it believes in God's unconditional love and grace and affirms the dignity and worth of every person created in God's image.
That welcome is explicit. Windsor Hills names age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, economic background, physical or mental ability, faith history and life experience among the identities and experiences people bring. It describes itself as a safe and spiritual sanctuary where people can thrive and serve, growing in faith through love, understanding and mutual respect.
Its Bridge Church role gives the welcome four practical commitments:
- Remain part of the United Methodist Church while serving people who have lost a church home through disaffiliation or closure.
- Provide a welcoming place to belong during grief and transition, whether that need lasts for a season or indefinitely.
- Offer no-pressure ministries of worship, discipleship and mission.
- Connect people and groups with one another and with Virginia Annual Conference and district resources as they consider a new church home.
Giving is also available through an online giving service.
Sunday School at 9:15 and Worship at 10:30
Sunday's stated rhythm begins with Sunday School at 9:15 a.m., followed by worship at 10:30 a.m. at 3591 Windsor Road SW in Roanoke. The congregation calls its worship blended, combining traditional and contemporary elements. The service is livestreamed through Facebook and YouTube for people unable to leave home and for those who want to experience Windsor Hills online before visiting in person.
Messy Church meets on the second Wednesday of every month from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Windsor Hall.
A Nursery and a Prayground for Families
Free nursery care is provided for children from six months through six years during the Sunday worship hour, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Changing tables are available in each bathroom in the breezeway.
Children are always welcome to worship with their families in the sanctuary. A children's message is part of worship, and children may also lead through prayer, dramatic readings, music and service as acolytes.
The Prayground in the narthex gives young children and their families a place to participate in worship with sensory tools and kid-friendly activities. Children can play, draw and experience worship rather than sitting silently, while a responsible adult remains with them.
Easy Access and No Dress Code
The sanctuary has easy access for visitors using wheelchairs or rollators, including designated space inside the sanctuary. An elevator and handicap parking spaces with easy access to the sanctuary are also available.
Visitors may wear whatever is comfortable. There is no dress code, and the congregation includes people in suits, dresses, jeans and sneakers.
Belief in a Triune God and Grace at Work
Windsor Hills affirms the traditional understanding of the Triune God: God the Creator, revealed especially through Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit who leads, guides and enlivens. Jesus taught that God's kingdom has come near and is present in the midst of life now.
The church understands the kingdom as evident in acts of love, mercy, forgiveness and grace, while also recognizing that the world is not yet fully transformed. It looks forward to God's completion of what began in Jesus through the Second Coming of Christ.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus and is available to all people. No ritual or work is required for salvation, and saving grace enables a life of holiness more like Christ, marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Windsor Hills also values modern biblical scholarship as a helpful tool for understanding and growing toward God.
The church acknowledges that the church is imperfect and made up of imperfect people who may disagree while still seeking to love God, one another and their neighbors. It identifies baptism and Holy Communion as the two sacraments recognized by the United Methodist Church.
Groups for Youth, Adults and Every Season of Life
Youth ministry welcomes students from rising sixth grade through high school. WHY, or Windsor Hills Youth, meets monthly on Sunday afternoons at 5:00 p.m. for outings, confirmation and experiences of being Christ to others at school, home and in the community. Youth also participate in Sunday School and are served with donuts.
Adult Sunday School has two classes. Sojourners welcomes singles and couples ranging from their sixties through their nineties, including people from varied Christian backgrounds. It studies quarterly lessons and books addressing issues people encounter in society. D.I.G.G., short for Delighting in God's Grace, welcomes singles and couples of all ages and uses The Wired Word to connect current events and scripture with daily life.
Connect groups around Roanoke and Salem
- Bojangles Biscuit Club meets on Wednesday mornings in two sessions, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and 9:30-10:30 a.m. The men's group studies the Upper Room devotional magazine, with breakfast available as an option.
- M & B Connect Group meets on the first and third Wednesdays from 6:00-7:30 p.m. for devotions, Christian topics, encouragement and fellowship.
- Windsor Women meets on the second Thursday at 2:00 p.m. for a shared devotion, prayer, friendship and fellowship.
- Zoomers meets Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. through Zoom to share life and discuss Upper Room articles.
- Moms Group meets on the fourth Tuesday from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the church parlor. It offers support, shared experiences, advice and friendship, with tea and coffee.
The Super Senior Ministry serves older adults from the Roanoke, Salem and Cave Spring areas. Its monthly luncheon begins at 12:05 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday from late September through late May, followed by music, guest speakers, special worship opportunities and other programs from 1:00-1:30 p.m. Windsor Tours also organizes day trips.
Thursday Choirs, Friday Therapy Animals and Homebound Care
Music Director and Organist Karen Jones Harwood leads opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels. The Chancel Choir rehearses Thursday from 7:00-8:30 p.m., while the Handbell Choir rehearses from 6:00-6:55 p.m. Both are open to youth and adults. Composer weekends and performances by groups such as Roanoque Baroque add further musical opportunities.
TheraPets, a community partner focused on the human-animal bond, meets in Windsor Hall on Friday evenings. Trained volunteers and their therapy animals provide animal-assisted connection, comfort and care.
A Homebound Visitation Team sends cards, makes calls and visits homebound members of the congregation. The churchwide Prayer Team also gathers in the sanctuary every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. for prayer.
From Food Pantries to Home Repair and Shoeboxes
Windsor Hills organizes missions around worship, spiritual growth, fellowship and hands-on service. Its local work includes food pantries, homeless shelters, clothes closets, an adult social club for people with disabilities, after-school reading and prison ministry.
Long-term relationships extend through several community organizations:
- Virginia Heights Elementary School has an evolving partnership, while Oak Grove Elementary School supports a classroom reading partnership.
- Roanoke Area Ministries has received a serving team for decades.
- Restin House is a home for disabled veterans, and Rosalind Hills Food Pantry helps feed neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
- Kids Soar is a faith-based after-school organization serving kindergarten through fifth grade and emphasizing reading. Children read or hear more than 800 books in a year.
- The Military Family Support Center serves military families and veterans in the area.
At a national level, the church supports Appalachian Service Project work, disaster response teams and the Red Bird mission school. Global efforts include Rise Against Hunger, in which volunteers pack more than 10,000 meals, and Operation Christmas Child, whose assembled shoeboxes are sent to children in more than 100 nations.
Yarns of Love knits and crochets prayer shawls, lap robes and hats for Kids Soar, the Rescue Mission and the church family. Mary Martha Circle brings women together monthly for mission projects and fellowship, including providing meals for Kids Soar and the Ronald McDonald House.
Bridge Builders grew from interfaith, interracial Sunday School classes and seeks to bridge racial and cultural gaps while building diverse and inclusive worship communities. Members share faith through song, Scripture and communion. In Kairos Inside prison ministry, congregants prepare through team sessions and support the prison community through prayer and baked cookies.
AfterCare Social Club, Begun in 1982
The AfterCare Social Club was created for adults with disabilities after the church Administrative Board unanimously approved the plan in November 1982. Dedicated volunteers continue to sustain the program, which meets monthly in Windsor Hall and provides refreshments.
Activities have included bowling, baseball games and picnics, creating regular opportunities for fellowship and participation beyond the monthly gathering. The church's volunteers continue to sustain this gathering for adults with disabilities.