Sundays in the Sanctuary and on the Screen
Tucked along Yardley-Langhorne Road in Lower Bucks County, Yardley United Methodist Church gathers twice each Sunday. The 9:30 AM service fills the Sanctuary and is also broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, so friends near and far can pull up a chair. A second, more intimate service follows on Zoom at 11:00 AM; a request through the church's Contact Form adds anyone to the invitation list. Fellowship follows the morning service, and a Pumpkin Patch gathering each autumn extends that welcome out to the neighborhood.
A Church That Puts Children First
The congregation takes seriously the words of Matthew 19:13-14 - "Let the little children come to me" - and treats children as a vital part of every gathering rather than an add-on. K-5 children start the 9:30 service in the Sanctuary with their families and are then dismissed to Sunday School. On Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7 PM they return for a full evening: a game kicks things off, a shared dinner is served at 6 PM, and the lesson begins at 6:20 PM. The Safe Sanctuaries policy shapes how the church keeps that time safe.
Wednesday Nights for Youth and Young Adults
Youth ministry crams a remarkable amount into a Wednesday. From 5:30 to 6 PM, games and downtime give the room time to breathe; at 6 PM, dinner is served for four dollars; from 6:30 to 7 PM, the group moves into informal worship; and from 7 to 7:30 PM, Middle School and High School split into small groups. Beyond the weekly rhythm, the youth hold lock-ins, plan Nights Out, take an annual ski trip, and go on mission trips, including MyCalling! Ministries, a middle school mission trip created and sustained by youth and young adults of the church.
Adults Who Study and Read Together
Adult formation meets on Thursdays in two flavors: an in-person Bible study at 2 PM and a parallel Zoom study at 7 PM. Studies rotate between books of the Bible and themes across the year. On Fridays at 1 PM, the Book Club gathers on Zoom for a different kind of conversation, working through titles together. A weekly email and the church directory keep members and friends plugged into what is coming up.
Music That Praises and Sustains
Music is described by the congregation as "a perfect way to praise God," and the music ministry is built around two groups that double as supportive communities. The Choir rehearses Sunday mornings at 9 AM and leads worship at 9:30. The Bells handbell ensemble rehearses Wednesdays at 7:30 PM and leads seasonally. Anyone with a curious ear is invited to join.
A Congregation That Prays for One Another
Prayer Ministry is woven into the life of Yardley UMC. A prayer team meets to intercede for the needs of the congregation and welcomes new members. Prayer cards are available at both entrances of the Sanctuary, and requests can be shared online as well, so the community can carry one another's concerns.
Mission: Pumpkins, Meals, and the Neighborhood
The Pumpkin Patch has become a signature outreach: an unloading party launches the season, and volunteers staff shifts for the weeks that follow. The congregation also hosts communal meals in the Fellowship Hall and supports service projects for the wider community, with the Missions and Outreach Committee educating, informing, and motivating the congregation about outreach and connecting with groups working in the wider neighborhood.
Hosting the Community in Yardley
The building is as much a community resource as it is a worship space. The Fellowship Hall and meeting rooms host birthday parties, communal meals, and support and recovery groups. Outside, picnic tables and a fire pit draw neighbors together. Weddings are offered through the minister with pre-marital counseling, and funeral services are held in the Sanctuary with the pastor's involvement. The Pumpkin Patch opens the grounds to the wider Yardley community each fall.
What Yardley UMC Believes
Yardley United Methodist Church lays out its convictions under five words. Welcome: all people matter to God, and the local church carries Christ's hope into the world. Worship: the gathered community offers Spirit-filled, vibrant expressions of thanks and praise through music, speech, and creative response in a variety of styles. Learn: faith formation nurtures spiritual growth and a deeper care for God's world. Grow: Children, Youth, and Young Adult Ministries create a safe place to celebrate life, grow in relationship with Christ, discover gifts, and build foundations for lifelong faith. Serve: Missions and Outreach transform lives through sharing God's love and comfort with those in need.
The congregation explicitly welcomes people of all nations, ethnic groups, ages, and sexual orientations, acknowledging the United Methodist Church's ongoing conversations about the LGBTQ community while seeking to honor God and offer abundant grace to all. For more on United Methodist beliefs, the church points to UMC.org.
Pastor and Staff
Rev. Thomas Daniel serves as Senior Pastor. He was ordained as an Elder at the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and previously served at Tobyhanna United Methodist Church in Mount Pocono. Before coming to the United States, he pastored in the South Durban Circuit of South Africa and preached widely in his home state of Kerala, India. He is married to Anila, and they have two children, John and Miriam.
Denise Harris directs Youth Ministry and serves as a leader in Faith Formation, with twenty-four years at Yardley UMC and nearly thirty years in youth ministry overall. She works with youth, families, volunteers, and leaders to create meaningful opportunities for spiritual growth at every stage of life.