Worshiping      Staff      Location      Becoming Members      Prayer Requests      History

Worshiping

The Service
Our worship service begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays. Our service begins with music from our singing group FiSH (Friends in Spiritual Harmony) which invites worshipers into the sanctuary. We often have a responsive call to worship printed in our bulletin which is spoken by worshipers and the pastor or lay reader.  We sometimes include written prayers, responsive readings, or an historic creed. Typically, we have multiple scripture readings and a sermon. We share our joys and concerns with each other at one point in the service and the pastor accepts written prayer requests and unspoken requests as well.

At the same time, while the style is structured, the mood is informal. Dress is casual. You may see a smattering of neckties among the men, but not many. Jeans are usually represented.

Our average attendance is about100.  Coffee, treats and conversation are available after the Sunday service in the Fellowship Hall.

Children in Worship
We value the presence of children in our congregation. While children are always welcomed in our worship, we realize they can sometimes be distracting to their parents. Therefore, we maintain a staffed nursery for children five years of age and younger.   

Pastor Hillary Thurston-Cox leads a dedication of our Peace Pole which was dedicated in Sept. of 2016.

Childrens' Sunday School 
Sunday School is held from 11 am to 11:45 September through May for all children Pre-School through High School. Our THRIVE program is based on the Liturgical Calendar. It includes worksheet lessons, videos and music.  

Music
We enjoy a blended worship, musically. We include a lot of traditional hymns as well as some of the popular contemporary choruses and hymns. 

Holy Communion
Most of the year we celebrate Holy Communion (Eucharist) as part of our regular worship service on the first Sunday of each month. During Lent (the 40 days prior to Easter) we celebrate Communion each Sunday. We also serve Communion at our 11:00 Christmas Eve worship.

In keeping with our denominational tradition, we observe an “open table,” i.e. anyone who wishes to partake of the sacrament is welcome to do so. The congregation comes forward and receives of a common loaf and cup in a style called “intinction,” meaning that the bread is dipped into the cup and then eaten. Again, in keeping with our denomination’s tradition, we use grape juice rather than wine.

Children and Communion
The age at which children are communed (fully participate in Communion) is at the discretion of the individual pastor and the child’s parents. Our current pastor is comfortable communing children from infancy upward. So it is not unusual to see young children come forward and receive the sacrament. At the same time, we know that some parents prefer that their children reach a particular point of understanding before they participate in this sacrament. So some parents may bring their children forward but indicate to Pastor that they are not to receive, in which case Pastor offers a blessing instead.

Visitors
Visitors will find a welcoming atmosphere and a living example of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.”  If you join us for worship on any Sunday, please introduce yourself and join us after the service for coffee and refreshments in our fellowship hall. 
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Staff

Pastor – Rev. Hillary Thurston-Cox

Music Coordinator – Linda Glover

Youth Director - Rev. Vaugh Thurston-Cox

Office Administrator – Lynn Luttrell

Custodian – Bobby Hutchinson
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Location

Although we have an Eagle mailing address, we are located about five miles northeast of Grand Ledge in the village of Wacousta, just west of Wacousta Road on Herbison. Map to WCUMC
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Becoming Members

Membership classes are held as needed. Prospective members attend classes with the pastor and lay members to learn about Methodism. Those who have not been baptized will be baptized at the time they become members.  If you wish to attend a members' class, please call the office at 626-6623 and we will add you to the list.
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Prayer Requests

Prayer requests can be e-mailed to prayerchain@wacoustaumc.org where they are mailed out to those on our e-mail prayer chain. We also share joys and concerns during our Sunday worship services. Prayer requests are written on cards and given to the pastor to share or to hold as confidential.
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History

Wacousta Community United Methodist Church was founded in 1866 as a Methodist Episcopal church. In 1867, our first building was built, and in 1968, with the merger of the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren denominations, we became the United Methodist Church. Following the path of John Wesley (1703-1791), Methodists comprise one of the largest Protestant denominations in the United States.

We have been housed in many buildings on this site, but our focus has remained the same for over 150 years: to serve God and to be examples of his love in our actions.
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Weddings at Wacousta

Wedding Policy
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