History of CUMC

Initially the vision had been to plant a traditional United Methodist Church in Warsaw, IN. as a pioneering effort of the UMC to reach younger people.

A plan of action began with two 10,000 piece mailings and an aggressive telemarketing campaign conducted as a means of determining what kind of community interest existed for the new church.

Using a semi-formal style of worship, Celebration Church opened it's doors for the first time on November 12, 1989.

Lead by Pastor Steven Conger and holding service in the local YMCA, 210 individuals attended the first service, however 130 of them were visiting UMC dignitaries.

In January, 1990, Celebration Church moved from the YMCA to Edgewood School. It became uncertain whether or not the new church would actually survive.

The first two worship services at this new location failed miserably, so a second telemarketing campaign was instigated in an attempt to refocus.

The result of this refocus was the realization that for this new church to be effective, the methodology for creating a"traditional United Methodist" church would have to be dropped.

A new paradigm was needed. Just who were these "younger people" Celebration Church had been created to reach? What kind of demographic profile did they fill?

While Celebration Church tried to figure out who they wanted to reach, it became clear that a semi-formal order of service was not working either, so a decision was made to drop the use of traditional hymns as part of the program.

A rock n' roll band was formed to lead worship and a contemporary style of service was created, patterned after the "Seeker" concept developed by individuals such as Bill Hybils, pastor of the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. There were people who left Celebration as a result of this decision, uncomfortable with the loud music and informal atmosphere, however, attendance was soon regained and surpassed as many more were drawn to the unique ministry Celebration church was offering.

It was at this time that the true mission of Celebration Church finally began to crystallize and become clear.

With it's casual atmosphere, contemporary program and impartial welcome to all who wished to come, Celebration Church soon became a refuge for single parents, single again parents, recovering addicts and pretty much anyone else who was hurting, broken and parched with thirst for the Gospel message of the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ.

Many began coming to Celebration had felt turned away and ostracized by other churches.

Individuals who had remained unchurched, or had left the church, disenfranchised by negative and damaging church experiences, began returning to their faith as they discovered Celebration Church was not just another exclusive social caste, mired within the rigidity of denominationalism, but was a church with doors open to all persons regardless of where they had been or where they were currently at.

Celebration Church became known as "church for the unchurched."

United Methodist History

The Wesleys and their times (The lives of John and Charles Wesley)

Westminster College at Oxford Wesley and Methodist Studies Center

Women during the times of Wesley