Our church is located at 207 A Street in Shelton, Nebraska. Shelton is located on Highway 30 or off Interstate 80. It is midway between Kearney and Grand Island at the center of the state.
To find the church off Highway 30 - cross the railroad tracks by First State Bank. Then drive south over the tracks to the United States Post Office. Turn left and go two blocks to A Street. The church is on the southeast corner.
To find the church off the Interstate - Exit and turn north towards Shelton. As you near our school you will see a road that curves off to the right. Take that road east past the stop sign at the school and continue to A Street. Turn left and go seven blocks until you see the United Methodist Church.
Our worship is each Sunday morning at 10:00 pm. Once a month we have a contemporary service during this time. The contemporary service is normally on the fourth Sunday. It is moved for holy days.
John Ewton is our pastor, affectionately known as Pastor John or PJ. He has been at our church for three and a half years. Pastor John is a strong Bible-centered preacher. He is very involved in our community and with our youth. He has been an United Methodist Pastor for over thirty-one years.
Our youth ministry continues to grow and new opportunities will be available each year. Our youth do an annual mission trip. They also work on area mission and fundraisers for the trip.
During the school year we have a United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) which meets the first and third Sundays of the year at 7:00 pm.
Our pastor teaches the confirmation class on Sunday mornings during the school year. We have a class for all youth not in confirmation. Both classes meet at 9:00 am each Sunday morning.
Our youth ministry is open to all youth (grades 7-12) in our community. We eagerly welcome you! If you would like more information about our youth ministry or you would like to help with our youth ministry you can contact our youth coordinator, Deb Rouse or Pastor John.
If you are a child or youth, you can join the church after going through Confirmation Class (See Youth). We confirm youth in seventh grade or older after a year of classes with Pastor John.
If you are an adult, you can visit with our Secretary, Norma Woodman (308-647-6741) or with Pastor John. To join the church you only need to become involved and to make or renew your vows before the congregation. A class for adults is available.
Our church believes in the sanctity of the family and of marriage. While we do not regard marriage as a sacrament, we do believe that marriage is a holy covenant between God and a man and woman. Pastor John may perform a marriage only after consultation with the couple. During the consultations, we will discuss the Christian nature of marriage, specifics about your service and other issues of mutual concern. To discuss and/or schedule a marriage ceremony contact Pastor John.
Baptism is a sacrament of the church that is open to all seeking a relationship with our Lord. The United Methodist Church baptizes infants, children and adults. We normally baptize by the pouring of water - however, baptism of adults by immersion can be arranged with the pastor. To baptize a child or infant at least one parent must be a member of the church. You will be asked to take some vows before the congregation. Anyone desiring baptism can contact Pastor John and arrange a time to discuss the date and details of the baptism.
The United Methodist Church does not allow rebaptism. But we do have a service for renewing your baptismal vows.
The United Methodist Church believes that Jesus is fully present in the communion. Our founder, John Wesley, believed that communion could draw people to Jesus and closer to salvation. We have therefore always practiced an "open" communion table. All are welcome at the table - the only requirement is that you have a heart that is seeking Jesus.
Pastor John allows children to also receive communion (with the consent and teaching of their parents). After all, Jesus said that we were not to keep the children from him.
Yes. We have a Sunday School for preschool to adult that runs from September to May each year. The dates coincide with our local school calendar. All are welcome to the Sunday School. Our classes begin at 9:00 am and are over in time for Sunday School.
Our adult class runs all year except for a short break during the summer.