Welcome
Who We Are
We're an active United Methodist congregation, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities to be part of our community. We've been in Frederick a long time, but our congregation is changed with each newcomer who sets foot in the door. Our vision is to cast God's love and hope into the entire community. Our mission is simple: Together we reach, transform, and equip people for a lifelong relationship with Christ.
United Methodist Beliefs
United Methodists share many beliefs with other Christian denominations. We believe that all human beings were created in the image of God. We believe that sin has entered the world and brokenness is all around. We believe that Jesus Christ is part of God's way of restoring Creation and reconciling the world. We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and a coming New Creation. We believe the Holy Spirit is God's presence with us daily, and the Bible is a living, breathing, story of God's involvement with the world.
But most of all, Methodists love to talk about grace. Grace goes before us, beside us, and ahead of us all our days. The grace of God inspires us to work for social holiness-- it's not enough to believe the "right things" we work for a better world around us.
Our Values
A Few of Our Values
Mission - we exist not for ourselves, but for the world.
Worship - honoring God humbles and centers us.
Outreach - it simply means we care about others.
Biblical Teaching - The Bible is inspired word of God that points us to the life, death, resurrection, and teachings of Christ.
Community - We're in it together.
Tenacity - It's the Mt. Carmel way.
Mt Carmel History
In 1854 a faithful community pulled up rocks from the surrounding hillside and logged trees from the valley to build for the generations a chapel on a hill. As they completed that sanctuary, on the ground they had purchased for $10, they named the place Mt. Carmel. In biblical history, the prophet Elijah asked the people on Mount Carmel whom they would service.
For our forebearers, the construction of the chapel was a defining moment. The chapel stands as a beacon for the generations, towering and shining over an ever-changing community. Each generation has embraced its own defining moments on our hill. In the 1950s, revival blew through East Frederick and Mt. Carmel responded y building a Sunday School addition to serve the growing number of students.
In 2021, the people of Mt Carmel were challenged to trust the tenacity of the founders and become an independent congregation supporting their own pastor. On our 150th anniversary, rapid growth inspired hiring a full-time pastor, a new second service, and the first parking lot expansion. The worshipping community rapidly outgrew the existing facilites and began the largest discernment process in our history. In 2008, the congregation faithfully pledged alot of resources, and a modern ministry facility rose up behind our old stone church. At noon on August 8, 2010, the doors opened to welcome Vacation Bible School, our first ministry in the new building.
Together, the congregation weathered the pandemic, and we today we find ourselves rebuilding--not a brick and mortar building--but rebuilding our community of faith in a post-pandemic world. We believe that God is still at work at Mt. Carmel, and we welcome new beginners, in hopeful anticipation for what God has yet to do!