I’m often asked, "What’s the best thing about Carmel United Methodist Church?" 

That’s not easy to answer because there are so many "best things" from which to choose! 

But here are a few of the reasons CUMC just might be "your kind of church":

1. We lead from grace and not with judgment.  We do not spend much time pointing out the negative.  We accentuate the positive.  We work for solutions.

2. We offer a comfortable place for those who are struggling in life or who are hurting.   So many people today have had a tough time in life and need to find understanding and support.  They don’t want to feel judged, condemned or misunderstood.   Our church offers ministries and programs to meet your needs, at whatever point or place you might be in your lives.

3. We deal with real life issues with openness and integrity.  CUMC offers no escape from life.  We are here to help you face life with faith, confidence, and hope.   We are not afraid to raise the tough questions and to deal with the hard issues that confront us as individuals and as a society.

4. We are more than a friendly church, we are a caring church.  People are not just looking for a friendly church, they are looking for friends.  We are a congregation where you can connect, know you belong, and develop strong friendships.

5. We are not perfect, nor are we the perfect church (if there is such a thing!)  We have not arrived, we are on the way.  We are strong.  We have strengths on which we continue to build and a few weaknesses on which we work to correct.  We simply try to be the best we can be.

6. We are a giving church.  Mission work is a priority with strong emphasis on local as well as national and international efforts.  We give with our hearts.  We give with our hands.  We give with our minds.

7. We are varied.  CUMC offers a wide spectrum of programming, including educational and fellowship, enjoyed by all ages.

8. We have a convenient location.  We like to think of ourselves as the heart, and in the heart, of Carmel.  We are the only congregation located right in the center of things.  We are easily accessible from everywhere in the Carmel and Hamilton Country area.  Thousands of persons drive past us every day.

9. We haven’t slowed down for over 150 years.  We continue to see growth with a solid vision for where we go from here.  We’ve had a marvelous past.  We have an even more exciting future.

10. We are not an independent congregation.  We are connected and have a context through the United Methodist church—one of the nation’s largest Protestant denominations.  If you are interested in reading more about what that means, please read "Why We Are Proud to Be United Methodists".