Church Leadership
Pastor
Rev. Mark McClanahan
pastor@tennisonumc.org
Office Manager
Jeani Guest
admin@tennisonumc.org
Music Director
David Mills
music@tennisonumc.org
Children’s Director
Corey Mills
children@tennisonumc.org
What Do United Methodists Believe?
We, as United Methodists, have a firm and clearly stated set of beliefs. The members of Tennison Memorial United Methodist Church strongly subscribe to these beliefs. All actions as a church body should be done in accordance with these beliefs. A brief summary of the more prominent Methodist beliefs follows:
The Bible
This is our textbook, taken as the inspired and holy Word of God. The Bible contains all the truth necessary for salvation and is our chief source of knowledge about God and Christ.
God
God is the creator and sustainer of the universe; He is infinite in wisdom, power, and love. All people on earth are God’s children. God hears the prayers of any-and every person, without the need for an intermediary. The church helps one learn about and commune with God through worship in the sanctuary, fellowship with others, proclamation of the faith from the pulpit, study in classes or small groups, and other ways.
Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is uniquely God’s Son, sent by God, to be born of Mary, to make the invisible God known in human form. We believe Jesus Christ suffered and died upon the cross for us and our sins. Our salvation comes through his shed blood. We believe Christ rose from the dead, giving us assurance that there is life for us after death.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God here on this earth – God in us and with us. We believe the Spirit bears witness to our spirits that we are in Jesus Christ and are God’s children.
Forgiveness of our sins and the salvation of our souls
This is the very center of the Methodist faith. Sin is both in our nature and in our actions. If we are truly repentant of our sins, as we pray in a confessional prayer, and put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are justified, saved, cleansed – not because we deserve it, but because of the grace, the unmerited favor of God.
Holiness/Sanctification
As the result of commitment to God, we grow in faith, and our love for God and for one another becomes more complete. Methodists have always emphasized holiness of heart and life. As one grows in Christian faith, the intentions of the soul become more perfect – the process called sanctification.
Conversion
Through the Christian experience of conversion, one becomes a Christian. Methodists believe the process of conversion can happen in different ways. It may be a sudden, “Damascus” type experience, or may be a heart warming experience as John Wesley who experienced the assurance of his salvation, a process that occurs over a lifetime. Conversion also occurs through a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ into the heart. Methodists have always been willing to accept the individual experience that each person has had.
The Church
Methodists accept and recognize all other Christian churches. Holy Communion in the Methodist church is open to all Christians, regardless of denomination. Methodists accept both the baptism and membership vows from any other Christian church for those transferring membership. Methodist churches have always had the custom of cooperating with other churches in every possible way. Methodism has never claimed to be the only church, only one of the Christian churches.
Baptism
Baptism is an outward sign of an inner commitment and a spiritual new birth. The early church practiced three modes of baptism: sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. Methodists are more concerned with the inner experience than the outward expressions, so we both practice and accept any mode of baptism. Sprinkling is the method used by most Methodist churches.
Core Values
Two of the most important teachings of Christ form the core of our purpose as a church:
The Great Commandment – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.
Mark 12:30-31
The Great Commission – Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
We are also guided by the example of the very first church:
Those who believed (in Jesus)… were baptized and added to the church… They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper, and in prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all…and all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had…with those in need. They worshiped together…with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.— selected verses from Acts 2:41-47
Taken together, we find our purpose includes these major components:
Worship
to worship God with all that we are – offering him our praise, celebrating all of his mercies and blessings (especially the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ), honoring him with our generous giving and our service, and seeking him continually in prayer and in the meal of Holy Communion.
Fellowship
to love each other as Christ loves us – meeting together continually to share our lives and our faith together, to celebrate joyous moments of life together, and to offer comfort and support in times of loss or grief or pain; to invest ourselves in each other, helping each other grow to be all that God created us to be.
Discipleship
to study God’s Word and learn more and more about Christ so that we become reflections of his love, agents of his grace in the world today – and to teach others in this same way.
Missions
we are blessed to be a blessing to others, so we reach out to others in need in our community and in the world, sharing with them from our resources, meeting them at the point of their needs, making a real difference in their lives, thus showing them the love of Christ.
Ministry
finding ways to share Christ with others, to tell of the difference he has made in our lives – how in Christ we found forgiveness and mercy and grace, how in him we found our identity as treasured children of the Most High God, and we have new life, filled with joy and hope and peace and purpose – and thus to help lead others to Christ, too.
About
A Historical Snapshot of Our Church, Its Family, Programs, and Traditions 1847 – 2007
The history of Tennison Memorial UMC is about generations of families who faithfully dedicated their lives to Christ’s work through toil and service in and for the church. Throughout the past 160 years, in difficult times and booming times, the members of the Methodist church gave unselfishly of their time, energies and money to their church and its members. It is a tribute to them that Tennison Memorial UMC has attained what we are today.
Methodism has been a significant influence for over 160 years in Mt. Pleasant.
A journal entry of the Methodist Conference held in 1847 shows that a preacher was assigned to Mt. Pleasant.
The 1860 census for Titus County reported one Methodist church with a property value of $120.
The first mention of a Methodist church structure was after the Civil War (circa 1864) when Elam Riddle deeded a lot on the Southeast comer of 3rd and Jefferson Streets to the Methodist and Baptists. A wooden structure was erected by the Methodist and both denominations used this church building on alternate Sundays for many years.
In 1893 C.C. Carr, Sr. gave to the Methodist East Church South a large lot on the Northwest comer of East 3rd and Church Streets for church purposes, conditioned upon the erection of a building within 2 years.
The church was constructed on this lot and subsequently burned in 1915. A tabernacle was erected for meetings on the Southwest corner of 4th and North Jefferson which was used until 1921 when the basement was finished in the large brick church building that was erected on the comer of E. 3rd and Church Streets.
This sanctuary was completed in 1924 with an indebtedness of about $25,000 which was paid by Booker Tennison, Jr. in honor of the memory of his parents. Thus, the church has since been named Tennison Memorial United Methodist Church.
It has been documented that in an effort to paint the interior walls a “pleasing pink” to create a peaceful atmosphere, a mistaken purchase was made of a shade of pink not usually associated with worship – HOT PINK! With the budget spent and the walls dry. Worship was conducted surrounded by an ambiance of hot pink.
In 1949 the church was renovated and construction began on the Education Building, which was completed and dedicated in 1955.
In the 1960’s, plans were made to build a new sanctuary. Additional land was purchased north of the church and the new sanctuary was formally opened in 1967. The stained glassed windows and the pipe organ were saved from the previous structure and are still a vital part of the present sanctuary.
In 1990 the newest addition to our facilities, a beautiful chapel, was given by Margaret and John Mullins in memory of their parents and was dedicated as the Broadstreet – Mullins Chapel. Ms. Mullins was the granddaughter of the Tennisons for whom the church is named.
The story of Tennison continues and in 2005, after extensive study, the congregation voted to remain at its current location. To further commitment to its mission the congregation purchased two lots immediately to the west facing East 3rd street.
As part of the commitment to move “Forward In Faith”, the congregation committed to the construction of a Family Life Center which was built in 2007 and houses a commercial kitchen, dining area and gymnasium.
