Serving Newburyport's Spiritual needs since 1823
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors...
People's United Methodist Church
64 Purchase Street,
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-465-5145
Hours of Worship
Sunday 8:45 a.m.: Praise Music
9:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship
Pastor:
The Reverend Pamela Maden
978-346-8989
Our Vision
Glorifying God, transformed by the
Holy Spirit, united in Christian
community, we will respond to
God’s call to proclaim Christ boldly
to the world and to follow the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
Our Mission
To reach out to people
in the name of Jesus Christ.
To relate people to God.
To nurture and strengthen them
in their journey of discipleship.
To send them into the world
to be the church.
To invite and receive others
in the name of Jesus Christ.
The History of our Church
The first Methodist services in Joppa were conducted
in 1819 by the Reverend John (Reformation)
Adams. Rev. Adams, a “fiery” circuit rider in
Salisbury, crossed the Merrimack River and landed
at the “slip” on Water Street. He began preaching
from a boat at first and then from tents. Eventually
he was invited to preach in a few of the neighborhood
houses on Marlboro Street.
After six years of
this type of ministry, the parishioners joined efforts
and built a one-room edifice located on Adelphia
Street (now Purchase Street). The location was at
that time part of Newbury, MA. In 1846, the
sanctuary was raised to the second floor, and a
vestry built underneath. In 1888, the steeple was
erected and in 1897, the Angel Gabriel Weather Vane
was added. The year 2000 brought the 175th
anniversary of the church with special events all
year long.
The Angel Gabriel Weather Vane...
The Angel Gabriel Weather Vane is nationally famous.
Although there are several known examples of the archangel blowing his horn, this version is unique. Made in 1840 by the Gould and Hazlett Company of Boston, the angel has a flat body cut from sheet iron and gilded; the tubular horn was made of copper. The pieces were then fastened together with iron rivets. The work shows grace in the flowing contours of the angel's wings and robe. The artist, Lucille Chabot, had to experiment to arrive at a technique that would "get the thing to glow...not to get it grainy." She achieved the desired effect by a "series of glazes, one color over another."
In 1937, it became the subject of a watercolor painting
by Lucille Chabot, which now hangs in the
National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. In
1965 the watercolor was used as the design for the
United States Christmas stamp. In 2001, the
weather vane was sold to a private collector. It was
part of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art,
in Washington D.C. in 2002. The original Weather Vane is now located in the
Smithsonian
Institute. Today we proudly fly
the replica of the Angel Gabriel on our steeple.
What We Believe...
The People’s United Methodist church shares with
other Christians the conviction that Scripture is
the primary source and criterion for Christian
doctrine. We are convinced that Jesus Christ is the
living Word of God in our midst, in whom we
trust in life and death. We believe that Scripture is
primary and balanced with tradition, experience
and reason. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through
whom we acknowledge God’s gifts.
Spiritual Life...
We are a people who yearn for God and seek
healing and spiritual life through Jesus Christ in
order to be united in trust and mission.
Evangelism and Church Growth...
As a people who yearn for God, we recognize that
others yearn with us, and we will reach new people
with the Gospel of Christ.
Equipping Leadership...
As a people who yearn for God, we will equip
churches, clergy and laity for unabashed pursuit
of effective ministry.
Financial Accountability...
As a people who yearn for God, we will be connected
and accountable in the way our financial
resources reflect our congregation’s support of
shared ministries in New England and throughout
the world.
Ministries...
Music: the choir leads the congregation in worship on
Sundays and prepares on Thursdays at 3:00 pm.
Fellowship: the membership of the church promotes
community involvement through a variety of activities
such as:
Fellowship Suppers
Christmas Fair
Services at Nursing Homes
Outdoor Worship Services
Education:
Discipleship is built through regular study of
the Word of God—the Bible-and is available at the
weekly Bible study. Please call for current times and
locations.
Missions include:
Heifer Project
Support for local Shelters and
Halfway Houses
Food collection and delivery for charity
DSS Adopt-a-Family
Community Services...
We open our doors to the community for their use of
our facility. These groups include:
Merrimac Valley Nutrition Project
Girl Scouts of the USA
AA
Angel Gabriel Quilters
Emotions Anonymous
A Reconciling Church...
We are a reconciling congregation. All are welcome to
worship here, regardless of race, gender, background, or
sexual orientation.
People's United Methodist Church 
