Who we are
Woodlawn Community Fellowship began in 2020 as a merger of two former churches. The founding members were committed to becoming a truly neighborhood-centered fellowship for the entire community. They wanted to “do church different” from what they had experienced or seen. They wanted to create space for all people to respond to God’s love for us and for the world by being active in service to the needs of the community, by inviting everyone to grow spiritually, by creating a “table” that would seat everyone in the neighborhood without any judgment. They wanted to serve the neighborhood as an essential part of the neighborhood instead of simply being “in” the neighborhood.
Since 2020, we have tried not to be just another church that expects the community to support us just because we are a church. Instead, we have tried to open our campus up for community organizations like Charlotte Is Creative (Creative Mornings) and Our Bridge for Kids, and take on projects like The Bulb produce market and a weekly free meal for anyone who wants to come. We believe we are here to serve, not be served.
As a United Methodist congregation, our rhythm of life is rooted in the uniqueness of our denominational history that is committed to: service, sharing life together, responsible reading of Scripture and church tradition, openness to having our minds changed, care for the earth, on-going transformation of our lives to “perfect us in love,” social justice, and visible signs of inward grace. As United Methodists, we believe that God’s grace is offered freely to all people, regardless of age, race, economic status, gender-identity, national background, creed, etc; we also claim our responsibility to create spaces and places for accepting and responding to God’s grace by seeking to serve God through a “practical divinity” that makes God’s love real in our actions. The
We are painfully aware of the harm that has been created by racism, injustice, prejudice, and oppression—and, sadly, we know “Christianity” was often complicit or to blame. This is not the Way of Jesus. We seek to “do church different” by honoring, welcoming, and supporting the beautiful diversity of God’s image. We are called to be a place of retreat and healing, particularly for those who have been harmed by previous experiences in church. Serving God in the Way of Jesus means recognizing God’s love as a gift for everyone.
-Pastor Jonathan Coppedge-Henley
As a United Methodist congregation, our rhythm of life is rooted in the uniqueness of our denominational history that is committed to: service, sharing life together, responsible reading of Scripture and church tradition, openness to having our minds changed, care for the earth, on-going transformation of our lives to “perfect us in love,” social justice, and visible signs of inward grace. As United Methodists, we believe that God’s grace is offered freely to all people, regardless of age, race, economic status, gender-identity, national background, creed, etc; we also claim our responsibility to create spaces and places for accepting and responding to God’s grace by seeking to serve God through a “practical divinity” that makes God’s love real in our actions. The
We are painfully aware of the harm that has been created by racism, injustice, prejudice, and oppression—and, sadly, we know “Christianity” was often complicit or to blame. This is not the Way of Jesus. We seek to “do church different” by honoring, welcoming, and supporting the beautiful diversity of God’s image. We are called to be a place of retreat and healing, particularly for those who have been harmed by previous experiences in church. Serving God in the Way of Jesus means recognizing God’s love as a gift for everyone.
-Pastor Jonathan Coppedge-Henley