Moving forward with vision and purpose.

Sikeston First UMC is focused on six pillars, our core values which remind us both of where we've been and how we intend to move forward as a Jesus-centered people.

JESUS - GRACE - BIBLE - FAITH - FELLOWSHIP - SERVICE

Our mission at Sikeston First UMC...

...is to love like Jesus.

A simple statement, but for us this is a profound mission. Here's why:

We love others like Jesus loves us. Offering the same mercy, grace, and compassion that we have received (1 John 4:19).
We love others like we love Jesus—as if they were Jesus. We believe all people are made in the image of God and when we practice loving our neighbor we are loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31).
We also believe that love is the most powerful force in the world because God is love. In loving like Jesus we are also changed and transformed by the power of God’s love and better reflect the image of God in which we are all made (1 John 4:8).
Our prayer is that when we love like Jesus, people will see us and see a different way of living and a different kind of church—one that reflects the Kingdom of God where all God’s beloved children worship together (Matthew 6:10).

A volunteer child during a service project

Our six pillars are...

TRUSTING IN JESUS
EMPOWERED BY GOD'S GRACE
GROUNDED IN THE BIBLE
ROOTED IN FAITH
STRENGTHENED BY FELLOWSHIP
FOR SERVICE AND LOVE OF NEIGHBOR

A church member holding up a card which reads

At Sikeston First UMC...

...we commit to living differently. We have five practices that shape our lives as we make living our faith a priority:

WORSHIP IN PERSON OR ONLINE
SERVE IN MINISTRY AND MISSION
INVITE PEOPLE TO CONNECT
GIVE FINANCIALLY
GROW IN YOUR FAITH

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, no journey at all, or somewhere in between, we’d love for you to join us as we walk together!

How it started:

At over 150 years old, Sikeston First UMC is the oldest church in Sikeston, and one of the oldest West of the Mississippi River. Our roots grow deep here.

Now a local landmark, the iconic Sikeston Columns located in downtown were once part of our First Methodist Church location built in 1879 and destroyed by fire in 1968. These six pillars now stand as reminders of our past as well as a visual foundation for our church's core values.

How it's going:

Sikeston First UMC is breaking new ground and finding new purpose, focusing on what it means to Love Like Jesus in today's world.

Long since the days when our earliest congregation met in a boxcar, we now have two services (Traditional and Journey), online streaming options, and plenty of growth and outreach opportunities.