Reveille United Methodist Church


Reveille United Methodist Church is located at the intersection of Malvern Avenue and Cary Street , adjacent to the Carytown shopping district. The church is nestled among the trees lining Cary Street , and while offering a large facility, it easily blends into the surrounding classic-Richmond colonial neighborhood. The group that formed Reveille Church originated in 1951 as merger of two existing, historic churches in Richmond , Union Station Church and Monument Methodist Church . The first service in the current facility was held in October, 1954.

Reveille Methodist's website defines its beliefs as within the structure of Christian faith as well as adhering to Wesleyan doctrines, such as “faith and good works” and “mission and service,” which are considered integral elements to the United Methodist faith tradition. The church has adopted modern worship methodology, such as the “contemporary” worship service, while also providing the traditional United Methodist worship services. Reveille United Methodist holds three worship services on Sunday; two traditional services and one contemporary service. The church currently follows the convention of early morning, mid-morning and late-morning services. The early morning service, which is generally a traditional, albeit relaxed and intimate service, is held in the church Chapel. The contemporary service, called “The Point,” is mid-morning and held in the Fellowship Hall. It is a casual worship service that offers a more creative approach to worship, although grounded in the United Methodist tradition. Reveille's website describes “The Point” as “ a modern worship service proclaiming God's word through music, video, and the arts.” The late morning service is held in the sanctuary. The traditional service is determined by Reveille pastoral staff, as is policy in the United Methodist Church . The United.Methodist conference does not dictate a specific service style, but generally the services coordinate scripture according to holidays within the Christian calendar. All three services offer Holy Communion/Sacrament on the first Sunday of every month. There is a mid-week communion service on Wednesday afternoons held in the chancel section of the sanctuary that provides a brief meditation on scripture for the upcoming Sunday's service.

Reveille has an extensive Christian education program that provides not only the traditional Sunday school for all church members but also a daily school, the Reveille Weekday School , for pre-kindergarten children, along with weekly Bible study groups/classes. The Reveille Weekday School is governed by a board of church members, and the school currently has over two hundred students enrolled. The school charges for tuition, but has need based scholarships available. Currently the school employs over thirty experienced teachers and is licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

There is a thriving Children's and Youth Ministry at Reveille United Methodist that is geared toward children from pre-kindergarten through high school. The church offers traditional Sunday school for various age groups, along with a substantial Music Ministry. Reveille United Methodists sponsors three different youth choirs: the Cherub Choir, for pre-kindergarten through kindergarten children, the Primary Choir and a Primary Chime choir, (handbells/chimes) for children in grades one and two, and the Elementary Choir and Chime Choir for children in grades three through five. For junior high and high school students there the Youth Choir, which currently has fifty members.

The Youth Choir at Reveille engages in community outreach, and the Youth Minister actively involves the members in mission-oriented activities. In 2007, the Youth Choir participated in a “mission trip” to New Orleans that combined singing at various churches throughout New Orleans with lending a helping hand through building new homes with Habitat for Humanity. The main focus of the church's Youth Ministry activities is to combine fellowship, Bible study, music, and outreach that create a faith-focused learning environment for young adults and teens.

Reveille United Methodist Church is involved in numerous outreach programs. The church participates in CARITAS, which is a Richmond-wide initiative. Annually each church involved provides shelter for the homeless for two weeks. Reveille's website describes its CARITAS participation: “For two weeks each year, homeless families are our guests, as the church provides meals, sleeping areas, showers, laundry facilities, and other comforts of home.” Reveille also serves the homeless a midday meal at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church on North First Street on the fourth Thursday of each month. The church has a monthly canned-good collection service as part of the Ginter Park United Methodist Food Pantry. The church also has mentor/outreach ministries to local women's prisons that provide mentoring for inmates, along with a mentor program in conjunction with Swansboro Elementary School through which volunteers help at-risk children. Church members participate in both domestic and international mission trips, many of which are connected to other United Methodist groups. Reveille United Methodist is also a member of United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond , which the church's website describes as “a Richmond District ministry focusing on housing, education, job skills, and food programs to restore faith and hope in troubled communities in Richmond .”

Currently the church has about 1,900 members, and this number is increasing annually. Members attend from as far away as Amelia, Goochland, New Kent and Chesterfield , and have addresses in over twenty six Richmond-area zip codes. A number of high schools in the Richmond area are represented in Reveille's youth programs. On an average Sunday, the congregation numbers more than 500. Most attend the late morning service, with smaller numbers attending the early morning and contemporary services. The median age of attendees is approximately 40, and there is a large, regular attendance of children and young adults at each service. According to the church's Senior Pastor, on some Sundays fifty children may be present for the Children's Sermon. Lay leadership is popular at Reveille, and consists of a primarily a younger group ranging from middle-aged adults to active teens. Reveille does have a large pastoral staff to meet the various needs of its congregation. The staff provides home visitation for the elderly/ill or infirm, and bus services for those who are unable to drive or need a ride. Recordings of the services are available to those who are unable to leave the home or attend the service. The church newsletter is available online and via mail, and there is also a quarterly publication online, along with the calendar of events and recent news. Reveille United Methodist also offers a podcast of sermons and some musical events.


Reveille United Methodist Church
4200 Cary Street Road 
Richmond , VA  
(804)-359-6041


Sources:
Reveille United Methodist website
Reveille Senior Pastor


Profile prepared by Emily R. Sprouse
February, 2008