ABOUT US
Who We Are
At Washington United Methodist Church, our faith is expressed through action. Discover how our shared commitment to service is creating lasting change and bringing hope to our neighbors in Washington and beyond.
Our Story
In August 1823, the first Methodist class was formed in Washington Township. There were six members, and meetings were held in their homes.
In 1839 a frame schoolhouse was built, and religious services were held there until the building of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1846. The church was constructed for $1,150 and was finished on December 28, 1846. At the time, this was the only house of worship in the village of Washington.
On December 17,1953, the church burned to the ground. After eleven months, construction of a new church began on November 21,1954; the first service was held on Easter Sunday 1955.
THE STRUCTURE WAS BUILDING AND THE CHURCH STEPLE RAISED IN 1974 UNTIL NOW
The church has held a Thanksgiving dinner for Washington senior citizens for over 20 years. There is also an active quilting ministry group that donates quilts to area nursing homes and veterans.
Two local groups of special needs citizens use the church each week for their activity classes free of charge.
It is the site of a Red Cross blood drive several times each year. The congregation supports Samaritan House with weekly food donations and monetary contributions in addition to participating in the Sharing Tree program, donating Christmas gifts and hats and gloves.
The Rev.Sunhwa Hopgood, and congregation embrace the Methodist belief of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors” and warmly invite all to experience its worship services and hospitality.
200th Anniversary
On September 23, 2023, the church held a 200th Anniversary Celebration where the rich history of the church and its many pastors throughout the years was remembered and honored. The church remains a vital part of the Washington Township community through ministry and missions.
OUR PURPOSE - UMC VISION
OUR PASTOR
Rev. Sunhwa Hopgood was appointed to Washington UMC in July 2021. She has a passion for the church and for helping people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, experiencing God’s love through welcome, word, and worship.
She is married to Hoon-Yung Hopgood, a former Michigan state senator who now serves as a commissioner. They have two daughters: Jenna is a college student, and Julia is a 10th-grade high school student.
Originally from South Korea, she came to the United States in 2001. She studied Human Resource Management at Marygrove College in Detroit and later received her Master of Divinity from Methodist Theological School in Ohio.
She finds joy in writing skits and dramas inspired by Bible stories and in playing the piano for hymns and contemporary Christian music. Through these creative gifts, she helps build teamwork and invites others to experience God’s work together.
NEW HERE?
First, please don’t stress about how you’re dressed! Come as you are and be comfortable. Some of our regular worshippers dress up, others wear jeans; whatever you decide to wear is just fine, and chances are there will be others wearing the same thing. Our church is wheelchair accessible. Everything is on one level and easy to navigate.
We strive to be friendly, but we won’t single you out. We will never ask you to stand upand introduce yourself. Our worship service lasts approximately one hour. Our worship service is easy to follow and you won’t feel lost at any time.
As we say in our Invitation to the Table, "Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who
earnestly repent of their sin, and seek to be at peace with one another." If you can say
you do or have done these three things, you are welcome to receive. However, if you
choose not to receive communion, that is perfectly fine. We serve grape juice, not wine.
Some people kneel at the altar and pray after communion, others stand and pray, others
return directly to their seats. There is no “right” way.
We take an offering, but as our guest, we invite you to not contribute. If you’d like to put something in the offering plate, please feel free, but it is not expected.Holy Communion is served on the first Sunday of the month. You do not need to be amember of our church or any other church to receive communion
New here? Welcome! We are happy you have decided to worship with us. Since no one likes the unknown, let us tell you a little about what to expect
We have coffee hour after church every Sunday, and we hope you will stay and
fellowship with us! This is a chance for us to get together, catch up on our week, and get
to know each other a little better. We keep it light, and we promise we won’t bombard
you with questions!
Our sincere hope is that you will choose to worship with us and get to know us. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.