Benton First United Methodist Church

Welcome to Benton First United MEthodist Church

Visiting a church for the first time can be intimidating. When you’re ready to take that step, we want to make sure that you feel informed before you arrive and welcomed when you are here. We would love for you to join us in worship on a Sunday morning to experience the gracious, loving presence of God within our congregation. Above all, we want you to know everyone is welcome in our congregation. It doesn’t matter what your background is, your history, who you are, if you are exploring faith, or a long time believer, you are welcome here!

Below you will find everything you need to know for planning your first visit guiding you all the way from the parking lot to the exit.

Join Us for Worship

Sunday Mornings
Traditional Services - 8:30 & 11 AM - Sanctuary
Contemporary Service - 9:05 AM - Christian Life Center
9:05 & 11 AM are streamed live on our Facebook and YouTube

Meet our Pastors

Reverend Keith Dodson

Senior Pastor

Reverend Walt Garrett

Associate Pastor

Reverend Garry Teeter

Deacon

WHAT TO EXPECT On A Sunday Morning

We have three worship services on Sunday mornings – An 8:30am service in our Sanctuary, a 9:05 service in the Christian Life Center and an 11:00 am service in the Sanctuary. The 8:30am and 11:00am services are traditional in style with hymns, liturgy, chancel choir, acolytes and a sermon. Our 9:05am service is more contemporary in nature with a praise band, modern worship music, and a sermon. Each service lasts about an hour and feel free to wear what is comfortable. There is childcare available in both services. Plan to hang around after the service for fellowship and meeting new people.

On the first Sunday of every month and on some special Sundays we celebrate the service of Holy Communion. We practice “open communion,” meaning that one does not need to be a member of our congregation or a Methodist in order to participate. Our liturgy says “It is the Lord’s table, and you are welcome.”

Some Commonly asked questions

How Do I Find Your Church?

Our Church is located in the heart of Downtown Benton. We are on the corner of Conway Street and Market Street and are directly across from the Saline County Courthouse. You can find us on Google or Apple Maps. Our Address is 200 North Market Street. Or You can use our maps located below.

What is your denominational affiliation?

Benton First United Methodist Church is part of the United Methodist denomination, the second largest Protestant denomination in America. For more information on what we believe, check out our What We Believe page.

Where Do I Park?

We have two parking lots available, as well as street parking all around our campus. For the Sanctuary services, the closest parking lot is located on Conway Street. For our Contemporary Service, the closest parking lot is located on Sevier Street. You can also use the maps that are located below.

Do you have Childcare available during worship?

We do offer childcare during our worship services. We have a nursery available for all children under 3 during all three services. During our 9:05 service, we offer Children's Church for our Pre-K children. We also over a Prayground that is located in service on the side of the Worship Space for families to use to stay in worship together. For more information on Childcare, contact Jessica Mungle, our Director of Children's Ministries.

Are there other things happening in the Life of the Church on Sundays besides Worship Services?

Yes, we have Sunday Schools that meet at 10am in varied areas of the church. Please visit our Sunday School page to learn more about those groups. If you want to visit one of those groups, let us know! We’d love to connect you with them. There are also opportunities for kids and youth. Please see below for more information about these programs.

How can I get more involved within the Life of Benton First United Methodist Church?

We offer many opportunities for fellowship within the walls and outside the wall of Benton FUMC. If you are interested in more information, check out our Connect Tab at the top of the screen and look at all of our Ministries opportunities. You can look at how we serve our community under the serve tab.

If you are looking at becoming a member at Benton FUMC, contact one of our pastors or the church office. They would love to sit down, talk about the life of the church, and how you can get involved.

We do hold once a quarter a Connect Class on Sunday Mornings at 10 AM to share information. If you would like more information on our next Connect Class, contact Rev. Garry Teeter.

Children's Ministry (Birth-4th Grade)

Youth Ministry (5th-12th Grade)

Adult discipleship Groups