We Are Partners in Ministry
We believe each one of us has been ordained by God to serve others with our unique gifts and talents. We are called to comfort those hurting, to help those feeling helpless, to bring hope to those feeling hopeless, and to share God’s ONE LOVE to those feeling marginalized.
At YUMC, you will find we share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all of God’s people – here, near and far. Contact us, if you are interested in learning more or serving in any of the ministries opportunities listed below.
- Worship & Music Ministry
- Nurturing Ministry
- Youth Ministry
- Outreach Ministry
Our Sunday Worship Celebration
Sundays at 10:00am [Holy Communion is served the first Sunday monthly]. You don’t have to be Methodist to join us; our worship is open to people or all denominations, regardless of where you are on your faith journey. We offer traditional and blended contemporary style services utilizing a variety of musical influences. Our congregation is diverse and our worship service is inclusive. From the readings to the music to the message, our worship celebrations are planned to deepen the faith of our members. The majority of Sunday messages are delivered by our Pastor. However, throughout the year we are blessed that several of our congregants have the opportunity to share testimony and witness, which is very powerful. Our laity, certified Lay Speakers and youth, regularly serve in worship (e.g. pray, sing, read, witness, usher, serve communion, play an instrument, etc.). Come worship with us.
Our Prayer Services
YUMC is a praying community and we rely on the power of prayer. Our Prayer Ministry team nurtures and encourages our congregation to grow in their conversations and relationship with God through prayer. Weekly prayer service is held via ZOOM. To participate, please contact the Church Office for ZOOM log-in information. A variety of prayer forms (e.g. Taizé) are utilized to connect with God and each other. Come pray with us.
Prayer Service (every Wednesday at 7pm via ZOOM)
Our Music Ministry
YUMC has a vibrant and diverse music ministry where people share in their God-given musical talent. We seek to enrich the worship with music that reaches people where they are; to empathize with, and inspire everyone in the pews. The two most important words that I use as my goals are: diversity and inclusion. There’s very little music that we won’t do. The sky’s the limit – Bach to Bonjovi; organ to ukulele. We keep the traditional hymns AND embrace contemporary Christian songs. 
There is no barrier to participation, and reading music is optional. All you need is a heart that’s willing. You can sing, play an instrument, or clap your hands with us. It all adds to the glory of God.
Presently YUMC is blessed with an Adult Choir, a Children’s Choir, and the Methodicats, our praise band. The Adult Choir and the Methodicats alternate Sundays, and each has at least one rehearsal per week. The Children’s Choir (ages 4 to 12) is brand new and has sung 3 times this year. At Christmas we do an extended work, usually a cantata, with an instrumental ensemble. Last year we combined the cantata with the children’s Christmas pageant to great effect.
What’s Next?
Moving forward, we look to do more contemporary combined services with Adult Choir and praise band. The Children’s Choir will sing more services and participate in worship. For summertime services we’ll institute a cantor program where soloists, duos and trios will be scheduled and will offer their music on a rotation basis. This fall we’ll do a concert event showcasing congregants’ talents as well as local performing groups and individuals, all singing/playing to the Glory of God. The future is bright at YUMC. God’s light is shining through every member who steps forward to musically enhance our worship. If you are interested in joining the music ministry program at YUMC, email us to tell us your interest.
Come celebrate music with us!
Karen Longwell
Director of Music Ministry
The YUMC nurturing ministry (membership outreach) organizes activities to support the membership and help us get to know one another better through programs that are multi-generational and meaningful for all ages. We sponsor activities throughout the year which have a relaxed “come as you are” atmosphere. Family game and movie nights are a big hit, so are our appreciation brunches, dinners, annual Christmas fellowship functions, craft events, Easter Egg Hunts, to name just a few.
This ministry coordinates visits to those not able to attend church, in medical facilities, and provide a warm meal for families going through a tough time (i.e. extended illness, loss of a loved one, etc.). Our nurturing ministry also coordinates the ‘Stay-Connected’ program, which is a communication program to keep in contact with our college students, recognize special celebrations within the membership, offer support during difficult times and reach out to members who have missed church for several consecutive weeks. Additionally, our membership at large are encouraged to utilize the ‘send an eCard function available on the website to individually connect with one another by sending an electronic card (i.e. thank you, thinking of you, birthday greeting, etc.).
If you would like to connect with someone on our nurturing ministry team and support any program mentioned above, please email us.
The YUMC Youth Group is open to ALL youth in grades 6-12…you do not have to be a member of the church to participate in our activities. We typically meet on a Sunday evening once a month for dinner and fun activities…but keep an eye on our events calendar for information on upcoming special events and outings.
Community Service Opportunities:
Our youth are focused on making a positive impact on the community and the world. We serve throughout the year, both locally and nationally. Recently, we have been spending our time serving:
- Jan Peek Homeless Shelter
- Midnight Run trips to NYC
- Raise funds for the Yorktown Community Help Food Bank
Additionally, we participate and support:
- ASK/Save a Life: http://allianceforsafekids.org/savealife/
- CROP walk: https://www.crophungerwalk.org/southsalemny
- UMARMY: http://umarmy.org/
The people of YUMC reach out, beyond the walls of the church, into our community with the goal of providing help and hope to those in need. The local outreach partnerships are prayerfully selected by a dedicated Missions and Outreach Ministry Team. They represent a diverse group of organizations that focus on education, health, homelessness, poverty and hunger.
- Jan Peek House, Peekskill NY: provides a safe haven for the area’s homeless men and women. Their residence is open 365 days a year providing shelter, food and a conduit to comprehensive support services. YUMC volunteers commit to prepare and serve a warm dinner as well as offer fellowship to the residents the first Sunday of every month.
- Midnight Run, NYC: a volunteer organization dedicated to finding common ground between the housed and the homeless. In over 1,000 relief missions per year, volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups distribute food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. The late-night relief efforts create a forum for trust, sharing, understanding and affection. That human exchange, rather than the exchange of goods, is the essence of the Midnight Run mission. YUMC volunteers commit to 2 runs per year in support of Midnight Run.
- Head Start, Yorktown Heights, NY: is the national commitment to give every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, an opportunity to succeed in school and in life. YUMC helps the kids through our local Head Start program by donating school supplies, clothing, Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts.
- Yorktown Community Help (YCH) Food Bank: is volunteer run pantry that provides food to individuals and families who are referred to YCH. YUMC collects non-perishable food donations at church the first Sunday of every month in support of YCH.
Serve Globally
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR ) seeks to alleviate human suffering by providing relief, response, and long-term recovery grants when disasters overwhelm a community’s resources and ability to recover on their own. Annually YUMC supports UMCOR with financially donations. Additionally, during current disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, we raise money in real-time to help affected communities recover from disaster.
UMCOR Relief Supply Network provides buckets of cleaning kit supplies enabling people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood or hurricane. YUMC became a UMCOR Mission Central HUB for the Hudson Valley in 2017. We serve as a HUB to collect, store and distribute health kits, cleaning buckets, school kits, and other supplies donated by our church and other United Methodist congregations in our area as part of disaster response and development ministries, both domestic and international.