Sacraments

The Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, and the Eucharist are three names United Methodists use for this sacrament, each highlighting a unique dimension of worship. The Lord’s Supper reminds us that Jesus Christ is the host and that we come at His invitation. Holy Communion emphasizes God’s self-giving love, making the sacrament both an occasion of grace and a holy fellowship with God and one another. Eucharist—from the Greek word for “thanksgiving”—calls us to give thanks to God for the gifts of creation and salvation.

We believe in the holy sacraments of Baptism and Communion as ordinary vessels of God’s extraordinary grace, freely given to all people regardless of age or level of understanding. Children are encouraged to grow in their understanding of these gifts throughout their faith journey. Baptism is offered for infants, children, and adults, and everyone is welcome to share in the feast of Holy Communion.

Baptism

What is Baptism?

The Rev. Taylor Burton-Edwards, a United Methodist pastor and teacher of liturgics explains that, “Baptism is the ordinary means of rebirth and initiation into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Through the Sacrament of Baptism, “we are initiated into Christ’s holy church, incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation and given new birth through water and the Spirit.”

At First Methodist Houston, baptism is for the young and old alike. We see baptism as a sign of the grace of God given to us before we are even aware of it.