About Us

Welcome

For nearly 200 years, Smyrna First United Methodist Church created community and opportunities to know God and His love for all people. Our ministries and missions build spaces to learn more about God’s love for our communities and us. We live this out by allowing Jesus to guide our vision and loving the person in front of us. We invite you to be a part of this community, there is a place for you here!

FAQs

There are three main routes for getting plugged into Smyrna First as quickly as possible.

1. Sign up for one of our small groups, where you'll get to meet members of our community, while engaging in some form of Biblical study.

2. Serve in a ministry team. We believe God has given everybody unique skills and passions to help make the world a better place. If you are interested in using your talents at Smyrna First, you can check out all of our opportunities under the Serve section of this site.

3. There are always upcoming events happening at our church. You can join our mailing list to keep up to date on all things Smyrna First!

Clergy

Rev. Derek Porter

Senior Pastor

Rev. Kathryn Davis

Senior Associate Pastor

Rev. Jono Moehlig

Pastor of Youth Ministries

Rev. Barbara Hatchell

Pastor of Congregational Care

Rev. Joey Hatchell

Pastor of Congregational Care

Staff

Kim Duggins

Director of Worship/Fine Arts

Deb Cook

Director of Weekday Education

Jesse Davis

Director of Operations

and Technology

Julia DeVane

Director of Missions

Danielle Hutto

Weekday Education Business Administrator

Amy Kimm

Director of
Engagement

Estee Lassiter

Chief Programming Officer

Shelia McBrayer

Tillman House Administrative Assistant

Alan Nicely

Director Emeritus of Tillman House

Rebecca Paul

Chief of Staff and Culture

Andrew Reid

Director of Facilities

Julia Shod

Associate Director
of Weekday Education

Marie Smith

Director of Children's Ministries

Kristen Sudduth

Chief Administrative Officer

Amy Wallace

Modern Worship Leader

Mason Westmoreland

Engagement Coordinator

Shirley Westmoreland

Director of Creative Services & Communications

Courtnaye Wood

Associate Director of Children's Music Ministries

Patrick Wood

Associate Director of Youth & Music Ministries

Lay Leadership Committees

In the United Methodist Church, lay leadership is shared by members who are elected to serve in key roles that guide the mission and ministry of the congregation. Lay leaders partner with clergy to make decisions, support ministries, and help carry out the work of the church through committees such as Church Council, Trustees, Finance, and SPR. This structure ensures that the direction of the church is shaped by both ordained pastors and the active participation of its members.

Our Beliefs

Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary by miraculous conception. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on the cross. He physically rose from the dead after three days, demonstrating God’s power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven, where He rules as our Lord and mediates between God and people. He will return to earth in the future to establish God’s perfect peace and justice for all time.

We believe in two sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper), which were both practiced by Jesus. The sacraments are to be celebrated within the gathered Church. Holy Baptism and Holy Communion are both signs and means of God’s grace, meaning that they help us remember and experience the love, acceptance, and forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ. Holy Baptism is the sacrament a believer receives once during his or her life.

Baptism connects us with God’s mighty acts of salvation and His Church. We are not “saved” at the moment of Baptism; rather, salvation happens when we invite Jesus into our life as our personal Savior and Lord. Though we still sin after Baptism, we do not need to be re-baptized. Rather, we renew our faith by confessing our sins to God, turning away from that sin, and reaffirming our faith in Christ alone.

Holy Communion reminds us of the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples in the Upper Room as He prepared them for His death on the cross. The bread and grape juice are symbols of Jesus’ body and blood, which were broken and shed for our sin.

In Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit meets us where we are and administers grace—forgiveness, mercy, and the power to be God’s people in the world. Holy Communion is open to anyone, regardless of church membership, with these two guidelines: (1) a personal confession of sin in the name of Jesus (in private, silent prayer) and (2) the desire to take one step closer to Jesus Christ, wherever you are on your spiritual journey.

The Church consists of all people who have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church. The Church exists to glorify God, educate believers, declare and demonstrate God’s justice and mercy for all, and share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with the world. Every believer is equipped with at least one spiritual gift, and called and empowered to serve in God’s mission to the world.

Human beings can never make up for their sin by self-improvement or good works. A person can only experience safety from sin’s penalty and enjoy a personal relationship with God through trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness. We become Christians and experience God’s salvation when we take two simple, but powerful, steps:

Confess that you are imperfect and in need of God’s forgiveness
Believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead as payment for your sins

This is the first step on the road to a mature and abiding faith that sustains us throughout our lives.

Contact Us

Contact Information

communications@smyrnafumc.org
(770) 436-4108
1315 Concord Rd.
Smyrna, GA 30080

Service Times

Sunday Services
8:45AM Classic
9AM Modern
11AM Traditional

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