For over a hundred years (est. 1913), our neighbors, living near the historic Suwannee River, have gathered under our great oak trees and opened the doors of this small country church to welcome all who wish to join in the enriching experience of praising our Lord and Savior.
We are a diverse group of Spirit-filled Christians who have the love of Jesus in our hearts and are motivated into action by the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
Do you wish to explore the timeless questions of “where you came from, why you are here, how you should treat others, and where you are going”? If so, we invite you to join us as we search the Scriptures of the Holy Bible for answers to the life-defining questions regarding our origin, our purpose, our moral responsibilities, and our destiny.
If you are one who is merely curious about God or perhaps one who is a seasoned biblical scholar, by joining us you become a blessing who enriches others with your questions, your experiences, and your vision. We hope to see you soon as we explore our God-given purpose in this gift of life.
With Him, All Things…
“The mission of McCall’s Chapel United Methodist Church is to be a grace-filled family of Jesus’ followers, where people intentionally grow spiritually and put God’s love into action in our church, our community and our world.”
We hold true to the words of wisdom shared in Acts 20:28, which reads: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
In July of 1913, a faithful group of men and women held a tent revival on 4 acres of land donated by C.A. Howell, a local turpentine farmer and founding member. The Reverend F.P. McCall preached, and services have been held here ever since. It took 13 months for the first building to be completed, and it stood as a constant place of worship until the brick building that we now use replaced it in 1952. Over the years, new additions and buildings have been added to reflect our growth.
In 1989, the need for more land and a new parsonage led to the launching of the “Candy Parsonage Program.” Using a simple recipe and a lot of peanuts, the first batch of peanut brittle was made. After only 10 months, enough peanut brittle was sold to purchase more land and the parsonage that we have today. Thirty years later, you can still buy “McCall’s Chapel Peanut Brittle” from local stores and restaurants. For 107 years, this church has been ministering to the needs of this community. With God’s blessings, we continue on.
“McCall’s Chapel is a family of good-hearted folks who share in our desire for a better understanding of our Lord and Savior. Together, we have a great thirst for the “living water” that Jesus offers as we strive together to become more Christ-like. The truth is, I view my role in this beautiful old church as a fellow participant in this spiritual journey, alongside of everyone else, as we grow in the Lord together by offering our hearts, our souls, our very existence to be used to glorify the Holy name of Jesus.”
… Former Pastor David Rogers
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, offered a revised version of the Church of England’s 25 Articles of Religion to the new people called Methodists. Today these foundational doctrines remain at the core of our Christian faith and practice. To learn more about Methodism, our belief and our history feel free to contact the church.
ARTICLE I—OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
ARTICLE II—OF THE WORD, OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN
The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.
ARTICLE III—OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.
ARTICLE IV—OF THE HOLY GHOST
The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
ARTICLE V—OF THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION
The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the church. The names of the canonical books are:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the Greater, Twelve Prophets the Less.
All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.
ARTICLE VI—OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and rites doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.
ARTICLE VII—OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN
Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.
ARTICLE VIII—OF FREE WILL
The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.
ARTICLE IX—OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN
We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.
ARTICLE X—OF GOOD WORKS
Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.
ARTICLE XI—OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION
Voluntary works—besides, over and above God’s commandments—which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required; whereas Christ saith plainly: When you have done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.
ARTICLE XII—OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION
Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here; or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.
ARTICLE XIII—OF THE CHURCH
The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly administered according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.
ARTICLE XIV—OF PURGATORY
The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping, and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the Word of God.
ARTICLE XV—OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.
ARTICLE XVI—OF THE SACRAMENTS
Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God’s good will toward us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in him.
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.
Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel; being such as have partly grown out of the corrupt following of the apostles, and partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves condemnation, as St. Paul saith.
ARTICLE XVII—OF BAPTISM
Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. The Baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church.
ARTICLE XVIII—OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.
The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was not by Christ’s ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshiped.
ARTICLE XIX—OF BOTH KINDS
The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord’s Supper, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike.
ARTICLE XX—OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS
The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is commonly said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit.
ARTICLE XXI—OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS
The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God’s law either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage; therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness.
ARTICLE XXII—OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES
It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men’s manners, so that nothing be ordained against God’s Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the rites and ceremonies of the church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the Word of God, and are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.
Every particular church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.
ARTICLE XXIII—OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The President, the Congress, the general assemblies, the governors, and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States of America, according to the division of power made to them by the Constitution of the United States and by the constitutions of their respective states. And the said states are a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.
ARTICLE XXIV—OF CHRISTIAN MEN’S GOODS
The riches and goods of Christians are not common as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.
ARTICLE XXV—OF A CHRISTIAN MAN’S OATH
As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle, so we judge that the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet’s teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.
United Methodists affirm the faith shared by all Christians, with particular emphasis on God’s grace and on Christian living, putting faith and love into action.
Methodism began because of John Wesley, his brother Charles, and others’ desire to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Together they pursued “holiness of heart and life,” which Wesley described as “universal love filling the heart, and governing the life”. The dual emphasis on both what we believe and how we live, is essential to United Methodism today.
The United Methodist Church recognizes two sacraments, baptism and communion.
These two acts have a special place in the church because Jesus commanded them and participated in them. Baptism marks the beginning of our lifelong journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. Communion nourishes and sustains us on the journey.
We believe that all children are a blessing from God, and as such, we feel blessed to have them as part of our services. We have a children’s message as part of our regular service. Children exposed to an adult service are more fully exposed to the Gospel, and the sound of a baby crying or children whispering is a joyful noise unto the Lord.