New Member Path

Join the Shandon Family

Wherever you are on your faith journey, and however familiar you are, or aren’t, with Christianity or the Methodist tradition, we’d love for you to become part of the Shandon family!

TREK, Shandon’s new member path, is a three-session course to connect you with others new to Shandon, familiarize you with Shandon’s campus, discuss topics related to the Christian faith and United Methodist Church, and help you discover opportunities to serve and be served.

Upcoming TREK dates:

May

Session 1: May 7, 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Session 2: May 21* (*we will skip May 14th, Mothers’ Day), 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Session 3: May 24, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

September

Session 1: September 10, 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Session 2: September 13, 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Session 3: September 17, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

For more information about TREK and to register for an upcoming session, follow the steps below.

For any further questions, please contact Rev. James Grubb at jgrubb@shandon-umc.org.

Over and over during his time on earth, Jesus issued an invitation: “Follow me” – and only by this following could someone find truest and deepest life, even eternal life.

“Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6

And the parting mission Jesus gave each of his followers was to go and call others to follow him. Today the true church is more than just a brick-and-mortar institution. It’s the long line of all the people, the disciples, that trail back across time and distance to our leader, Jesus Christ.

And, it’s the great community of all of us – disciples of Jesus – who continue to embark on this trek together and who call others to come along with us.

Joining a church congregation is less about becoming a member and more about becoming an active disciple of Christ Jesus. It’s why, at Shandon, we invite you to join us on a path that is grounded in community, that is connected to the deep roots of Scripture and tradition, and that asks for your utmost commitment.

For all that following Jesus Christ offers us, it also asks a great deal of us. Like anything that’s worth doing, discipleship demands our best effort and challenges us to grow. And because Christ entrusts us with so much in this journey, following him needs to take priority. As United Methodists, this intentional commitment means vowing to support one another with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. This can sound like just a checklist of “nice Christian things” that we try to fit into our schedules when we have time, but they are actually disciplines that nurture us, as well as the ways God ministers to others through us. The TREK Course is designed to prepare people to fulfill these vows in a meaningful way.

Wherever you are in your faith journey, and however familiar you are (or aren’t) with Christianity or the Methodist tradition, TREK has something to offer. All potential new adult members must complete the Course prior to joining. Each TREK Course is made up of two key ingredients: time in class and time in the field.

During the Course each Trekker is expected to attend worship and visit Sunday school classes as a part of the process before making their commitments. This might mean trying out a different class each week, or sticking with one throughout.

TREK classes typically consist of 10-25 people. The Course consists of two 90-minute class sessions, a one-hour Sunday school session, and a Wednesday meal and session. Childcare is available in our nursery for children age 8-weeks and up.

The TREK Course is offered only three or four times per year, and we don’t want anyone to miss the Course, so please register as soon as you’re ready. In preparation, get a head start by visiting Sunday school classes and worship services.

When you’re ready to register, contact Rev. James Grubb at jgrubb@shandon-umc.org or visit https://form.jotform.com/shandonumc/trek-registration-