Our Pastor
Ned Alderman is a 1984 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College and 2000 graduate of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. He pastored the Cheriton charge on the Eastern Shore District 2000-4 and was ordained an elder in full connection in the Virginia Annual Conference in 2004. He also superceded to active duty as a Navy chaplain in 2004, and served at Marine Corps Base Camp Fuji. Japan; with Carrier Airwing 14 in Lemoore, Calif.; and at the Surface Force Ministry Center in Norfolk. He volunteered for individual augmentee orders to Camp Bucca, Iraq, in 2008-9. He separated from active duty at the end of 2010. He then completed an internship and a residency in clinical pastoral education at the VA hospital in Hampton in 2011-12, and joined the naval reserves in 2012. In 2013 he was appointed to Central UMC in Clifton Forge on the Staunton District, and in 2014 was appointed to Epworth UMC in Norfolk on the Elizabeth River District. In 2019, he was appointed to Trinity UMC in King George on the Rappahannock District, and was mobilized to serve as command chaplain at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in 2020. He returns this summer and starts at High Street UMC on September 1, 2021.
What We Believe
High Street UMC believes in the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Jesus Christ His son, and the Holy Spirit which dwells in us. We believe that God created us to be in fellowship with Him. Unfortunately our sins separate us from the love of God, for He is perfectly righteous and cannot look upon sin in any form. But His love for us is so great that He sent His one and only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins so that we can once again be in fellowship with Him. In us, He breathed the Holy Spirit and through that spirit He leads us and helps us to understand His will for our lives. God's love is ever present but the gift of eternal life and a life abundant during our time on Earth is only obtainable through belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God and personal savior. We strive to be a reflection of God's love so that through us, others would come to know the saving love of the one true God through His son Jesus Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
For more on the beliefs of the United Methodist Church please visit the confession of faith of the United Methodist Church as stated on www.UMC.org
High Street UMC's Mission Statement:
Honoring God Through Worship: We worship weekly on Sundays with 2 services, a more casual service at 8:30am with contemporary music, and a traditional service at 11:00am. We also have special services throughout the year, such as Scout Sunday in February, Pentacost Sunday, a youth-led service, Worship "down by the river in September, All Saints Sunday in November, and several others.
Serving God With Out Time Talents & Gifts: There are many ways to get involved in serving God depending on your interests and talents. Ways such as singing in our choirs, serving as a lay leader during worship, teaching Sunday school, cooking or cleaning up for one of our many meals served at church, or working in our mission garden.
Uniting in Christian Fellowship: We come together for fun and fellowship in a variety of ways from our Book Club and Dinner Club to Scouts, twice wwkly walking groups and more.
Making Disciples of Jesus Christ: We help each other grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ through Bible Studies, Sunday School Classes, Vacation Bible School, and a variety of special sessions available throughout the year.
Caring For All Of God's Children: We care for each other and the community in many different ways such as packing backpacks for local food insecure children, working in our open hearts mission garden that provides fresh vegetables to hungry people in our community, collecting pennies for an underprivileged child in the Dominican Republic, and collecting school supplies for school kits that are sent to areas of need after natural disasters.
If you are looking for a church where you can help make a difference in our community, across our state, and around the world, High Street UMC would love to have you visit. Come join us as we search for God's will for us together. A Full list of classes, ministries, and opportunities can be found on the classes and ministries pages of this website. Also, please check with our news and happenings page for new opportunities to serve and be served.
For more on the beliefs of the United Methodist Church please visit the confession of faith of the United Methodist Church as stated on www.UMC.org
High Street UMC's Mission Statement:
Honoring God Through Worship: We worship weekly on Sundays with 2 services, a more casual service at 8:30am with contemporary music, and a traditional service at 11:00am. We also have special services throughout the year, such as Scout Sunday in February, Pentacost Sunday, a youth-led service, Worship "down by the river in September, All Saints Sunday in November, and several others.
Serving God With Out Time Talents & Gifts: There are many ways to get involved in serving God depending on your interests and talents. Ways such as singing in our choirs, serving as a lay leader during worship, teaching Sunday school, cooking or cleaning up for one of our many meals served at church, or working in our mission garden.
Uniting in Christian Fellowship: We come together for fun and fellowship in a variety of ways from our Book Club and Dinner Club to Scouts, twice wwkly walking groups and more.
Making Disciples of Jesus Christ: We help each other grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ through Bible Studies, Sunday School Classes, Vacation Bible School, and a variety of special sessions available throughout the year.
Caring For All Of God's Children: We care for each other and the community in many different ways such as packing backpacks for local food insecure children, working in our open hearts mission garden that provides fresh vegetables to hungry people in our community, collecting pennies for an underprivileged child in the Dominican Republic, and collecting school supplies for school kits that are sent to areas of need after natural disasters.
If you are looking for a church where you can help make a difference in our community, across our state, and around the world, High Street UMC would love to have you visit. Come join us as we search for God's will for us together. A Full list of classes, ministries, and opportunities can be found on the classes and ministries pages of this website. Also, please check with our news and happenings page for new opportunities to serve and be served.
HSUMC Church History
High Street United Methodist Church (and other area churches) can trace it's origins back to 1868 when a group of Christian believers of all denominations decided to establish an organized Sunday school class to offset the absence of any churches in the area. Then, in 1871 the Franklin Methodists were founded with only 6 charter members. The first church and parsonage was built in 1874 and the congregation grew. In1890 the cornerstone of the first Methodist church was laid on High Street in the newly incorporated Town of Franklin. This church would first be called High Street M.E. Church but in 1939 when the unification of Methodism was ratified, the Church adopted the name High Street Church. In 1968 the organizations of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren's Church merged leading to the creation of the United Methodist Church. It was then that we adopted our current name: High Street United Methodist Church.
In 2011 the church was blessed with the gift of a new building on Camp Parkway in Southampton County, just a few minutes drive from where the old Church still stands on High Street. The new facilities have allowed us to grow and to better serve the community.
For an in depth history of the United Methodist Church as a whole, please click visit UMC.org's history page HERE.
In 2011 the church was blessed with the gift of a new building on Camp Parkway in Southampton County, just a few minutes drive from where the old Church still stands on High Street. The new facilities have allowed us to grow and to better serve the community.
For an in depth history of the United Methodist Church as a whole, please click visit UMC.org's history page HERE.