About Us
PASTOR:
Scott Budde
Pastor Scott follows a history of Godly men upon whose shoulders he is not ashamed to say he stands. Since becoming our pastor in 2014, he pursued and received a masters degree in Pastoral Theology from Huntington University, our UB college in Huntington, Indiana. We invite you to peruse his sermons by visiting the sermon links page. (We use YouTube for video hosting, so a new window will open up when you click on a title)
HISTORY
We began in 1881 at a location on Third Hill Rd. in this beautiful rural setting, as a United Brethren In Christ Church (see denomination history below), a denomination that believed as long as we agreed on the essentials of Biblical faith, minor theological differences shouldn't prevent unity. Our founders began with joy and hope, but unknowingly against the backdrop of denominational upheaval.
In 1889, the national conference of the church became divided over an attempt to force a change in the constitution of the church and reverse the firm ban on secret societies which had been put into place in 1814 and justified in 1826 by an incident in which a whistle blower on the Freemasons was murdered by fellow fraternity members. These were passionate days, and this was, to those who were scandalized by the event, an immovable stand. The resulting division created two denominations of the same name, the lesser one led by Milton Wright, the father of famed inventors Orville and Wilbur. This smaller movement became known as the Old Constitution Church. Because our church had just begun, we remained with the more stable New Constitution Church. Both groups carried the same name until 1946, when the New Constitution Church merged with the Evangelical Association, creating the Evangelical United Brethren Church.
The life of the new denomination was short, due to the long association between the leadership of the EUB Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1968, a vote was called to merge the EUB Church with the ME Church and form the United Methodist Church. With the passage of that vote, there arose a dispute locally regarding the affiliation of the Mt. Carmel church. Our fellowship's founders decided that keeping the original identity of the church was important enough that a division occurred, and they returned to the Old Constitution Church, now the only United Brethren in Christ Church denomination. The Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church continues the history of the original church while we carry on our historical affiliation with the UB denomination as Mt. Carmel United Brethren in Christ, founded in 1969.
The original Mt Carmel still stands today as a United Methodist Church
VALUES
"Be holy, for I am holy"
"Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)
To be holy is to be separate and cut away from. The dilemma of holiness is that man cannot regenerate himself because he is dead in trespasses and sins and relies completely upon God for the hope of salvation: not just the initiation, but also the implementation and the final judgment. Like the Passover, the blood of Jesus is wholly sufficient for the eternal atonement of the believer.
Semi-Pelagianism insists that man has the residual will to act upon an invitation and "opt in" to Christianity, but If man is not completely depraved, we cannot say that God is holy. Conversion is by the power of God, not the decision of man (John 1:13). Because of the depravity of the flesh, even regenerated man, having a new nature - the nature of Christ Himself - cannot contribute anything except obedience or holiness is compromised and corrupted. Therefore, we wait upon the Lord and only do as He says in scripture, following His providential leadership.
To read more on the denominational standards and values, go to www.ub.org
VISION
Our vision for the church is simple: follow the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. If God moves, we move; if God stays, we stay. We will do nothing except out of obedience, and by God's grace we will not lay a hand upon the ark of God nor a tool to His altar. Jesus promised He would build His church. We trust Him.
Church History Since 1969 and Relocation
We relocated the work of the United Brethren in Christ to its present location at 11466 Brocks Gap Rd., across from the Fulks Run Grocery, Turner Hams, on the hill. The original part of this new location was a white steel building with a lovely steeple and church bell. It housed the work until 1989, when the current sanctuary and discipleship class rooms were added, including a vestibule between the two sections. The steel building portion now serves as a social hall and the Pastor's office is located there, as well.
We still believe in the creed the original UB church envisioned, that with Biblical essentials in place, minor differences in theology should not keep brothers in Christ apart. We hope to honor that creed in all we do, God being our helper.