Our Vision
At First Church we are in a season of building. Not just a physical building but also an inclusive community of humans in downtown Miami! Our vision includes....
- Building our community of faith…. one neighbor at a time.
- Building an inclusive and safe community….people are often left out.
- Building hearts for service….we can all be a bit selfish sometimes.
- Building up our neighbors….especially the unhoused.
- Building our knowledge of scripture….it is a difficult book to understand.
- Building our relationship with God....it’s an ongoing journey.
Our Values
At First Church we believe that our values communicate who we are as a church and a people. Here are a few of our values...
★ Compassion - creating a community who cares for our neighbors with grace and pursues justice for our neighbors.
★ Hospitality - creating a welcoming community to receive and embrace you just as you are
★ Diversity - creating a culturally competent community for all
★ Spiritual Development - creating mature followers of Jesus Christ through worship, small groups, service, prayer, generosity, and a community of fellow believers.
★ Service - creating opportunities for neighbors to lift up neighbors to transform each others’ lives and our community.
★ Compassion - creating a community who cares for our neighbors with grace and pursues justice for our neighbors.
★ Hospitality - creating a welcoming community to receive and embrace you just as you are
★ Diversity - creating a culturally competent community for all
★ Spiritual Development - creating mature followers of Jesus Christ through worship, small groups, service, prayer, generosity, and a community of fellow believers.
★ Service - creating opportunities for neighbors to lift up neighbors to transform each others’ lives and our community.
Our Corner
First Church Miami is located on the Corner of 5th and Biscayne. We see the corner as not simply directional but also spiritual. We aim to be a place where different people, opinions, and walks of life can meet and intersect and learn from one another. We pray these places can become intersections of spirituality, community and faith. We know that oftentimes we find God at the intersections of life — faith and doubt, questions and answers, death and new life. We pray to meet you at this corner and be a safe and healing place for you to have fun, form friendships and explore your faith!
View our Facilities Interest Form to find out more on how you or your company can use our space for your projects!
View our Facilities Interest Form to find out more on how you or your company can use our space for your projects!
Our History
Get to know more about our church's history.
“In the heart of the city with the city in its heart.” For many years this was our mission statement at First United Methodist Church of Miami. This was more than a statement, it was a verb lived out weekly through our ministry to the homeless, our care for retired members of the community and partnerships with schools and justice organizations in Miami. Throughout the years, First Church of Miami has been a cornerstone community while on the corner of Biscayne and Fifth. Today, this statement is still lived out in the lives and hearts of the people of First Church Miami. In 2016 First Church cast a vision and dream to stay in the heart of the city in a new way! The courageous and Christ centered redevelopment team lead us to reimagine our space and our place in the center of this magical city. The decision to tear down our old building was made in great faith and courage in what God can do with our willingness to let go and change with our ever changing city! Our new building will be a space to offer community for believers who want to worship, follow, and love the teachings of Christ. We hope and pray that this building will be full of people finding a place for relationship, fellowship, recreation, prayer and connectedness to God and one another.
Our dream was to create a space that would provide a place for people Downtown to live this out. The many ministries within the church have been a strong influence in the community and in the world; our active and engaging small groups and chapels, our Children and Youth groups, the fine Music organizations, and our outreach to the unhoused to name a few. Our church has a long history of outreach and change. The first members of our church were part of two churches, Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church South and White Temple Methodist Episcopal Church North. Both churches started in boats. Then they moved to small four walled structures. Eventually Mr. Flagler would give them both land in the city center where they would build beautiful Sanctuaries. When White Temple was burned, the two churches only blocks apart merged and moved into Trinity’s building. Only for it to be condemned by the city. The church then changed their name and became First United Methodist Church of Miami and had their sites set on the growing Biscayne Blvd. Through all the changes the church’s mission was central and clear….love our God and love our neighbor. The churches constant efforts to build a wonderful Christ-loving community will continue to be lived out during this exciting season of change!