Our History
Juniata United Methodist Church is an old established church with a new identity. In 2004, three United Methodist Churches in the Juniata area of Altoona (Gethsemane, Wesley, and Otterbein) came together to form a new church called Juniata United Methodist Church.
These three churches have over 300 years of combined ministry in the Altoona area through the Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren in Christ, Evangelical, Evangelical United Brethren, and United Methodist denominations. Through two mergers (in 1947 and 1968), we are now United Methodist in denomination.
We are a Trinitarian church of the Wesleyan, Otterbein, and Albright traditions, proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for all people. We believe that God’s love, centered in the sacrificial death of Jesus is sufficient for all the needs of our time, especially for the forgiveness of sins confessed by repentant seekers of hope, peace, and love.
These three churches have over 300 years of combined ministry in the Altoona area through the Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren in Christ, Evangelical, Evangelical United Brethren, and United Methodist denominations. Through two mergers (in 1947 and 1968), we are now United Methodist in denomination.
We are a Trinitarian church of the Wesleyan, Otterbein, and Albright traditions, proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for all people. We believe that God’s love, centered in the sacrificial death of Jesus is sufficient for all the needs of our time, especially for the forgiveness of sins confessed by repentant seekers of hope, peace, and love.
