Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, Lead Courageously
We welcome and celebrate all expressions of humanity of all races, cultural backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations. We invite, respect, and support all people who speak to love, dignity, and justice. You are affirmed and accepted as a full participant in the life and work of our United Methodist congregation.
Come deepen and embody a more respectful and vibrant relationship with yourself and others. You are invited to unfold your potential in becoming your true self.
Some places ask you to become someone else. Here at Watsonville First UMC,
it asks the opposite — it asks you to come back to yourself.
Whoever you are…
whatever you’ve done,
whoever you love,
and wherever you are in your journey of faith…
whatever you believe
or whatever you don’t believe,
You are welcome here!
Open Mind, Open Heart, Open Door
Please join us every Sunday for in-person Worship at 10am. You can also worship online on YouTube or Facebook under Watsonville First United Methodist Church and worship away!
Our Vision and Purpose
Strengthening our mutual commitment to work together for the healing of the broken body of Christ. We are here to imagine and cocreate new realities of God’s Kingdom rooted in love, truth, justice, and peace.
Nine Permissions We Practice at Watsonville First UMC
Nine Permissions I Give to Myself and Offer to Others
1. You have permission to be yourself.
2. You have permission to be human and make mistakes.
3. You have permission to laugh (ever loudly at yourself and at human condition).
4. You have permission to ask for what you need.
5. You have permission to say “No”.
6. You have permission to think freely.
7. You have permission to speak your truth and truth to power.
8. You have permission to be great and powerful.
9. You have permission to be happy.
Our Leaders
Resident Bishop of California-Nevada Conference: Bishop Sandra Olewine
El Camino Real District Superintendency Team: Rev. Dr. Theon Johnson III & Rev. Oliver Mangubat
Senior Pastor of Watsonville First United Methodist Church: Rev. John Juno Song
Lay Leaders: Nathaniel Abenoja & Marieta Flores
Choir Leader: Carmelita Abenoja
Leadership Council Chair: Marieta Flores
Chair of Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee: AR Pointer
Chair of the Board of Trustees: Dan Tyner
Chair of Finance Committee: Marilyn Hyde
Chair of the Journey to Hope Foundation: Tony Rubio
President of United Women in Faith: Carol Parker
Hospitality Ministry Coordinator: Marieta Flores
Food for Children Coordinators: Erika Bernabe & Hilda Rocha
Our Governance
“Democracy is like love. It only works when everyone has a voice.”
– Carol Gilligan
The United Methodist Church is a global Christian denomination. Like every United Methodist Church and organization worldwide, Watsonville First UMC is governed by the United Methodist Book of Discipline which is published every four years following the General Conference. The General Conference is the highest decision-making legislative body of the United Methodist Church that is represented by an equal number of clergy and laity. Every four years they are elected from their own respective Conferences to be representatives at the General Conference to establish social policies, to pass church legislations, and make rules and laws that will govern the church. Everything we do at Watsonville First UMC is done with transparency and accountability by the rule of law and governance stated in the United Methodist Book of Discipline.
