About Us
Moorpark United Methodist ChurchWho We Are
If you are looking for literal scriptural interpretation
or a strict rulebook on life, you probably won’t find them here. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we base our faith statement, worship services, and actions on one common belief: God is love. The ways we endeavor to respond to our lives and one another are firmly rooted in the foundation of love.
If you long for the community of others who derive joy, life direction, and fellowship from living this message, as exemplified by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, MUMC is the place for you and your family. Come struggle with us, laugh with us, learn to love, and live well with us.
All are sincerely and gladly welcomed.
What We Believe
At Moorpark UMC, we believe that God is LOVE and that all people are welcome and equal in the family of God.
We believe that God is for us, not against us.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose example of love and justice we seek to follow.
We believe in the Holy Spirit as God’s constant presence in our lives and hearts, always with us to remind us of God’s acceptance and love for us and empowering us to do God’s work.
We believe in the Bible, which is read with the Holy Spirit and interpreted through the lenses of our reason, experience, and tradition. We believe in reading, studying, and discussing Scripture using scholarly tools so that we may apply its wisdom to our lives.
We believe that God calls us to actively build the kingdom of God on earth by living a Christian life, which includes loving God and loving one another.
We believe that an essential part of the kingdom is building a community to support and nurture each other as we become the people we want to be.
We believe it is good to question and struggle together for answers. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, said, “When our heads can’t hold us together, our hearts will. Apart from the essentials, we believe in think and let think.”
We believe in reaching out to those for whom organized religion has proven ineffectual, irrelevant, or repressive.
As United Methodists, we come from many walks of life and may not always believe the same thing, but we believe in God the Creator, Jesus, God’s Son, and each other.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.
1 John 4:16
Our Pastor:
Rev. Kristiane Smith
Pastor Kristi has been a pastor in the Methodist church for 14 years, serving in Oklahoma, Texas, Santa Clarita United Methodist Church, and most recently, Conejo Connect, a creative appointment in the Conejo Valley. Conejo Connect was a collaborative ministry that brought together UMC Westlake Village, UMC Thousand Oaks, St. Matthew’s UMC of Newbury Park, and the surrounding community.
Kristi received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Chapman University and a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She is working towards her Doctor of Ministry degree at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Kristi is passionate about reaching people on the margins of society, those who label themselves as “Nones” (no religious affiliation) and “Dones” (people of faith who are “done” with the church), and those who feel that the traditional church has left them behind. She has a strong calling for relational ministries, which includes reaching people of all ages and walking with them as they discover their faith journey.
Kristi met her husband, Jeff (an engineer), over 30 years ago while working at Disneyland. They have 3 young adult children, Aurora, Kallie, and Ty. In her downtime, Kristi loves spending time near any body of water, exploring theme parks, and showing the kids the fun places in California that she and Jeff enjoyed before being transferred to Texas.
Our Team