Fountain City United Methodist Church sits at 212 Hotel Road in the heart of north Knoxville's Fountain City neighborhood, where it marked two hundred years of continuous ministry in 2025. The congregation's bicentennial brought together Bishop David Graves, former pastors, members, and friends for a September 21 celebration that featured the Chancel Choir and The Journey Band. The church has served the same north Knoxville community since the days of frontier circuit riders, and its long memory shows in a roster of ministries that reaches from the Fountain City Ministry Center food pantry to a youth mission trip to Welch, West Virginia, from a NAEYC-accredited preschool to a Tuesday night recovery gathering in the gym.
Two Hundred Years by the Big Springs
Fountain City United Methodist Church traces its roots to the circuit riders who brought Methodist preaching to the springs settlement that gave Fountain City its name. The church's 200th anniversary book, 200 Years by the Big Springs, was written by Rev. Dr. James A. Dougherty and was honored with the 2025 Local Church History Award from the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church. The book traces the church from frontier days to its present home at 212 Hotel Road. A companion presentation by Michael Feely, Director of Missions and Congregational Care at Christ UMC in Chattanooga and chair of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Commission on Archives and History, was hosted at the church on August 20.
The anniversary drew local media coverage. Don Dare of WATE-TV interviewed church leaders in a segment that aired September 17, 2025, and longtime member Jean Payne, born into the church and a former Central High School teacher, recorded a video reflecting on nine decades of significant moments in her life and the church's life. The bicentennial itself closed with music from the Chancel Choir and The Journey Band, with members giving thanks for the past two centuries and looking ahead to what God has for Fountain City UMC next.
Three Sunday Mornings Under One Roof
Fountain City UMC describes itself as one church with several styles of worship. On Sunday mornings, the congregation gathers at three times and in two locations on the campus. At 8:30 a.m., a Traditional service is held in the Sanctuary. Sunday School and Sunday Morning Discipleship classes for all ages fill the 9:45 a.m. hour, with options for adults ranging from the long-running Christian Homebuilders class to the podcast-style Journey Into Discipleship group and a Women’s Thrive class studying Max Lucado's work on the book of Esther.
At 11:00 a.m., the schedule offers two parallel services. The 11:00 a.m. Traditional service continues in the Sanctuary with the chancel choir and the full United Methodist liturgy, while the 11:00 a.m. Contemporary service, called The Journey, takes over the Gym with a worship band and a message aimed at people who prefer a less formal setting. The 11:00 a.m. services are live-streamed on the church's YouTube channel and remain available afterward. The Journey is led by Mark Seals, the church's Director for Contemporary and Celebrate Recovery Worship and Creative Technology.
Holy Communion is served on the first Sunday of every month. Visitors can expect a relaxed atmosphere where jeans, shorts, dresses, and casual or dressed-up clothing are all welcome. Ushers hand out bulletins, the door greeters arrive thirty minutes early, and the Welcome Center opens at 7:50 a.m. on Sundays. Communion Leaders and Worship Hosts volunteer for these roles, and the church's Shepherd's Team walks the building during services to help with questions and respond to any medical need.
Celebrate Recovery North on Tuesday Nights
One of the most visible ministries of Fountain City UMC is Celebrate Recovery North, a Christ-centered, twelve-step program that meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Gym. The program is open to anyone dealing with life's hurts, habits, and hang-ups, from addiction and anxiety to grief and broken relationships. Seth Charles, a CPRS-certified Peer Recovery Specialist and the church's Director of Recovery Ministry, leads the program and is a leader in Celebrate Recovery North. The evening begins with a light meal, followed by worship and either a teaching or a testimony, then a move into Open Share Groups. Groups include Men's Chemical Dependency, Women's Chemical Dependency, Women's Co-Dependency, Women's Family Support, Men's Sexual Integrity, and a Newcomers 101 group.
For children of attendees, Crosswalk Kids (first through fifth grade) and Crosswalk Students (middle and high school) meet on Tuesday nights, and a nursery is provided for infants through pre-K. Step Study groups meet on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings for those ready to go deeper into the biblical principles that undergird the twelve steps. Celebrate Recovery is broadcast on Facebook Live each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Fountain City UMC is a Certified Faith-Based Recovery Partner with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Fountain Kids and Fountain Littles
The church's children's ministry is called Fountain Kids, with Fountain Littles covering infants through pre-K and Fountain Kids covering kindergarten through fifth grade. Children six months through fifth grade are cared for on Sunday mornings, Tuesday nights during Celebrate Recovery, and Wednesday nights during Kids Club, all under the church's Safe Sanctuaries policy. Every paid and volunteer worker is background checked and trained. The Sunday morning check-in uses KidCheck, an electronic system at Door 3 (the Welcome Center), and parents receive a printed guardian label that is matched to the child's label at pickup.
The Sunday rhythm starts at 8:30 a.m. with Fountain Littles Childcare, continues at 9:45 a.m. with Sunday School for both Littles and Kids, and runs at 10:45 a.m. with Fountain Littles Childcare and the Fountain Kids Bible Experience alongside the second worship hour. On Tuesdays, Crosswalk for children twelve and under runs from 6:15 p.m., with dinner for families beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Wesley Hall. On Wednesdays, Kids Club runs from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. on the second floor, with an extended-care option until 8:30 p.m. for parents in choir or a Step Study that runs long. Donna Lewis directs the ministry and teaches that the goal is to make wiser choices, build stronger relationships, and develop a deeper faith.
Curriculum choices follow a child's age. Fountain Littles uses the First Look curriculum, while Fountain Kids uses the 252 Basics curriculum built around Luke 2:52: that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Parents can use the free Parent Cue app, which aligns with the weekly Bible story, scripture, and character connection, and a Parent Devotional Guide accompanies each family series. Special events during the year include Vacation Bible School, Parent Nights Out, Sunday family get-togethers, a Father-Daughter Dance, Welcome to Bethlehem, a Christmas Eve Family Nativity Service, Nerf Wars, and Glow Parties.
Youth on the Way to Welch
The youth ministry of Fountain City UMC is built around weekly gatherings, small groups, retreats, mission trips, and Confirmation. The youth group meets on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the NET room, immediately following the church's fellowship meal. On Sunday mornings, students gather from 9:45 to 10:40 a.m. in room B17 before heading to worship with their families. Crosswalk meets on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the same room. Open Gym for Youth is available the second and fourth Thursday evenings of the month, beginning at 6 p.m.
Matt Randle, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries, leads the program with Rachel Collins, the church's Pastor of Discipleship. The youth use the Grow Curriculum and follow the church's mission to reach students with the grace of Jesus, help them grow into mature followers, and send them out to serve. Confirmation is offered as a twelve-week study for baptized Christians who want to publicly reaffirm their baptismal vows and be welcomed into full membership in the church. Each year the youth also participate in Resurrection, an annual weekend retreat for worship and spiritual growth.
In the summer of 2025, twelve youth and their leaders traveled June 27 to July 2 to Welch, West Virginia, for a mission trip. Only one of the twelve had previously been on a multi-day mission trip, but the group adapted when a planned hike and trip to the New River Water Park were rained out and instead built a makeshift pickleball court, played card games, and made a grocery run for snacks. They worshipped with the congregation at Welch UMC and spent the work week serving in the community. The mission trip is supported by the Fountain City UMC Youth International fund, which reserves giving for future international work.
Music from the Chancel to the Gym
Music is at the heart of Fountain City UMC. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and sings at the 11:00 a.m. traditional service, as well as at seasonal services and concerts. Adults of any age can join. The Tollers, the adult handbell choir, rehearse on Wednesday evenings and require music-reading skills. The Chorale is a mostly a cappella ensemble for singers with some music-reading background. Leslie Hill, the Director of Music Ministries, leads all three groups.
Music education starts young. Genesis Bells is a children's handbell choir for students in grades three through five, meeting Wednesdays from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. Fountain Voices is a children's choir experience for grades one through five, taught by Lyndsey Ullom on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. The Youth Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and is open to all middle and high school students. The Journey Band leads the contemporary service on Sunday mornings. Together, the church's musicians form a continuum that draws the congregation into worship from the youngest singers to the Chancel Choir and the Celebration Band.
A NAEYC-Accredited Preschool
FCUMC Preschool has served infants through pre-K and their families for more than fifty years. The program is one of only a few in Knoxville to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, recognized as a program that meets Early Childhood Program Standards and is grounded in the latest research on early-childhood education and development. The preschool is play-based and child-focused, with low student-to-teacher ratios and a highly qualified teaching staff. Alycia Truett, the Director of Preschool and a former preschool parent herself, leads the program.
Registration for the 2026-27 school year is open, and the preschool offers several weekly scheduling options as an alternative to full-time daycare. Tuition, a school calendar, and a family handbook are available. Interested families can join the waiting list or request a tour, and current families can pay online through the Kids Count system. The preschool also accepts job applications from teachers and assistants who want to join the staff.
Wednesday Nights, Small Groups, and Adult Discipleship
From August through April, Fountain City Fellowship on Wednesday nights brings the congregation together around a fellowship meal followed by Adult Formation classes. These Wednesday gatherings, alongside the church's adult Sunday School offerings at 9:45 a.m., form the backbone of adult discipleship. The church's adult ministry is built around the conviction that there is something for everyone, with the goal of helping each person grow in love of God and neighbor.
Ten adult Sunday School classes meet at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Christian Homebuilders, in room 137, is a long-running class that began over fifty years ago as a young-married-couples group and now draws more than seventy members, mostly in their sixties and older, with four social gatherings each year. Cornerstone, in room 205, is for couples and singles in their thirties and forties. Discovery Bible, in room 112, takes an in-depth approach to Scripture. FOCUS, in room 210, studies the Adult Bible Studies Series and supports local, district, and international missions through annual tamale sales. The Damascus Class, in room 138, is named after the apostle Paul's conversion. Insight, in room 107, welcomes questions. Journey Into Discipleship, in room 135, is a podcast-and-discussion group focused on spiritual gifts. The Open Door Class, in room 111, supports individuals in need and shut-in visitation. Pairs & Spares, in room 106, blends married couples and singles. Seekers, in room 203, picks books of the Bible for in-depth study. The Whobodies, in room 206, focus on outreach to single mothers, food pantry support, and Wesley House senior adults. The Women's Thrive Group, in room 102, is a multigenerational group for women.
Men's and women's ministries round out the week. A Men's Bible Study meets every Tuesday at 8 a.m. in room 137, and seasonal men's studies meet as scheduled. United Women in Faith circles meet monthly and span a wide range of ages, with weekly women's studies offered during parts of the year. The This Is Us Couples Ministry organizes quarterly date nights in and around Knoxville, including a Trust Fall Date Night each fall that sends couples to surprise downtown dinners.
Recreation, the Gym, and Friday Family Fun Night
Recreation is treated as a ministry in its own right at Fountain City UMC. The church's Recreational Ministry runs sports, fitness, and shared activities that meet people where they are and invite them into Christian community. Pickleball is played at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Basketball is played on Thursdays at 7:45 p.m. Youth Open Gym runs on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Friday Family Fun Night, hosted in Old Fellowship Hall, includes karaoke and games. The gym, sanctuary, Wesley Hall, and other spaces can be reserved through the church's Event Requests form, with basic ministry-related requests typically answered within seventy-two business hours.
Stephen Ministry, Grief Support, and Pastoral Care
For one-to-one lay caring, Fountain City UMC runs Stephen Ministry, training and deploying Stephen Ministers to provide confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. The Stephen Series system has been part of the congregation's pastoral care for years. GriefShare, a thirteen-session support program for those who have lost a loved one, is hosted by the church. The church's Shepherd's Team walks the building during Sunday services to help with directions, questions, and any medical need that arises.
The Open Door Community Meal and the Blessing Box
Fountain City UMC's Community Outreach ministry is anchored by two regular expressions of hospitality. The Open Door Community Meal is served in Wesley Hall on the fourth Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. and is open to everyone, including housed and unhoused neighbors. The Blessing Box sits in front of the church on Hotel Road and is stocked with canned food, water, bagged snacks, and hygiene products for anyone who needs them. The Fountain City Ministry Center, a cooperative effort of Fountain City area churches, including FCUMC, helps Knox County residents in need return to a more self-sustaining lifestyle through financial support, volunteers, and donations. English Language Learners (ELL) classes meet on Wednesdays and are led by three teachers with volunteer helpers, giving members of the community a place to practice their English in a supportive setting.
Missions Near and Far
The church's Faith Promise supports an extensive list of mission partners. Locally, these include Agape Outreach Homes, which provides housing and care for men with severe, persistent mental illness; the Fountain City Ministry Center; Family Promise of Knoxville, which helps homeless and low-income families with children achieve sustainable independence; Habitat for Humanity Knoxville; the InterFaith Health Clinic; Lost Sheep Ministry, which serves Knoxville's homeless every Wednesday evening; Magnolia Avenue UMC and Vester UMC, which serve vulnerable Knoxvillians; Operation Backyard, which provides free emergency home repairs; Partners For Children, which operates a child development center for preschoolers at Cedar Lane UMC; the Knoxville Dream Center; VMC's Street Outreach Program; Wesley House Community Center; and the Wesley Foundation at the University of Tennessee.
Regionally and internationally, the church supports Africa University, the first fully accredited institution of higher learning established on the African continent by the General Conference of The United Methodist Church; Camp Wesley Woods, part of the Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries; Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky; the Holston Conference Jubilee Project in Hancock County; Project Crossroads in Marion, Virginia; Red Bird Mission in southeastern Kentucky; Rise Against Hunger; the Society of St. Andrew; UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief; Imagine No Malaria; the South Sudan ministry through UMCOR; the United Methodist Church's missionary in Liberia; Willow UMC and the Willow Community Food Pantry in Alaska; and the Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy, which places a chaplain on the trail between Georgia and Maine each year. The Tennessee Valley District Superintendent's Discretionary Fund supports emerging needs across the Holston Conference district.
The Cemetery, the Endowment, and the Stewardship of a Long History
The Fountain City UMC Cemetery originated in 1917, when the church purchased part of the McMillan-Karns family cemetery. James McMillan, an early Fountain City settler credited with planting the cedar trees along Cedar Lane, was buried there along with his grandson J. Howard Karnes and his wife Ida, both active members of Fountain City UMC. The cemetery remains an active burial ground, with options for cremains, member pricing, biannual cleanup days, and a Cemetery Trust Fund endowment to help with ongoing maintenance.
Beyond the cemetery, the church maintains a robust endowment program. The Capital Improvements Endowment offsets the cost of maintaining capital assets. The Memorial & General Endowment Fund is unrestricted and supports the church's emerging ministry needs. The Youth Ministry Endowment, Children's Ministry Endowment, Scandlyn Music Endowment, and General Music Endowment provide targeted support for the church's program ministries. The Scroggie Mission Endowment supports local, national, and international missions sponsored by FCUMC and the Holston Conference. The Kelly Family Endowment, established by Rev. Dan Kelly, supports the Holston Home for Children and other children's organizations. Three named scholarships support higher education: the Charles Sloan Scholarship for college students with priority for FCUMC members studying a church-related curriculum; the Melton Scholarship for those who have participated in the music program and plan to pursue a career in education or music; and the Jay Garrison Adult Education Fund for adult students pursuing a GED, college, trade school, or other recognized programs. The Erin's Scholarship Fund assists those pursuing further education to serve in children's ministry. The UMC Higher Education Foundation provides matching scholarships to Methodist students at UMC-affiliated institutions.
Gifts to the church can be made in person during worship, online through Realm, by mailing a check to 212 Hotel Road, Knoxville, TN 37918, by texting “givefcumc” to 73256, by Electronic Fund Transfer, or through Qualified Charitable Distributions, appreciated assets, stocks and bonds, life insurance policies, or planned giving. Memorial gifts may be made in memory of a loved one, and gifts can be designated to any of the ministry funds.
Leadership and Governance
The pastoral team is led by Don Hanshew, Lead Pastor, and Rachel Collins, Pastor of Discipleship. Hanshew is a devoted parent who describes his preaching and teaching as drawing on the timeless wisdom of the Christian Bible, while Collins oversees youth, confirmation, and adult formation. The Executive Team, made up of the Lay Leader, Church Council Chair, Finance Chair, Trustees Chair, Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair, Clergy, and Treasurer, works within the connectional polity of the United Methodist Church. The team follows the Book of Discipline's paragraphs 244 - 258 and 247.3, with the Church Council retaining final decision-making authority. The Trustees Chair is Bill Gentry, who joined FCUMC in 2019 after growing up at Magnolia Avenue UMC. The SPRC chair is Don Howell, a thirty-five-year member. Walden Buttram serves as Lay Leader, R. Larry Smith is a member of the executive team, Kelly Hardin sings in the Chancel Choir and Tollers, and Misty McComas represents the long history of volunteer engagement with both youth ministry and the music ensembles.
Visiting Fountain City United Methodist Church
Visitors will find the church at 212 Hotel Road in the heart of Fountain City. Six parking areas surround the campus, with on-street parking on Hotel Road and Fountain Road. Parking lot 1 is reserved for guests, those with mobility issues, and new or expecting families. Guests are welcomed at Entrance 2 (the Welcome Center) or Entrance 5 (the Preschool and Kitchen entrance). The Welcome Center opens at 7:50 a.m. and is staffed by volunteers wearing Ask Me lanyards. The Knoxville Area Transit bus system runs to the church from downtown Knoxville. Once inside, the Welcome Center offers coffee and snacks. The Sanctuary seats the Traditional services at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.; The Journey contemporary service meets at 11:00 a.m. in the Gym. Both 11:00 a.m. services are live-streamed on the church's YouTube channel. To plan a visit, the Plan My Visit form gathers the names of those coming and answers any questions. The church office can also be reached at (865) 689-5175 or by email at spirit@fountaincityumc.org.