A Welcoming Church in the Heart of Gretna
Gretna United Methodist Church sits on Whitney Avenue in Gretna, Louisiana, just minutes from downtown New Orleans. The congregation describes itself with a single sentence that runs across the top of everything it does: connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus. For more than a century the church has gathered in some form in this part of Jefferson Parish, and the current Sanctuary has been the congregation's home for around twenty years. The building seats about five hundred in a wide center aisle with a versatile altar area, ample off-street parking, and ADA-compliant access, and the campus also includes an Education Building that holds Sunday school classes, youth meetings, and weekday studies.
The church is intentionally diverse in a region where that is unusual, and it draws together people from many different backgrounds around a relaxed, friendly style of worship. Visitors are greeted with coffee and a simple promise that they will not be asked to stand, wear a visitor tag, or do anything that makes them uncomfortable.
Sunday Mornings: Coffee, Kids, and Worship
Sunday is the heart of the week at Gretna UMC. The morning begins at 9:00 a.m. with Impact Hour, a Sunday school hour for all ages that runs until 9:45 a.m. The worship service follows at 10:00 a.m. and lasts about an hour. Music for the service is led by the Praise Team and Chancel Choir under Melanie Robinson, weaving gospel, praise, contemporary songs, and traditional hymns into a blended style of worship that gives the service its familiar name. The Lord's Supper is shared on the first Sunday of each month.
The sanctuary is set up to be family-friendly. There is a special time in the service for children, and a nursery is available for the smallest ones. For parents who want a quieter option, a Family Worship Space is open during the service. Coffee, and sometimes pastries or doughnuts, are served before the service and are welcome in the pews.
For those who cannot be in the sanctuary, the 10:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on Facebook. The church's Facebook Live page is the place to tune in, and recordings remain available on the church's YouTube channel.
Planning a First Visit
The church treats the first visit as something worth planning for. Worship lasts about an hour. Dress is whatever a visitor feels comfortable in; jeans and t-shirts sit comfortably next to dressier clothes. Parking is in a large lot behind the church, with visitor and accessible spaces near the entrance and a covered drop-off area for rainy days.
Children are welcome in worship, and there is no expectation that anyone will be put on the spot. Visitors are invited to register their attendance through the online sign-in so the pastors can follow up, but it is optional. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the main phone line and email (umcgretna@gmail.com) are answered during those hours.
Impact Hour and Sunday School
Impact Groups, the church's name for Sunday school, meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Education Building. Children's classes and a nursery are provided for the youngest. Among the adult classes is Digging Deeper, led by Libby Rodriguez, which meets in Classroom 1 of the Education Building and welcomes anyone who wants to dig into Scripture together.
Other ongoing small-group opportunities include weekday studies announced through the weekly eNews and Sunday bulletin, and Coffee and Conversation on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in Room E-1 of the Education Building. The Tuesday gathering combines coffee, treats brought by those who want to share, conversation, and a short time of devotion and prayer.
Children and Youth
The healthy spiritual growth of children is described as a high priority. Kids Connection meets at 9:00 a.m. in the Education Building during Impact Hour under the guidance of Twila Stevenson and the Children's Ministry. Lessons are designed to be age-appropriate, engaging, and rooted in the Good News of Jesus.
Vacation Bible School is held in the summer and is open to all kids four years old and up, with singing, Bible stories, games, crafts, and lunch. A Boy Scout Troop, Troop 378, meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. on the church campus, and scouting is treated as a long-term partnership that helps young people grow in discipline, faith, and citizenship.
The youth ministry is led by Kandie Hinyub. Youth and young adults gather at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays in the Youth Room for honest conversation and engagement with the questions of living a life of faith today. Kandie Hinyub also serves as the wedding coordinator for the church, a role that connects the congregation to many families across the New Orleans area.
Praise Team and Chancel Choir
Music is treated as a serious and joyful ministry of the church. The Praise Team and Chancel Choir, led by Melanie Robinson, rehearse and lead worship at the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday. The group weaves gospel, praise, contemporary, and traditional hymns together so that each service feels both rooted and fresh.
Anyone who enjoys singing or playing an instrument is invited to consider joining. The team's pitch to newcomers is simple: you do not have to be perfect, just willing to show up, learn, and be part of the team.
Outreach: Food, ESL, and Disaster Relief
Service to the wider community is woven through the life of the church. The Outreach ministry describes its approach as putting the "accent on action," and a wide range of programs offer ways for members and friends to participate.
The Food Pantry is the most visible weekly ministry. It is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., serving neighbors in the 70053 and 70056 zip codes. On the first Saturday of each month, the church partners with Second Harvest for a drive-thru food distribution from 9:00 a.m. to noon; volunteers prepare the food the Friday before at 7:30 a.m. Purple Bag Sundays, held on the first Sunday of each month, invite worshipers to take a purple bag grocery shopping and return it filled with non-perishable items for the food pantry.
Manna Bags are portable bags of non-perishable food assembled by the youth and congregation and shared with people who are unhoused. Hygiene Kits are assembled by youth and adults for the same purpose. The Disaster Response ministry works in concert with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), assembling and sending flood buckets, school kits, hygiene kits, and cleaning buckets through the Sager Brown depot in Baldwin, Louisiana.
English as a Second Language classes, called Las Alitas (Wings), are taught by Libby Rodriguez, a certified ESL teacher and retired public school administrator who has taught English with local Hispanic and Vietnamese communities for years.
Each month, on the third Sunday at 10:00 a.m., a small group gathers at St. Mark's UMC in the French Quarter, 1130 N. Rampart Street, to join in worship and then serve a hot meal to neighbors who are hungry or unhoused. Eight volunteers are needed each time.
The Congregational Care Ministry is beginning to take shape as a way of caring for members during times of need; those who are interested are invited to contact the pastor.
Gretna United Methodist Preschool (GUMP)
The preschool, affectionately known by its acronym GUMP, has been an outreach mission of Gretna United Methodist Church since 1977. It is led by Director Kandie Varney Hinyub and operates with the intent to serve the community, protect the children in its care, and continually improve its program.
GUMP is built around the conviction that early experiences are vital and that young children learn best by doing. The goal is to present each child with challenging social, emotional, and intellectual experiences within a balanced curriculum in a safe, caring, and secure Christian environment. Tours and visits can be scheduled by emailing the preschool or calling 504-367-5841.
Weddings in the Sanctuary
The Sanctuary's size, wide center aisle, and versatile altar area make it a popular setting for weddings. With seating for about five hundred, ample off-street parking, ADA-compliant buildings, and proximity to downtown New Orleans, the building welcomes both member and non-member weddings. A Wedding Guidelines document and a Building Usage Form for Non-Members are available, and inquiries are handled through the wedding coordinator.
Blessing Bucks: A Year of Special Offerings
Each month the church directs a portion of its offerings through a program called Blessing Bucks, supporting ministries beyond the church walls. The calendar of monthly offerings touches Human Relations Day, UMCOR relief, Native American Ministries, Manna Bags, Peace with Justice, St. Stephen's Fund, school supplies, the St. Mark's Homeless Ministry, the United Methodist Student Fund, the World Communion Offering, Thanksgiving Baskets, and the United Methodist Children's Homes in Louisiana. Online giving is available through the church's giving page, and stewardship is treated as a spiritual discipline alongside worship, prayer, study, and service.
Staff and Pastoral Leadership
The current Senior Pastor is Rev. Rosmery LaFontaine, who was appointed to lead the church effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Rev. Marissa Horvath, who now serves as Senior Pastor of Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church. Melanie Robinson leads the Praise Team and Chancel Choir. Kandie Hinyub serves as Director of GUMP and as the leader of youth and young adults. Twila Stevenson guides Children's Ministry and Kids Connection. Libby Rodriguez teaches an adult Sunday school class and the ESL program. The church office is staffed Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and a weekly eNewsletter keeps the congregation connected to everything happening on and beyond the campus.