Rush United Methodist Church sits along Rush Lima Road in the small town of Rush, New York. The congregation centers its life around three calls: gather, serve, and celebrate. Sunday mornings at 9:30 are the rhythm for worship; from there the church extends outward into PromiseLand Childcare, a music ministry, children and youth programs, a long list of local mission partners, and a growing partnership with two South African ministries.
Rush UMC describes itself as "a Christian community of faith" that makes room for everyone to belong. The mission is "to live and share the love of Jesus," and the vision is to "live more like Jesus." Three priorities guide the work: excellence in worship, ministries for children, youth, adults, and families, and service to the community and to missions throughout the world.
Sunday Morning at Rush UMC
A full Sunday at Rush UMC begins earlier than the 9:30 worship service. At 8:30, an adult book and Bible study gathers in the church. Worship follows at 9:30, offered in person and livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook. Communion is celebrated on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Children ages four through sixth grade are invited to leave worship after the children's moment and gather in the one-room Sunday school class at 9:45.
After the service, the morning shifts into fellowship. The Rush UMC coffee hour begins at 10:45, and at 11:00 Pastor Kyle leads a lectionary study that picks up the same scripture readings used in worship. A brunch is served on the second Sunday of each month, giving the congregation a slower, shared table. On the second and fourth Sunday afternoons, a Living with Loss grief support group meets at 2:00.
Outside of Sunday, the building hosts weddings, baptisms, and funerals, as well as everyday community use that includes Scout meetings and yoga. Throughout the summer, the church holds community picnics in the church pavilion, with hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, chips, and beverages provided and neighbors invited to share a dish.
Music as a Gift
Music is treated as a particular gift at Rush UMC, and the ministry reaches out in several directions. The Chancel Choir welcomes anyone from high school age and older who enjoys singing. The choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30 in the sanctuary and sings at the 9:30 Sunday service. The Rush Praise Band invites instrumentalists and singers who want to lead more contemporary music. Soloists, ensembles, and duets also provide special music throughout the year. Alethea Coulter, the church's Director of Children's and Youth Ministry, frequently contributes on flute or chimes.
"Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!" Psalm 98:4 sets the tone, and the church is open to anyone with the gift of music who wants to share it in worship.
Children, Youth, and the Carnival Tradition
Children and teens are a visible part of the church's present life. Sunday school uses a one-room format in which kids ages four through sixth grade learn a single Bible story together, then break into smaller groups for age-appropriate activities. Lesson plans are downloadable so families can continue the learning at home. Each fall, the program opens with a Rally Day that combines trivia and crafts, and a current theme frames the year's lessons.
Vacation Bible School takes a different shape each summer. Past years have featured the "True North" curriculum with a water slide, and recent programs have included a Children's Carnival with a dunk tank, bounce house, water slide, and carnival games. Two long-running traditions frame the year for children and families: the Christmas Play and the annual Trunk or Treat, which the youth group sponsors for the wider Rush community.
The youth group meets twice a month in the evenings and blends games, service planning, and conversation around topics that matter to teens. Beyond the regular meetings, the group gathers for campfires, kayaking and canoe trips, and bowling, and integrates into Sunday morning worship as part of the wider congregation. Teens take part in the church's Super Sale, Turkey Dinner, and VBS, and they organize Mission Hub workdays where they assemble flood buckets and hygiene kits for UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
PromiseLand Childcare
On the same campus, PromiseLand Childcare provides weekday care for children from six weeks old through fifth grade. The program is open to all children and uses a theme-based curriculum aligned with New York State guidelines. Its park-like setting includes a garden that children plant and harvest, and a hill that becomes a sledding slope in winter. PromiseLand is led by Kellianne Williams, who also directs the Chancel Choir.
Hands-On Missions Close to Home
Rush UMC's mission work begins close to home, and the church has framed it with a quote from John Wesley: "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."
The Super Sale, held three times a year, accepts donated household items, puzzles, books, toys, clothing, shoes, and linens; proceeds support the church, and leftover clothing is donated onward. A clothing shed in the parking lot receives donations year-round. On the third Wednesday of each month, volunteers help provide and serve lunch through "A Meal and More."
The congregation partners with several local organizations. Members serve as FISH volunteers for the local food cupboard, drive seniors to medical appointments through the Rush Henrietta Interfaith League, and tutor students through Industry Children. A yearly Turkey Dinner, a Christmas Basket drive, and support for Carpenter's and Sons round out the local outreach.
Emergency response is also part of the work: Rush UMC is a drop-off location for UMCOR disaster kits, including hygiene, school supply, and cleaning kits, each valued at roughly $75. Volunteers at the church know how to assemble the kits to UMCOR's exact specifications. A Visitation ministry reaches out to members who are homebound or in care facilities.
Reaching Beyond the Town Borders
The mission focus widens beyond the local community. Nationally, Rush UMC volunteers with FEMA recovery teams after natural disasters and helps resettle refugees within local communities. Internationally, the church supports two related missions in the Zululand region of South Africa: Zululand Hospice, which serves people struggling with disease or starvation, and Musa weNkosi, an orphanage that takes in children who have lost their parents or grandparents. The church raises money through designated giving and the sale of South African arts and crafts at events like the Super Sale, and members travel to Zululand to visit the sites in person.
Long-standing support also goes to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which has provided disaster response around the world since 1940. The congregation also contributes to Water for South Sudan, a cause started by a Rochester-area resident that addresses the long distances girls must travel for water and the time that takes from schooling.
Who Leads the Church
Pastor Kyle Roehrig came to Rush UMC in 2024 after twenty years as a chaplain in the United States Air Force. His training includes a degree in philosophy and a Master of Divinity. He and his wife Kris have settled in Rush with a shared desire to grow older within a community that reaches beyond its own town borders.
Alethea Coulter directs the children's and youth ministry. A psychology graduate and professional ASL interpreter whose previous career involved developmentally disabled adults, Alethea served as a Sunday school teacher for several years before taking on the broader role. Kellianne Williams leads the choir and PromiseLand Childcare. Barbara Kingsley, a third-generation member of Rush UMC, serves as the church's long-time administrative assistant and is a former president of the Professional Administrators of the United Methodist Connectional Structure.
The laity share in the church's leadership. Lay Leaders serve in the areas of Children, Youth, and Families (Tanya Hunt); Worship (Steve Williams); and Missions and Outreach (Jim Comstock). A Leadership Ministries Team, Board of Trustees, Staff Parish Relations Committee, Finance Committee, Endowment Fund committee, and Memorial Committee round out the governance, with annual elections held each fall. The church also produces a monthly newsletter, Rush Tidings, with an archive of past issues available online.
Visiting Rush UMC
Rush United Methodist Church is located at 6200 Rush Lima Road in Rush, New York. The phone number is 585-533-2170, and the general email is rumc@rushumc.org. Sunday morning coffee, the lectionary study, and the monthly brunch are easy ways to spend unhurried time with the congregation after worship. Those who want to follow along from a distance can watch the 9:30 service on the church's YouTube channel or Facebook page. Giving, both to the general fund and to specific causes like South African missions, is available online.
From Sunday school and choir to the youth group, PromiseLand Childcare, and the local and global mission partners, Rush UMC offers a wide range of ways to get involved. The church's stated mission is simple: to live and share the love of Jesus. The vision that follows is just as simple - to live more like Jesus - and the rhythm of gather, serve, and celebrate gives that vision a weekly shape on Rush Lima Road.