A Methodist Presence in Downtown Banning
Banning United Methodist Church sits on North 2nd Street in the heart of Banning, California, in the San Gorgonio Pass area of Riverside County. The congregation gathers each week for a traditional United Methodist worship service at 11:00 AM, and its mission statement calls members to develop their walk of faith and to carry acts of justice and mercy into the surrounding community.
Sunday Worship and Pastoral Care
The Sunday gathering at 11:00 AM follows the traditional United Methodist order of worship. Recordings of the gospel reading and the sermon are posted online afterward as audio, and a PDF bulletin is available for each date so members and friends can follow along at home. Pastor Ayodele Ode holds office hours every Tuesday for anyone who would like a visit, a meeting, or a conversation, and he is available for prayer requests and pastoral needs throughout the week. The church office is staffed remotely Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Lay-Led Fellowships for Men and Women
Two organized groups give the congregation much of its weekly rhythm. United Women in Faith is a community of women who meet quarterly in the church narthex at 10:00 AM for a program and fellowship, grounded in the purpose of knowing God through Jesus Christ and supporting the global ministries of the church. United Methodist Men meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:00 AM at Grandma's Country Kitchen on West Ramsey Street in Banning for breakfast fellowship. The church also gathers for a Bible study during the seasons of Lent and Advent.
A Wide Reach Across the San Gorgonio Pass
Banning United Methodist Church channels its giving, service, and special offerings into a broad circle of local and global partners. Locally, the congregation supports Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Gorgonio Pass, Carol's Kitchen, Table of Plenty, Habitat for Humanity of the San Gorgonio Pass Area, H.E.L.P. Inc., House of Decision, and Banning Holiday Wish, alongside Guide Dogs of the Desert. It also contributes to Ronald McDonald House, David & Margaret Home, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for humanitarian work beyond the region.
Music, Staff, and Connection
Music for worship is led by organist Cathy Mauge. Day-to-day operations are handled by Office Administrator Ana Maria Fultz, Bookkeeper Steffany Vasquez, and Housekeeping lead Rosemary Torres. The congregation stays connected through a Facebook page, a YouTube channel where the weekly audio sermons are hosted, and a daily devotional link on the Prayers section of the church's online home. The church is part of the California-Pacific Conference of The United Methodist Church and shares in the wider resources of the denomination.