Our Pastor
Lead Pastor // Ryan VanMatre
Pastor Ryan and his wife Kelly have been married since 2005. Kelly is a 4th grade teacher at Mintonye. Together they have two daughters, Miriam and Annelise, and a Great Pyrenes named Daisy. Pastor Ryan originally joined staff in 2013, and more recently again in June 2021. He loves to spend time with his family, go camping, and is a fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Indianapolis Colts. His favorite scriptures are 1 Peter 5:7 and James 4:8.
Our Beliefs
God
We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of all that exists. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
The Son
We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary by miraculous conception, lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead, demonstrating His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to earth. He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, cleansing from sin, understanding of spiritual truth, guidance for doing what is right, and the spiritual gifts to minister effectively in His Church. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.
Humankind
We believe we are made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. We are the supreme objects of God’s creation. Although we have tremendous potential for good, we have all been born with a sin nature that influences us away from God’s best. Sin separates people from God, and leads to spiritual death.
Sanctification
We believe when a believer in Jesus Christ is filled with the Holy Spirit, God begins a process of cleansing, where the sin nature is purged. Sanctification is being set free from the power of sin. This enables the believer to persevere in the Christian faith and to become more and more Christ-like.
The Father
We believe the Father is the Source of all that exists, whether of matter or spirit. With the Son and the Holy Spirit, He made man, male and female, in His image. By intention He relates to people as Father, thereby forever declaring His goodwill toward them. In love, He both seeks and receives penitent sinners.
Salvation
We believe salvation is a gift from God to all people. Men and women can never make up for their sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can a person be saved from sin’s penalty. By trusting Christ for forgiveness and eternal life, and by walking with him day by day, we live lives of service to God and discover the greatest purpose and meaning life can offer.
The Bible
We believe the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is God’s word to all. The Scriptures are inspired by God and are the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. Human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote the very truth of God.
Faith & Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. This church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible.
Eternity
We believe people are created to exist forever. Every person will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is heaven.
Church History
..The history of the Methodist church in Dayton began when the Methodist Episcopal circuit riders started classes in the township in 1830. The early Methodist classes met in the school house until the first church building was erected in 1843 at the corner of Harrison and Main streets in the town of Dayton.
The church relocated to the corner of Pennsylvania and Walnut streets in 1865, where the congregation remained until moving to its present location on Dayton Road, just south of State Road 38. A new church building was built on this site, and services were first held here on February 16, 1975. During this time the Dayton church evolved from the Methodist Episcopal Church to the Methodist Church and finally to the United Methodist Church.
The first Methodist Women’s Group at was organized in 1870. The first youth ministry began in 1944. Lay Witness Missions were an important part of the Church’s history, beginning in 1970. Dayton Church held its first successful Missions Conference in 1975. Our Senior Teens older adult ministry was started in 1990.
The church grew dramatically during the 22-year ministry of Rev. Dr. John Walls, from 1988 to 2009. In 1995, a large addition was added, which included our Ministry Center. In 2002, the current sanctuary and offices were added.
The Dayton United Methodist Church began holding a Global Impact Celebration Missions Conference in 2006. Since that time the church has given over $100,000 per year to missions and sent numerous mission teams to Ghana, West Africa, to India, to Guatemala, and to various projects locally and in the United States.
Pastor Mike Dominick, began in July of 2009 and retired January 2023. His ministry continued the long tradition of Biblical preaching, love for Jesus Christ and service and mission.
God has faithfully blessed the Methodist church in Dayton, and we celebrate her long history as we are now Gathering Point Church, a Global Methodist Church congregation with Lead Pastor, Ryan VanMatre.