About Us

Church History

The Methodist Church in Los Banos has been around for over 130 years. Founded in a one-room schoolhouse, we later moved into a building located closer to downtown. UMC has been at our current location since 1959 and has served thousands of local families. Always aware that we are part of the larger community, we frequently allow various non-profit groups to use our Fellowship Hall. Whether it’s for Sunday worship, a free hot meal on Sunday night, or at one of the many mid-week scout meetings that use our facility, we look forward to many more years of sharing God’s love with the Los Banos community.

Who We Are Today

The people at UMCLB are a blend of young and old. We are ranchers, teachers, retirees, students, homemakers, business people, musicians, engineers, store clerks, and carpenters. We are married, single, divorced, widowed. But most importantly, we are children of God. We are blessed with the abundance of gifts we receive through Bible study, church activities, community outreach, and the love we feel learning about our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Whether you're new to Los Banos or you've been here for years, we welcome you to UMC!

Our Beliefs

As United Methodists, we share a common heritage with other Christians: conviction that God has mercy and love for all people; belief in the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; salvation through Jesus alone; celebration of the sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion). The four guidelines which help us understand our faith are: Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason.

As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, our living Lord!

Worship Style

Our Sunday services offer a blended style of worship that reflects the diversity of backgrounds in our church family. Rather than merely reflecting a "target demographic", our worship is an authentic time of praise and reflection as one church body. Each Sunday, Pastor Glen delivers relevant, Bible-based teaching for old and young alike as we grow together in our knowledge and love of God.

About Our Pastor

Pastor Glen Raley came to UMC in July 2006. Our church family was very excited to welcome Glen, along with his wife Terry and their children. Here’s a little bit about Pastor Glen in his own words:

“It seems I have traveled some since I was a child growing up in Harrison, Arkansas. I had stops along the way in Sacramento, Pasadena, Visalia, Etna and Fort Jones, Valley Springs and Oakdale before arriving in Los Banos. And God was there with me at every turn.

“I first accepted Jesus to be my Savior and Lord when I was in elementary school. And as I made my way, I came to depend on Him more and more. My first call to become a minister came when I was in Junior High, and I thought it would be fun to stand in front and yell at people. Actually, I had known some wonderful pastors and figured it wouldn't be too bad. That is until my first year of college.

“All of a sudden I didn’t want anything to do with God, especially becoming a minister. Like Jonah, I ran away from God’s call on my life and did things my way. And you guessed it, my way stinks!

“Thankfully when I came to my “Spiritual” senses, I found God waiting. And I found a valuable truth: God allows U-turns! And He still loved me! This year I celebrated 21 years in ministry and look forward to many years in Los Banos.

“Yes, God has been there every step of the way, and I pray as you continue on your journey, you’ll find Him waiting at every turn, and in every moment.

God Bless You!
Pastor Glen