Welcome to Avondale United Methodist Church ...
a warm congregation in the heart of Birmingham’s thriving South Avondale community. The church has been a vital part of the community for more than 130 years as a place where people can connect with God, with each other, and with their neighbors. We believe that God is calling us and our community to an even brighter future, and we are excited to be an instrument and witness to what God is doing among the neighborhoods of East Birmingham.
United Methodists come in all sizes, shapes, colors, dispositions, outlooks and life stories, but they share a unique faith perspective: God is at work in the world to bring about healing, wholeness, and renewed life and invites all people to experience these realities regardless of their background. Therefore, we strive to embrace with genuine hospitality all whom we encounter and we extend compassion, love, and fellowship to all within our reach. United Methodists also believe that God invites us to share in God’s mission in the world as we actively follow in the footsteps of Jesus, which means that as Christians we are not passive spectators, but rather energetic participants in ministry and mission.
At Avondale UMC, you’ll find many ways through which you can experience and respond to God’s mission in your life and the life of our community. We talk about there being four broad areas of life together: (1) worship, in which we experience God’s presence, celebrate God’s gifts in our life, and offer our lives back to God with renewed commitment; (2) learning, in which we grow together in understanding the Scriptures and God’s purposes for our lives; (3) fellowship, in which we experience the gift of each other; and (4) service, in which we give ourselves back to our church and our neighborhood.
This is a dynamic congregation, and we invite you to join us in our journey into deeper connections with God, one another, and neighbors.
May God bless you!
Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver
Pastor
Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver
Pastor
Team Members
Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver
Pastormalinda@avonumc.net
Malinda was born and raised in Pelham, Alabama, and grew up at Helena United Methodist Church. You could say she was attending church before she was born since her mother was the church organist at Helena for 50 years. Malinda attended college at the University of Alabama where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunication and Film; in layman’s terms that’s broadcasting. Malinda worked for a few years at NBC 13 here in Birmingham, finishing there as the 6:00am morning show producer before answering God’s call to ministry. She went on to attend Emory University in Atlanta where she received a Master of Divinity and also met her future husband while singing in the theology school’s choral ensemble The Candler Singers.
Malinda is married to Disney Weaver, her husband of eleven years. Disney teaches Economics and coaches tennis at Ramsay High School. They have two young daughters, Rose and Margaret, who are both social butterflies. Malinda enjoys gardening with Disney, being amused by her girls, and traveling with all three of them.
Malinda’s biggest passions in ministry are mission work and helping people find their place in the mission of the church. She believes God calls each of us to somehow be in service. From swinging a hammer … to serving meals to hungry people … to writing notes of encouragement to those who need them … we all have a part to play in the kingdom of God. Malinda will challenge you to find your place of service if you haven’t already.