Our History

The Centennial United Methodist Church located at 5401 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, California was organized in 1948 and chartered in 1949. Rev. Tikiko Lesuma is currently serving as the pastor at Centennial. 


In 1959, Centennial UMC was one of the founding churches of the South Sacramento Ecumenical Parish (SSEP), now renamed South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership (SSIP), which sponsors the Food Closet, Clothes Closet, Counseling Center and School of English.


In 1972, the parent participation Centennial Christian Preschool was established and continues today. We have provided an opportunity for preschool age children to develop social reading skills, motor coordination, and a positive self image. Daily activities include music, art, science, story time, and a free choice time. We emphasize Christian values, celebrate Christian holidays and Welcome ALL God's children, their parents, and families to our school. For more information, please visit www.centennialpreschool.com 



Centennial UMC sponsored refugee families in:

  • 1961 - a Dutch Indonesian family
  • 1976 - a Vietnamese family
  • 1983 - two young men from East Africa.

In 1993, Centennial UMC established the Fijian Language Ministry. Within two years, 46 Fijian became members of the Centennial church body. In 2001, the Tongan Language Ministry was also established. Twenty Tongan brothers and sisters joined our church family. Today, both ministries are strong, active, and still growing. All three language ministries (English, Fijian and Tongan) celebrate their diversity together on the First Sunday of the month when they worship and observe Holy Communion as One!


Centennial's Vision for the 21st Century is: We are Many - One in Christ: A Church that Embraces Diversity! It is our fervent hope and prayer to journey through life by faith and love, and to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ.



What We Believe

As United Methodist, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church's life and witness. To full this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in own time. 


The United Methodist Church Social Creed:


We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God’s gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.

We affirm the natural world as God’s handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.

We joyfully receive for ourselves and others the blessings of community, sexuality, marriage, and the family.

We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.

We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.

We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world, to the rule of justice and law among nations, and to individual freedom for all people of the world.

We believe in the present and final triumph of God’s Word in human affairs and gladly accept our commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.


To learn about the United Methodist Church and what we believe, visit UMC.org.