The United Methodist Member's Handbook

I am a new member of the United Methodist church. This book has been a good introduction to the beliefs and practices of the church. A large section of the book gives an overview of the history of Christianity and especially the Methodist history in Christianity. This has been very informative in explaining why the United Methodist Church does things the way they do. It also helps explain the variety found within the church. It does explain some of the more essential beliefs of the church and why it believes them.

Recently republished, this is an excellent book for small group discussion. It restates and reinforces many of the concepts and issues for long-time Methodists, and is an excellent introduction for new members.