Our History

Founded by Dr. Jim and Avis Lavender in 1983, Discovery United Methodist Church has always been a place for people to gather for worship, relationships, and community. The first services took place in a vast field. Now, we worship God in a beautiful, modern yet traditional sanctuary. Whether it be in the field where we served neighbors ice cream (image above) or today standing beneath the iconic steeple handing out hot dogs to the community, Discovery has never stopped serving people and living out our mission.

When Dr. Jim Lavender retired in 2016, Rev. Ed Pruit served as the interim pastor for a time, until July 2017, when Rev. Dr. J. Adam Sowder was appointed as the lead pastor of Discovery. Adam brought with him the vision that Discovery shall help people discover more about life & faith through three main tenets: Worship, Relationships, and Community. He led the revitalization of the plant, physically and spiritually. Under his leadership, Discovery is now mortgage-free and is partnering with the community and digital world around us more than ever. Rev. Dr. J. Adam Sowder took up a new appointment in January 2025.

The church continues to innovate its way to be a source of relevance in the greater Richmond region and worldwide.

Our talented clergy team members from the past also include Rev. Dean Pittman, Rev. Jay Carey, Rev. Sandra Bottoms, Rev. Pam Anderson, and Rev. Hannah Bryn.