More about the UCC

The United Church of Christ was founded in 1957 but it is made up of churches that have been around a lot longer.  In New England some UCC churches date back the the landing of the Pilgrims in America in 1620.  First Church Natick is not quite that old.  We first gathered in 1651.

 

The United Church of Christ is known for our open door, which extends God's extravagant welcome to all people. This welcome goes back a long way in our history. 

 

  • There are over 5,100 churches across the US.
  • Ours was the first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American (in the 18th century), the first in the modern era to ordain a woman (in the 19th century)
  • The first to ordain an openly gay man (in the 20th century).

 

The United Church of Christ is committed to social justice.  

 

  • We were in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement.
  • We founded the first institutions of higher learning in America (Harvard, Yale)
  • Among the first to establish schools and colleges for newly freed slaves (Fisk, Dillard).  
  • We were early leaders in the Social Gospel movement, taking seriously Jesus' commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself".

 

The United Church of Christ stands in a rich theological tradition that emerged from the Protestant Reformation.  As a denomination, we are rooted in "covenant" rather than creed

 

  • We have no centralized authority that can impose doctrines or beliefs or practices.
  • Christ alone is Head of the church.
  • The historic creeds and confessions of our tradition are testimonies, not tests of the faith.
  • We take the Bible seriously and center our worship around its words, but we believe that the Bible is "the cradle that holds Christ" and that listening for that living Word together is far more important than parsing literal interpretations.

 

In 1957, when the United Church of Christ was formed we adopted a Statement of Faith that celebrates the presence and the power and the purpose of God, a God who created all that is, who liberates us through Jesus Christ and who transforms us by the Spirit.  You can read the UCC Statement of Faith here.

 

Though each congregation governs its own life, we join with other UCC congregations in local associations and conferences.  Working together we can accomplish far more in mission and ministry than we could ever manage alone.

 

For more information about the United Church of Christ visit:  United Church of Christ

For more information about our local conference, the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ visit:  Massachusetts Conference of the UCC