First Congregational Church of Lake Worth is in a covenental relationship with the United Church of Christ. The UCC is an organization of churches with a unique, positive understanding of the Good News of Jesus. Below you will find some understandings that we hold in common. You can click on each statement for a fuller description and an explanation of what it might look like.
We are People of God's Extravagant Welcome
"Jesus didn't turn people away, neither do we." When you're gutsy enough to make such a claim, it's not always easy to make good on it. Following Jesus' lead, the United Church of Christ strives to keep doors open to all. By God's grace—in the past and today—we do what needs to be done to be bold people of God's welcome.
Jesus lived and breathed gracious hospitality. Even though there were powerful people who opposed Jesus' extravagant welcome, he still embraced those who were often shunned. In the reign of God that Jesus spoke of, he declared there is room for all—children (Luke 18:15-17) and those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, ill, poor, grieving, persecuted, and in prison (Matthew 25: 31-46 and Luke 6:20-26). Jesus put faith and hospitality together: "Whoever receives one whom I send receives me" and those who received Jesus, embraced God (John 13:20).
This kind of hospitality is characteristic of both God's faithfulness and, at our best, our faithfulness. God welcomes, and also feeds the hungry, forgives sins, stands with those who are poor and oppressed, comforts the suffering, and becomes home for those who wander. In gratitude, faithful people welcome strangers. A surprise in the Bible is the way you welcome a stranger expresses how you embrace the very presence of God (Genesis 18:1-8 and Luke 23:28-35).
The church, since its beginning, continues to "extend hospitality to strangers (Roman 12:13)." The church, after all, is a blessed company of strangers held together by the grace of God.
UCC churches express God's extravagant welcome in a variety of ways. Our welcome embraces both those we invite to participate in our congregations, as well as those outside the church, with whom we work for God's justice and compassion. That is our prayer, our hope.
Who is welcome? Our churches are among those whose doors are open to God's children of different cultures, races, genders, ages, sexual orientations, abilities, economic situations, and theological traditions. It isn't always easy to be so open. Each UCC congregation prayerfully discerns and expresses how wide their doors and arms are open. Some state it this way, "We are a multicultural and multiracial, open and affirming, accessible to all, and just peace church." Wow, that's a mouthful, but check out the links to those words to discover the meaning, heart, and history behind the terms.
Once one enters the door, it's not a matter of "sit back, be quiet, speak only as we do." You, your heart's questions and your gifts, are vital to the congregation. Both we and you grow together in faith and witness. Your distinct story of faith joins with centuries of stories that make up the Church, and specifically the United Church of Christ. In God's grace, you change: we change. We make a holy difference in each other's lives, and, together, in the world.
In gratitude, because God welcomes us, we are called to make bold stands. In behalf of and along with those who remain oppressed, suffering, alienated, and poor in God's world,we speak and act . "It's not an extravagant welcome to an 'anything-goes' religion, a comfortable form of Christianity, but to a costly form of discipleship," says John Thomas, current president and general minister of the UCC. Thomas calls this kind of discipleship "evangelical courage." It's the other side of the "extravagant welcome" coin. You see this risky faith expressed throughout our history that at times has been hidden. Inspired by God's gift of hospitality, we work for God's welcoming world of love and justice.
Jesus lived and breathed gracious hospitality. Even though there were powerful people who opposed Jesus' extravagant welcome, he still embraced those who were often shunned. In the reign of God that Jesus spoke of, he declared there is room for all—children (Luke 18:15-17) and those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, ill, poor, grieving, persecuted, and in prison (Matthew 25: 31-46 and Luke 6:20-26). Jesus put faith and hospitality together: "Whoever receives one whom I send receives me" and those who received Jesus, embraced God (John 13:20).
This kind of hospitality is characteristic of both God's faithfulness and, at our best, our faithfulness. God welcomes, and also feeds the hungry, forgives sins, stands with those who are poor and oppressed, comforts the suffering, and becomes home for those who wander. In gratitude, faithful people welcome strangers. A surprise in the Bible is the way you welcome a stranger expresses how you embrace the very presence of God (Genesis 18:1-8 and Luke 23:28-35).
The church, since its beginning, continues to "extend hospitality to strangers (Roman 12:13)." The church, after all, is a blessed company of strangers held together by the grace of God.
UCC churches express God's extravagant welcome in a variety of ways. Our welcome embraces both those we invite to participate in our congregations, as well as those outside the church, with whom we work for God's justice and compassion. That is our prayer, our hope.
Who is welcome? Our churches are among those whose doors are open to God's children of different cultures, races, genders, ages, sexual orientations, abilities, economic situations, and theological traditions. It isn't always easy to be so open. Each UCC congregation prayerfully discerns and expresses how wide their doors and arms are open. Some state it this way, "We are a multicultural and multiracial, open and affirming, accessible to all, and just peace church." Wow, that's a mouthful, but check out the links to those words to discover the meaning, heart, and history behind the terms.
Once one enters the door, it's not a matter of "sit back, be quiet, speak only as we do." You, your heart's questions and your gifts, are vital to the congregation. Both we and you grow together in faith and witness. Your distinct story of faith joins with centuries of stories that make up the Church, and specifically the United Church of Christ. In God's grace, you change: we change. We make a holy difference in each other's lives, and, together, in the world.
In gratitude, because God welcomes us, we are called to make bold stands. In behalf of and along with those who remain oppressed, suffering, alienated, and poor in God's world,we speak and act . "It's not an extravagant welcome to an 'anything-goes' religion, a comfortable form of Christianity, but to a costly form of discipleship," says John Thomas, current president and general minister of the UCC. Thomas calls this kind of discipleship "evangelical courage." It's the other side of the "extravagant welcome" coin. You see this risky faith expressed throughout our history that at times has been hidden. Inspired by God's gift of hospitality, we work for God's welcoming world of love and justice.
We Belong to Christ
"We belong to Christ" is a loaded phrase. It's loaded because it means different things to different people. It packs within it comfort for some; challenge for others; and for many both comfort and challenge. For some, the words unite; for others the words divide. In the United Church of Christ, we pray the words comfort, challenge, and unite.
Simply put, "we" means that you are not alone. You are part of a larger "we" that God has united in this Church. "Belongs" is something more than belief; it's a vital relationship. It's not like belonging to a club where hazing or proven credentials are required. It's more like belonging to a nurturing parent, family, or community. Belonging is a gift that inspires thanks and devotion.
And what about the words "to Christ?" God, to whom we belong, is understood and experienced by Christians through Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus Christ is prophet (Luke 4:14-30), teacher (Matthew 5), healer (Mark 5:21-43), savior (John 3:16), welcoming host (Mark 8:1-11), justice-doer (Luke 19:1-27), a pray-er (Luke 22:39-8), a dying servant (John 19:28-30), and a living companion along the way (Luke 24:13-35). In the gospel of John, Jesus is our bread, living water, door, and light. Christ is the way, truth, and life. We discover much about Jesus in scripture, but we also experience Jesus today.
For us, Jesus Christ is the only head of the church. Our name "United Church of Christ" was chosen not because we intended to exclude people, but rather to embrace the world as widely as Jesus' own arms embrace the world (LTH , Vol 6, 583-4). No one person, creed, statement, denomination, or — church holds all truth only Christ, only God. What we say about God in Christ "begins in wonder, and when theological thought has done its best, the wonder remains." (LTH , Vol 7, 430) God is not an object to be contained, but a holy mystery to encounter together. Where there is justice, peace, and compassion, we see the living God at work. To such a God, we belong; you belong.
Although Christ is the primary lens through which we view God, we experience God in a variety of ways. Through the centuries, one way the church talked about God is through the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You see this in ancient creeds, as the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, as well as in our contemporary UCC Statement of Faith. The Trinity expresses many ways God relates to us, and we relate to God. Yes, we believe in one God, but our God is dynamic, inviting, intimate, and communal, not stuck in only one aspect. God exhibits diversity. The Holy One is known in the diverse expressions of God's parental and creative care, Christ's eternal justice and compassion, and the Spirit's power and abiding presence.
We also speak about God in other ways that enrich our faith—God as mother, rock, liberator, savior, and friend. These understandings, affirmed in the Bible, break through any single, limited way of experiencing God and open us to be changed in new ways by this marvelous God.
Grounded in our history and open to the future with you, our heart belongs to Christ. We affirm historic creeds and statements of faith, not as tests, but as inspired words of faithful women and men who came before us. We continue to discover God through the Bible, through prayer, through worship, through engaging in the world in just and loving ways. We especially listen for the voice of God in the voices of those who cry out for justice and peace. We intend to follow Christ faithfully into the world.
Simply put, "we" means that you are not alone. You are part of a larger "we" that God has united in this Church. "Belongs" is something more than belief; it's a vital relationship. It's not like belonging to a club where hazing or proven credentials are required. It's more like belonging to a nurturing parent, family, or community. Belonging is a gift that inspires thanks and devotion.
And what about the words "to Christ?" God, to whom we belong, is understood and experienced by Christians through Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus Christ is prophet (Luke 4:14-30), teacher (Matthew 5), healer (Mark 5:21-43), savior (John 3:16), welcoming host (Mark 8:1-11), justice-doer (Luke 19:1-27), a pray-er (Luke 22:39-8), a dying servant (John 19:28-30), and a living companion along the way (Luke 24:13-35). In the gospel of John, Jesus is our bread, living water, door, and light. Christ is the way, truth, and life. We discover much about Jesus in scripture, but we also experience Jesus today.
For us, Jesus Christ is the only head of the church. Our name "United Church of Christ" was chosen not because we intended to exclude people, but rather to embrace the world as widely as Jesus' own arms embrace the world (LTH , Vol 6, 583-4). No one person, creed, statement, denomination, or — church holds all truth only Christ, only God. What we say about God in Christ "begins in wonder, and when theological thought has done its best, the wonder remains." (LTH , Vol 7, 430) God is not an object to be contained, but a holy mystery to encounter together. Where there is justice, peace, and compassion, we see the living God at work. To such a God, we belong; you belong.
Although Christ is the primary lens through which we view God, we experience God in a variety of ways. Through the centuries, one way the church talked about God is through the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You see this in ancient creeds, as the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, as well as in our contemporary UCC Statement of Faith. The Trinity expresses many ways God relates to us, and we relate to God. Yes, we believe in one God, but our God is dynamic, inviting, intimate, and communal, not stuck in only one aspect. God exhibits diversity. The Holy One is known in the diverse expressions of God's parental and creative care, Christ's eternal justice and compassion, and the Spirit's power and abiding presence.
We also speak about God in other ways that enrich our faith—God as mother, rock, liberator, savior, and friend. These understandings, affirmed in the Bible, break through any single, limited way of experiencing God and open us to be changed in new ways by this marvelous God.
Grounded in our history and open to the future with you, our heart belongs to Christ. We affirm historic creeds and statements of faith, not as tests, but as inspired words of faithful women and men who came before us. We continue to discover God through the Bible, through prayer, through worship, through engaging in the world in just and loving ways. We especially listen for the voice of God in the voices of those who cry out for justice and peace. We intend to follow Christ faithfully into the world.
We Are People of Covenant, a United and Uniting Church
"What is it that holds people together even in the midst of all kinds of differences? When folk in the United Church of Christ talk about how they relate—to God, to each other, other churches, other religions, even creation—they often use the word "covenant." It's God's good glue that keeps us together. (LTH, Vol 7, 772-776). Covenant is a holy promise of devotion that is shared. When that glue sticks, God forms a bond of unity that is pliable and dynamic, not rigid or unresponsive. Unity is a result of a covenantal way of life and an amazing gift of God.
Both covenant and unity have been in our UCC heart since we formed in 1957 and they run through our blood because of our historical foreparents. In the Bible, God is a covenanting God. It is so central to us that Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17, "that they may be one," is the prayer inscribed on our logo. In our Statement of Faith, covenant is a gift of the Holy Spirit binding all faithful people together. We celebrate this covenant every time there is a baptism or we gather for Holy Communion. The first word when we utter our name, "United Church of Christ," expresses our yearning for covenant. "United!"
Covenant is how we relate to one another within local churches, and it is much more than that. In the 2001 edition of our constitution, for the first time, covenant was officially described as the foundation for our way of being the church. Each congregation has "autonomy (LTH, Vol 7, 565-568)," meaning it's free to discern its own way of being and believing. Yet, because of covenant, we bind our selves to one another beyond the local church—to associations, conferences, the national setting, and General Synod. And, guess what? Those settings are called to covenant with your local church. The constitution puts it this way: "Each expression of the church listens, hears, and carefully considers the advice, counsel, and requests of others. In this covenant, the various expressions of the United Church of Christ walk together in all God's ways."
Another word similar to "unity" that expresses a faithful result of covenant is "ecumenical." Most often it points toward the unity, or desire for unity, among all Christian churches throughout the world. We are not only a united church, we are a uniting church. This doesn't mean all churches become alike, or one is swallowed up by another. Instead churches come together, each with their own distinct gifts, to more fully express Christ in the world.
For us in the United Church of Christ, "ecumenicity is not an option" (LTH, Vol 7, 569-571). It is essential. We demonstrate it in a network of partnerships and councils with other churches. A few of those relationships include the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the Ecumenical Partnership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Formula of Agreement (Lutheran/Reformed), and Churches Uniting in Christ.
Do we enter into a covenantal way with other world religions? More than ever, we encounter persons deeply devoted to their own faiths—other than Christian. In the past, missionary efforts were primary in our approach to other faiths. Our efforts included assisting with health care, education, and working for justice, but often we did not tolerate God's gifts through other religions. Today, we seek prayerful discernment and conversation together—open to God seeking us in new ways through such a dialog. Our commitment to a covenantal way of life and to being united and uniting, calls us to honor our religious partners, engage in conversation, assist inter-religious families, and work together for justice and peace.
Because we are people of covenant we value diversity and the variety of gifts. We are bound to all God's children. Beyond relationships, our covenant way of life extends to how we care for the earth which cradles our very existence. Mack Stokes describes covenant as a "gift of God that bonds the will to God's justice." (LTH, Vol 7, 773). Our prayer for unity extends beyond the unity of all churches to the reconciliation of God's whole world.
A covenant way of life is personal and public, pastoral and political, local and global. At times all this covenanting and uniting isn't so easy to figure out. A commitment to one group conflicts with the covenant with another. We become torn in a way so that the glue grows brittle and the bond is ready to break. Then with humility, we struggle with God and neighbor about what is faithful. When it holds, we declare "Thanks be to God!" Covenant is a way of living.
Both covenant and unity have been in our UCC heart since we formed in 1957 and they run through our blood because of our historical foreparents. In the Bible, God is a covenanting God. It is so central to us that Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17, "that they may be one," is the prayer inscribed on our logo. In our Statement of Faith, covenant is a gift of the Holy Spirit binding all faithful people together. We celebrate this covenant every time there is a baptism or we gather for Holy Communion. The first word when we utter our name, "United Church of Christ," expresses our yearning for covenant. "United!"
Covenant is how we relate to one another within local churches, and it is much more than that. In the 2001 edition of our constitution, for the first time, covenant was officially described as the foundation for our way of being the church. Each congregation has "autonomy (LTH, Vol 7, 565-568)," meaning it's free to discern its own way of being and believing. Yet, because of covenant, we bind our selves to one another beyond the local church—to associations, conferences, the national setting, and General Synod. And, guess what? Those settings are called to covenant with your local church. The constitution puts it this way: "Each expression of the church listens, hears, and carefully considers the advice, counsel, and requests of others. In this covenant, the various expressions of the United Church of Christ walk together in all God's ways."
Another word similar to "unity" that expresses a faithful result of covenant is "ecumenical." Most often it points toward the unity, or desire for unity, among all Christian churches throughout the world. We are not only a united church, we are a uniting church. This doesn't mean all churches become alike, or one is swallowed up by another. Instead churches come together, each with their own distinct gifts, to more fully express Christ in the world.
For us in the United Church of Christ, "ecumenicity is not an option" (LTH, Vol 7, 569-571). It is essential. We demonstrate it in a network of partnerships and councils with other churches. A few of those relationships include the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the Ecumenical Partnership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Formula of Agreement (Lutheran/Reformed), and Churches Uniting in Christ.
Do we enter into a covenantal way with other world religions? More than ever, we encounter persons deeply devoted to their own faiths—other than Christian. In the past, missionary efforts were primary in our approach to other faiths. Our efforts included assisting with health care, education, and working for justice, but often we did not tolerate God's gifts through other religions. Today, we seek prayerful discernment and conversation together—open to God seeking us in new ways through such a dialog. Our commitment to a covenantal way of life and to being united and uniting, calls us to honor our religious partners, engage in conversation, assist inter-religious families, and work together for justice and peace.
Because we are people of covenant we value diversity and the variety of gifts. We are bound to all God's children. Beyond relationships, our covenant way of life extends to how we care for the earth which cradles our very existence. Mack Stokes describes covenant as a "gift of God that bonds the will to God's justice." (LTH, Vol 7, 773). Our prayer for unity extends beyond the unity of all churches to the reconciliation of God's whole world.
A covenant way of life is personal and public, pastoral and political, local and global. At times all this covenanting and uniting isn't so easy to figure out. A commitment to one group conflicts with the covenant with another. We become torn in a way so that the glue grows brittle and the bond is ready to break. Then with humility, we struggle with God and neighbor about what is faithful. When it holds, we declare "Thanks be to God!" Covenant is a way of living.
We Are One at Baptism and the Table
Just some water, just a simple meal of bread and juice, but for us in the United Church Christ, what is simple means much more. We celebrate two sacraments. One is Baptism. The other is Holy Communion which is also often called the Lord's Supper or Eucharist. Sacraments are our ritual acts in worship life when the Holy Spirit uses water, bread, and wine to make visible the grace, forgiveness, and presence of God in Christ.
The preamble of our constitution simply states the UCC "recognizes" these two sacraments. Recognition, however, is more than a mere casual acknowledgment. Recognition is a deep way of seeing and experiencing God and God's action in these rites. Recognition recalls Jesus Christ and his own baptism (Mark 1:9-11), his call to baptize others (Matthew 28:16-20), and the invitation to become one with Christ and one another in baptism (Romans 6:1-4). Recognition remembers Jesus' meals with his followers and the Last Supper (Luke 22:7-13), discovers his continuing presence in the breaking of bread (Luke 24:30-31a), and anticipates a great banquet for all God's people (Luke 14:15-24). Recognition is not only an individual act, but one we share with other Christians throughout the world.
What happens at Baptism and Holy Communion. What do they mean? Our Book of Worship and the words we use to celebrate the sacraments reflect a variety of meanings. These understandings we share in common with many other Christians, and are also reflected in the World Council of Churches' ecumenical agreement called Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry .
Through water at baptism, God embraces you — no matter who you are — and brings you into Christ's Church. You become vital not only to a local church, but the wider Church. You share in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. The church also promises to love, support, and care for you throughout your whole life. Baptized, you now participate fully in life of the Church and God's realm.
At Holy Communion, we share a simple meal of bread and wine. Here, we experience the presence of Christ again. Together, around God's welcome table, we recall God's loving acts especially in Jesus, we experience our oneness in Christ, hope for a time when all will be fed, and anticipate the fullness of God's love and justice throughout creation.
Practices of the sacraments vary among our congregations. A 2004-2006 UCC worship survey details our range of practices. Some congregations baptize infants through adults, while others seem to begin baptism with older children. All use water, but the amount varies from a small amount to full immersion in a body of water. Most often, a pastor baptizes "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," others use additional expressions of the Triune God. Baptism occurs within a worshiping congregation and, as the entry rite into Christ's Church, occurs only once.
The frequency of Holy Communion ranges from seldom to weekly, but is most often celebrated monthly. Some use a common loaf of bread and a cup; others use wafers and small communion cups. Some receive communion in the pews, others join together at the front of the worship space. Some congregations reserve Communion for those who are both baptized and confirmed, while others invite all regardless of baptism or confirmation. Increasingly children are welcome to the Table at their parent's discretion.
All our emphases seem to come together in the sacraments. Christ claims us, and we belong to Christ. God offers an extravagant welcome, and we share in it. God keeps covenant with us, and we unite as one with Christians throughout the world. God offers a vision of justice and love, and we are inspired to live it. Together, through water, bread, and wine, we know the still-speaking God.
From your own experience of baptism and Holy Communion, what do they mean to you? How might the meanings have changed over time?
When have you participated in a baptism or Holy Communion that was particularly meaningful? Pray a prayer such as "O God, what are you saying and revealing to us about our own congregation's practice of the sacraments?"
The preamble of our constitution simply states the UCC "recognizes" these two sacraments. Recognition, however, is more than a mere casual acknowledgment. Recognition is a deep way of seeing and experiencing God and God's action in these rites. Recognition recalls Jesus Christ and his own baptism (Mark 1:9-11), his call to baptize others (Matthew 28:16-20), and the invitation to become one with Christ and one another in baptism (Romans 6:1-4). Recognition remembers Jesus' meals with his followers and the Last Supper (Luke 22:7-13), discovers his continuing presence in the breaking of bread (Luke 24:30-31a), and anticipates a great banquet for all God's people (Luke 14:15-24). Recognition is not only an individual act, but one we share with other Christians throughout the world.
What happens at Baptism and Holy Communion. What do they mean? Our Book of Worship and the words we use to celebrate the sacraments reflect a variety of meanings. These understandings we share in common with many other Christians, and are also reflected in the World Council of Churches' ecumenical agreement called Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry .
Through water at baptism, God embraces you — no matter who you are — and brings you into Christ's Church. You become vital not only to a local church, but the wider Church. You share in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. The church also promises to love, support, and care for you throughout your whole life. Baptized, you now participate fully in life of the Church and God's realm.
At Holy Communion, we share a simple meal of bread and wine. Here, we experience the presence of Christ again. Together, around God's welcome table, we recall God's loving acts especially in Jesus, we experience our oneness in Christ, hope for a time when all will be fed, and anticipate the fullness of God's love and justice throughout creation.
Practices of the sacraments vary among our congregations. A 2004-2006 UCC worship survey details our range of practices. Some congregations baptize infants through adults, while others seem to begin baptism with older children. All use water, but the amount varies from a small amount to full immersion in a body of water. Most often, a pastor baptizes "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," others use additional expressions of the Triune God. Baptism occurs within a worshiping congregation and, as the entry rite into Christ's Church, occurs only once.
The frequency of Holy Communion ranges from seldom to weekly, but is most often celebrated monthly. Some use a common loaf of bread and a cup; others use wafers and small communion cups. Some receive communion in the pews, others join together at the front of the worship space. Some congregations reserve Communion for those who are both baptized and confirmed, while others invite all regardless of baptism or confirmation. Increasingly children are welcome to the Table at their parent's discretion.
All our emphases seem to come together in the sacraments. Christ claims us, and we belong to Christ. God offers an extravagant welcome, and we share in it. God keeps covenant with us, and we unite as one with Christians throughout the world. God offers a vision of justice and love, and we are inspired to live it. Together, through water, bread, and wine, we know the still-speaking God.
From your own experience of baptism and Holy Communion, what do they mean to you? How might the meanings have changed over time?
When have you participated in a baptism or Holy Communion that was particularly meaningful? Pray a prayer such as "O God, what are you saying and revealing to us about our own congregation's practice of the sacraments?"
We Thank God by Working for a Just and Loving World
"To believe is to care. To care is to act." Several years ago, this slogan was printed on bumper stickers to describe the United Church of Christ. Critics found the slogan lacking because it didn't mention God at all. For others close to the heart of the UCC, they knew God is at the heart of, and all wrapped-up in, our caring and acting.
God creates. God loves. God's hope for all that God made is one of a peaceable reign of love and justice. Filled with gratitude for all God's good gifts, God's hope is our hope. Our hope connects with God's hope. We share in both God's vision and work for the entire world.
The Bible describes this vision in a variety of ways that includes paradise (Isaiah 11:6-9) and a peaceable realm (Isaiah 2:2-4), a great banquet (Luke 14:15-24), and a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-5). We see it in God's delivery of those from slavery and hear it in the justice-loving voices of prophets. We especially see it in Jesus. In him, the realm of God drew near (Luke 17: 20-21). He taught about it, proclaimed it in prophetic stances, and lived it through offering his life for others. We glimpse God's reign even now, and look for the fulfillment of God's love and justice in the future.
Look around and it doesn't take long to discover, however, that the vision isn't fully realized. We see a world where violence, discrimination, and hunger are weapons of greed and fear. We notice those who are ignored are often victims of other's self interest—left in poverty with little hope. We wonder how long the world, our environmental home, can take the stress and depletion of human want. We scratch our heads in amazement that nations war against nations and religions against religions—destroying the lives of the world's children.
Yet God's vision breaks through in the bold witness of God's people. By God's grace, we extend our hands to others through generous acts of service and compassion. We reach across cultural, racial, and religious divides reconciling ourselves to one another. In solidarity with those who are most vulnerable in our world, we do justice. God comes in moments of healing, peace, and deliverance.
The UCC connects caring and acting, gratitude and giving, peace and justice, service and advocacy in a life of prayer and justice. We don't usually settle for things to just merrily-roll-along when our world is hurting. Instead, we follow Christ's lead and seek to address a broad range of concerns. In 1959, soon after the founding of the UCC, we first outlined the broad arena of global concerns in the "Call to Christian Action in Society" (LTH, Vol 7, srticle 15, 81-85). Today, we encourage both individuals and congregations to link with both local and global concerns. With thanks to God, we call upon our congregations to network together and participate in God's reign of love and justice. Imagine another world is possible.
God creates. God loves. God's hope for all that God made is one of a peaceable reign of love and justice. Filled with gratitude for all God's good gifts, God's hope is our hope. Our hope connects with God's hope. We share in both God's vision and work for the entire world.
The Bible describes this vision in a variety of ways that includes paradise (Isaiah 11:6-9) and a peaceable realm (Isaiah 2:2-4), a great banquet (Luke 14:15-24), and a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-5). We see it in God's delivery of those from slavery and hear it in the justice-loving voices of prophets. We especially see it in Jesus. In him, the realm of God drew near (Luke 17: 20-21). He taught about it, proclaimed it in prophetic stances, and lived it through offering his life for others. We glimpse God's reign even now, and look for the fulfillment of God's love and justice in the future.
Look around and it doesn't take long to discover, however, that the vision isn't fully realized. We see a world where violence, discrimination, and hunger are weapons of greed and fear. We notice those who are ignored are often victims of other's self interest—left in poverty with little hope. We wonder how long the world, our environmental home, can take the stress and depletion of human want. We scratch our heads in amazement that nations war against nations and religions against religions—destroying the lives of the world's children.
Yet God's vision breaks through in the bold witness of God's people. By God's grace, we extend our hands to others through generous acts of service and compassion. We reach across cultural, racial, and religious divides reconciling ourselves to one another. In solidarity with those who are most vulnerable in our world, we do justice. God comes in moments of healing, peace, and deliverance.
The UCC connects caring and acting, gratitude and giving, peace and justice, service and advocacy in a life of prayer and justice. We don't usually settle for things to just merrily-roll-along when our world is hurting. Instead, we follow Christ's lead and seek to address a broad range of concerns. In 1959, soon after the founding of the UCC, we first outlined the broad arena of global concerns in the "Call to Christian Action in Society" (LTH, Vol 7, srticle 15, 81-85). Today, we encourage both individuals and congregations to link with both local and global concerns. With thanks to God, we call upon our congregations to network together and participate in God's reign of love and justice. Imagine another world is possible.
We Listen for the Still-speaking God
"If you think God's not finished with you yet, guess what? God's not even finished with God yet. God isn't finished with you, or finished with the church or our world, or even letting us know more about God's own compassion, justice, hope, and truth. If you are open, if you listen carefully, you'll discover what God is saying to this generation at this time in history. There's more good news to be heard!
This understanding of God's "revelation" is a central aspect of United Church of Christ faith. We believe that God was revealed in the past, but also in the present and the future. In the Bible, God was known through covenants with people and nations, through prophets and teachers, through conflicts and commandments, in visions and songs, and through the followers of Jesus and the church. God acted profoundly in the life and ministry, even in the death, of Christ. On Easter, God declared in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "I'll never, never stop speaking. Alleluia!" Throughout history, in moments of compassion, justice, and peace, in our worship, sacraments, prayer, seeking, action, and silence, God continues to speak.
In the UCC, our Constitution reminds us that we are called "in each generation to make this faith our own." A recent UCC slogan conveys the call in another way: "Our faith is over 2000 years old. Our thinking is not." Now, we join with those who came before us in discerning God's voice for our own time.
You are encouraged to discover God speaking through the Bible. We believe we are called to be attentive to God's Word. The Word we discover there, however, is not frozen in time. "Indeed, the word of God is living and active" (Hebrews 4:12). If you explore the Bible and move from book to book, you may discover that God is revealed in different ways, sometimes even seemingly contradictory ways. At distinct moments in biblical history, God speaks in new ways about God's unchanging intent of love, justice, deliverance, community, reconciliation, and peace. God continues to shed more light and truth in our world. In a similar way, we are not limited by past understandings of scripture, but we seek new insights and help for living the faith today. God is not finished with us yet.
In 1975, the Reverend Oliver Powell stated, "Clearly the stance of the United Church is toward the world. All its doors and windows are open onto it. The church believes that God loves the world as much as [God] loves the church. . ." (LTH, Vol 7, 301-305). Because our doors and windows are open, we listen for God in a variety of places out in the world: in the arts, in political struggles, in the sciences, in media, in education, and especially in voices of those who are often ignored. For example, we are not a people who simply dismiss reason and science as an enemy of faith. We affirm that God, indeed, may work through the sciences. We have joined with other denominations who present evolution in a way that is not in opposition to faith, but rather considers science as another way of appreciating the beauty and complexity of God's creation.
We also cherish the arts. In 1977, at our 11th General Synod, we expressed how God speaks through the arts as prophetic and effective channels of God's judgment and grace. We said, "When we are drawn into a work of art, we experience its transforming power; the arts open us to new ways of understanding both personal and public life and give us insight and energy to act in love and justice for the sake of the Holy." (LTH, Vol 7, 274-277)
Today, God is especially speaking through a beautiful diversity of voices. God continues to form us through new people among us, offering a multicultural mosaic that reflects all of creation. We also hear God's voice in public policy that advocates for those who are poor, hungry, or most vulnerable in our society. Consider, for example, how God is known through work in behalf of children in the areas of public education, health, and policy.
We celebrate our common ground, while honoring our differences: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity." In covenant with one another, we prayerfully seek together as the church, the Body of Christ, to discern God's voice in the midst of so many voices. We are aware, at the same time, that God's voice may come in a lone voice, crying out in a world that does not listen.
Even without words at all, often as we wait in silence, we know God still comes.
This understanding of God's "revelation" is a central aspect of United Church of Christ faith. We believe that God was revealed in the past, but also in the present and the future. In the Bible, God was known through covenants with people and nations, through prophets and teachers, through conflicts and commandments, in visions and songs, and through the followers of Jesus and the church. God acted profoundly in the life and ministry, even in the death, of Christ. On Easter, God declared in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "I'll never, never stop speaking. Alleluia!" Throughout history, in moments of compassion, justice, and peace, in our worship, sacraments, prayer, seeking, action, and silence, God continues to speak.
In the UCC, our Constitution reminds us that we are called "in each generation to make this faith our own." A recent UCC slogan conveys the call in another way: "Our faith is over 2000 years old. Our thinking is not." Now, we join with those who came before us in discerning God's voice for our own time.
You are encouraged to discover God speaking through the Bible. We believe we are called to be attentive to God's Word. The Word we discover there, however, is not frozen in time. "Indeed, the word of God is living and active" (Hebrews 4:12). If you explore the Bible and move from book to book, you may discover that God is revealed in different ways, sometimes even seemingly contradictory ways. At distinct moments in biblical history, God speaks in new ways about God's unchanging intent of love, justice, deliverance, community, reconciliation, and peace. God continues to shed more light and truth in our world. In a similar way, we are not limited by past understandings of scripture, but we seek new insights and help for living the faith today. God is not finished with us yet.
In 1975, the Reverend Oliver Powell stated, "Clearly the stance of the United Church is toward the world. All its doors and windows are open onto it. The church believes that God loves the world as much as [God] loves the church. . ." (LTH, Vol 7, 301-305). Because our doors and windows are open, we listen for God in a variety of places out in the world: in the arts, in political struggles, in the sciences, in media, in education, and especially in voices of those who are often ignored. For example, we are not a people who simply dismiss reason and science as an enemy of faith. We affirm that God, indeed, may work through the sciences. We have joined with other denominations who present evolution in a way that is not in opposition to faith, but rather considers science as another way of appreciating the beauty and complexity of God's creation.
We also cherish the arts. In 1977, at our 11th General Synod, we expressed how God speaks through the arts as prophetic and effective channels of God's judgment and grace. We said, "When we are drawn into a work of art, we experience its transforming power; the arts open us to new ways of understanding both personal and public life and give us insight and energy to act in love and justice for the sake of the Holy." (LTH, Vol 7, 274-277)
Today, God is especially speaking through a beautiful diversity of voices. God continues to form us through new people among us, offering a multicultural mosaic that reflects all of creation. We also hear God's voice in public policy that advocates for those who are poor, hungry, or most vulnerable in our society. Consider, for example, how God is known through work in behalf of children in the areas of public education, health, and policy.
We celebrate our common ground, while honoring our differences: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity." In covenant with one another, we prayerfully seek together as the church, the Body of Christ, to discern God's voice in the midst of so many voices. We are aware, at the same time, that God's voice may come in a lone voice, crying out in a world that does not listen.
Even without words at all, often as we wait in silence, we know God still comes.