The United Church of Christ

The foundation of the United Church of Christ is covenant relationship.  We are a church that is bound together by covenant--our covenant relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit; our covenant relationship with one another in the local church; our covenant relationship among local churches, associations and conferences; and covenant relationships with national church and global ministries.

Every aspect of who we are as the United Church of Christ is about honoring one another with God's love and grace, welcoming and helping one another along the journey of faith.  "No matter who you are, you are welcome here."

Each local church is locally owned and operated, which is why as you travel from church to church, in the UCC, they may not be alike. While all UCC churches share common foundational faith and values such as a belief in God, Christ and the Holy Spirit; scripture a testimony of faith; God's unconditional love and grace and that God is still speaking to us here and now, how those faith values are lived out in worship, ministry and mission may differ greatly. Thus there is no central authority, but the shared authority and mutual responsibility of the multiplicity of settings -- local, region, and nation. One important implication of this way of thinking is that the national setting of the United Church of Christ can speak to, but not for the local church.

Congregations choose to be in relationship with one another, recognizing there are ministries and mission we can do better together than alone.  Each local UCC church is joined with other UCC churches in a region called an association.  Associations, in turn, are bound in covenant relationship with one another and come together as a "conference."  Conferences join together in the national setting of the United Church of Christ and are represented there by delegates who gather every two years to do the work of the The General Synod of the United Church of Christ.  In each setting where governance, ministry and mission occur, the church strives to balance representation.  We are united and uniting in every aspect of our covenant relationship as we strive to be the Body of Christ in work, worship and fellowship.