What is United Church of Christ (UCC)? | Bethlehem United Church of Christ

What is United Church of Christ (UCC)?

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!

 

 

In the UCC, we have a saying:  "We are the United Church of Christ, where God is still speaking. Our faith is 2000 years old. Our thinking is not."  For more information about our larger church family visit our national website.

We are known for taking a progressive stance when it comes to justice and equality issues. This document contains some of the many ways the UCC has lead society on controversial issues.

Below is the United Church of Christ statement of faith. It was written around the time our denomination was formed. We came into being by uniting two very different faith traditions. Ours is the only tradition we know of that is formed by merging followers of Jesus Christ from different faith traditions. Other churches are consolidations of churches in the same faith family (i.e. the United Methodist, etc.).

The United Church of Christ, of which Bethlehem is a part, is not a church which requires people to ascribe to a certain set of creedal beliefs, but we are a people who are part of a covenantal fellowship.

Our Statement of Faith is not required of us to judge our fitness; it is offered to us as an imperfect way of expressing our understanding of our relationship to the loving God of creation.

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH United Church of Christ Statement of Faith

We believe in God, the eternal spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God, and to God’s deeds we testify:

God calls the worlds into being, creates people in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.

God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

God judges people and nations by the righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen savior, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to godself.

God bestows upon us the holy spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues and races.

God calls us into Christ’s church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be God’s servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.

God promises to all who trust god forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, God’s presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in God’s realm which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God. Amen.

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