About the Church
The First Congregational Church is a member of the UCC (United Church of Christ). Services are held at 9:30 am every Sunday. Communion is served the first Sunday of every month.
The church was founded in 1805 and was the first church in the area. Our present church building was erected in 1834, with extensive renovations occurring in 1870 and 1925.
We are governed by a cabinet comprised of the church president, vice president, clerk, treasurer, collector, and chairs of the standing committees (Christian Education, Outreach, Trustees, Board of Deacons and Board of Membership). The cabinet and committees meet monthly. Major decisions of the church are voted upon by members of the congregation at our annual meeting in January, and at special meetings called as needed.
We are a congregation of 460, with average attendance of 150 at the Sunday service, and an average of 30 children in church school. Summer church attendance remains steady due to the return of a large number of seasonal residents. Our high school youth group does a mission trip every two or three years.
The church has a long tradition of service to community as seen through its more than 50 years of sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 200, support of AA meetings on site, financial assistance to area non-profits, The Shields Mission Project and the Free Soup Lunch program. Our youth fellowships also emphasize the importance of community service.
Our staff works closely with dozens of hard working volunteers who are the heart of the church.
Our Vision
Our vision is that all people here find a spiritual home, grow in faith, and experience and share God's unconditional love and grace through Christ.
Our Mission
As disciples of Christ, our mission is to build a community of faith by learning and living the word of God.
Our Values
Generosity Our unique gifts will be recognized and used for the glory of God; as people blessed by God we give of ourselves.
Compassion We practice compassion and seek justice for all who hurt in God's world.
Community We strive to create a community of mutual trust.
Love We strive to love all people unconditionally.
Family In Christ we are a family of faith connected to our brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide.
Faith Through Jesus Christ We place our faith and trust in God.
Forgiveness We are called to forgive and accept others as God has forgiven us.
Worship Our worship is a reverent and joyful celebration of God's grace.
Courage Following Christ's example we have courage to take risks.
Our Goals
It is our goal to look beyond our Church family, to have the courage to take risks, reaching out to the poor, the hungry, and the disadvantaged of the world.
It is our goal to encourage and support lay ministries individually and in small groups - to encourage and support each member to use his/her gifts for the mission of this Church, thereby expanding the number of active participants in the "tasks" of church work.
It is our goal to provide opportunities for each and every member of this Church to participate in one of more active ministries, and to increase the number of people who are actively engaged in ministries.
It is our goal to attract and enlist new members and friends, while appreciating existing members, so that our church is filled to capacity on Sunday mornings with children, teens, and adults eager to hear the word of God through participation in all aspects of the worship service.
It is our goal to build such strong connections and relationships among our brothers and sisters in Christ, that we know when a member is absent or having problems and are there to help.
We wish to strengthen and support our Christian Education Program for all ages.
We wish to strengthen and assist members and friends in spiritual growth.
It is our goal to love and support our minister and staff and to be more fully aware of what they do and what they need