We are an Open and Affirming Church which means: We extend the extravagant welcome of God to all people regardless of race, class, immigration status, ancestry, gender identity, marital status, ability or sexual orientation. See our Open and Affirming Statement. We are Servant Church which means: We put our faith into action by serving and caring for each other and serving and caring for the world, because faith without works really is dead. At First Church we come to encounter God and engage the world. We are a Praying Church which means: We know that while faith without works is dead, we also know that works and engagement in public life and service without personal faith and spiritual vitality is mere moralism. When 2 billion Christians start praying, things will change. We are a Progressive Church which means: We believe in a dynamic God who is still speaking and revealing to us – through Scripture, reason, history, science and the experiences of life – the ways of justice and peace. Our faith is 2,000 years old, but our thinking is not. We are a Covenant Community which means: We live together in community, sharing the joy and sorrows of life, the journey of faith, supporting each other and reaching out to others to join with us. God has called us into the church, to share the cost and joy of following Jesus. We are a member of the denomination called the United Church of Christ, know to its friends as the UCC. Click here for links with more information about the United Church of Christ and the Connecticut Conference of the UCC as well as our ministry partners in our local area.
