About Us 2

The month of February begins with a Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, is based on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil. This event centers on the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.

As the cold of February settles deep in our bones and the lack of sunlight triggers the winter blues we are tempted to withdraw into our homes like the famous rodent. We are living in a time when the country is divided, and we all wait to see the impact of a new administration. Our hopes for a Lion’s Super Bowl victory were defeated. Valentine’s Day brings happiness for some and disappointment for others. So, it can feel tempting to retreat into our own emotional den.

Therapy 101 tells us our feelings are not good or bad, they are just feelings. Where we do have control is in choosing our response to those feelings. We remember that happiness is a temporary state typically based on current events. We would have experienced happiness if we had won the Super Bowl!

Joy is a state of the heart, a gift from God. Joy is knowing that no matter the circumstances we are not alone, and that God is working in our lives. So as people of faith we are called to seek joy! Sometimes it is a deliberate choice, and it takes practice. Our faith encourages us to be proactive. Plan an enjoyable activity, get up on Sunday and come to church. Reach out to someone who you think could use some encouragement. Read this Beacon and find a way to connect at church.

The scripture reminds us, “A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 Even when we feel discouraged God calls us to seek joy! So during this month let us come together and embrace our joy!

The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a distinct and diverse community of Christians that come together as one church to join faith and action. With over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the U.S., the UCC serves God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world. The UCC is a church of firsts, a church of extravagant welcome, and a church where "…they may all be one" (John 17:21).

The Church of Firsts

Since 1957, the United Church of Christ has been the church of firsts, weaving God’s message of hope and extravagant welcome with action for justice and peace. Together, we live out our faith in ways that effect change in our communities. The UCC's many "firsts" mean that we have inherited a tradition of acting upon the demands of our faith. When we read in Galatians: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus"—a demand is made upon us. And so we were the first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American, the first to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry. We were in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement and the Civil Rights movement. Our response to the demands of our faith is woven into the history of our country.

A Church of Extravagant Welcome

Today, we continue to change lives throughout the world. We work alongside more than 200 mission partners. We labor ceaselessly to fight injustice, in the United States and abroad. We instill our vision into our youth and young adults, forging leaders who will imagine new dreams. And we sustain and develop church leaders, pastors, and our local churches to live their faith in exciting new ways. We believe in a God that is still speaking, a God that is all-loving and inclusive. We are a church that welcomes and accepts everyone as they are, where your mind is nourished as much as your soul.

We are a church where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary, and where together, we grow a just and peaceful world.