About Us 2

The Apostle Paul writes Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

We may be tempted to think that these words of the scripture are not relevant in today’s world.

It’s easy to have an attitude of thanksgiving when all is right in our life. However, it’s a different story when we feel like we might collapse under the weight of life’s burdens. God walks along-side us in the times of light and darkness. Not in a magical “fix everything” way but instead God offers us a shoulder to lean on. Only God can heal those unspeakable hurts. Only God can create goodness from our pain.

Our circumstance may be beyond our control, but the scriptures tell us that our attitude is in our control. We can choose to give thanks in all circumstances. We can hang on to the knowledge that we are loved by God. In a world where change is the norm. God’s love is not subject to change. It does not endure only while the warranty is valid and then fall apart. Our relationship with God is not in jeopardy of going bankrupt. God is the constant.

When we adopt a thankful attitude, we are able to see the grain of goodness, the opportunity for growth and the seeds of healing where we previously thought it was hopeless.

It is in those moments when we give thanks, we are able to experience God’s transforming love.

As we gather together this season let us adopt an attitude of giving thanks in all circumstances and allow God’s light to surround us.

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.