Statement of Identity and Purpose
"Connecting People with God, the World and Each Other"
Our Mission
The First Congregational Church of Hendersonville exists to encourage growth in Christian faith, to minister to the needs of its members through fellowship and caring, and to reach out to our community and to the world in witness and service.
Who We Are
We are a community of faith, gathered together from a variety of denominational backgrounds, and bound by a covenantal relationship that grows with the love of God and each other. We declare and affirm that all we are, and all we have, are gifts from God, and that we shall strive to be faithful stewards of those gifts.
Our hearts are open to the diversity of God's children, and we celebrate our life together through ministries of prayer and worship, music and education, stewardship and outreach, and witness to the joy of an open and affirming Christian life.
What We Believe
As members of the United Church of Christ, we embrace the rich heritage of our ancestors in faith. We proclaim Jesus Christ as our guide to the realm of God, yet we recognize the faithfulness of other people who have other names for their gateway to God's realm. We recognize that the Bible, though written in historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. While accepting the primacy of the Bible as our source for understanding the Good News, we believe that the study of the scriptures should not be limited by past interpretations, but should be pursued with the expectation of new insights into God's help for living today.
The First Congregational Church is a member of the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Southern Conference is divided into three Associations - Western North Carolina, Eastern North Carolina and Eastern Virginia. It consists of approximately 300 congregations. Since the policy of the United Church of Christ provides for the autonomy of the local congregation we are bound together in a covenantal relationship. Covenant literally means, "coming together." Therefore, our communion is through our faith in God as expressed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Through God's love for us in Christ we are called to practice that compassion. It is the glue that holds us together.
The congregation of our church believes that God is still Speaking to us. We welcome everyone to join us in our worship and fellowship regardless of where they are in life's journey. As a result we are participating in the God is Still Speaking initiative sponsored by the United Church of Christ. This is why we have adopted the slogan attributed to Grace Allen, which says "Never place a period where God has placed a comma".
What We Do
We encourage involvement in the works of the church, but respect individual preferences and privacy. We believe that we are called both individually and as a congregation to live in the world, to proclaim in word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to work for reconciliation and unity, and to seek justice and liberation for all.
Our Open and Affirming (ONA) Statement
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.
Galatians 3.28
As Christians and members of First Congregational United Church of Christ, we are a diverse group of people. We are persons of various ages, races, gender identities, accomplishments and goals, abilities, sexual orientations, theological and political beliefs, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.
In our diversity we find strength and a way to understand the inclusiveness of God. We recognize each individual as a child of God. We welcome all people to join in our common mission through participation and leadership in this communion of faith
