Who Are We?
All Are Welcome Here
Our Vision is what we want to be.
Our Mission is what we do.
Our Core Values speak of who we are.
Our Community
We are a church that takes Jesus’ command to “love one another” seriously. We are an open and affirming church that believes every person is loved by God and worthy to be an active, vibrant, and generous participant in our community of faith.
Our Mission
We are a Christian Fellowship of faith, building a community that supports each other to help feed the hungry, to clothe the naked and welcome strangers while living a life that leads to deeper experiences walking humbly with God.
Our Expectation.
VUCC is a local congregation of the United Church of Christ. We believe that one should never place a period where God has put a comma. God is still speaking. We expect diversity and look for it in people and ideas.
Our Core Values
We see God's goodness through a life patterned after the life and ministry of Jesus Christ by:
• Celebrating our rich and diverse heritage
• Practicing mission and ministry to the human and spiritual needs of others
• Providing a fertile environment for the growth of one's faith
• Centering around worship that embraces an open and progressive theology
• Developing caring, supportive personal relationships
• Nurturing individuals and encouraging the use of their talents in service to others
We encourage people to think for themselves.
• No one in our congregation dictates what another must believe.
• All members are responsible for interpreting the scriptures and discerning God's will in the light of their own personal experiences, and in conversation with fellow believers of all faiths.
What We Care About
People matter most.
• Our congregation was organized by neighbors who were committed to living in Christian fellowship with each other.
• It is the love of God, not shared religious doctrine, which binds our lives together.
• We are committed to nurturing the spiritual development of every person in our community from the youngest child to the oldest adult.
We embrace diversity.
• We do not simply tolerate each other's differences; we try to learn from each other and frow from these experiences.
• Because of our diverse religious backgrounds, we have learned the importance of listening to each other.
• We strive to treat each other with dignity and respect, and know that we are at our best when we talk openly and honestly with each other.
Faithful Living
We apply our faith to the relevant issues of our day and help others.
• Valuing our heritage, we strive to translate the good news of the gospel into our modern context.
• We are committed to work together to discern what it means to live faithfully in today's world.
• We openly use our resources to host programs and activities sponsored by community organizations.
We meet people where they are.
• We always welcome anyone who wants to become part of our fellowship.
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Our Sacraments
Sacraments
We have two Sacraments, which are baptism and communion. The sacraments are acts of God’s self-giving and our own self-giving. They are expressions of koinonia, community, participation, and sharing. They express to us a hope; and in this hope, we strive to remake the world into the glory of God.
Baptism
We believe that all of the baptized 'belong body and soul to our God.' No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism. We baptize during worship when the community is present because baptism includes the community's promise of 'love, support and care' for the baptized.
Communion
We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at the table for the sacrament of Communion. Just as many grains of wheat are gathered to make one loaf of bread and many grapes are gathered to make one cup of wine, we, the many people of God, are made one in the body, the church. The breaking of bread and the pouring of wine reminds us of the costliness of unconditional love and the beauty of serving others and God to which we are all called. In the breaking of bread, we remember and celebrate Christ's presence among us. It is a great mystery. In order to be caring for those with special needs, we use grape juice and gluten-free bread.
