Member churches in our denomination, The United Church of Christ, are each free to define their theology and framework of beliefs as they see fit. There is no required creed. During our search for a new Pastor in 2018/19, we felt the need to more clearly define what we believe are our guiding principles. (Click here to listen to the sermon our Interim Pastor, Rev. Sally Train, preached to kick off this process of self-definition.)
After considerable discussion and discernment, the congregation agreed on the following statement:
First Congregational Church of San Rafael
United Church of Christ
Who We Are
We are an Open and Affirming Church (click to learn more)
We are an Immigrant Accompaniment Congregation (click to learn more)
Our church is strongly focused on God’s commandment to “Love thy neighbor as you love thyself.” We hope our weekly service will feed the spirit of all who attend and that the love one feels leaving the service will shine to all in the coming week. In our liturgy, God is described as a forgiving, loving God, who wants to help us to be a better reflection of our perfect selves.
This is manifested in the following beliefs and actions:
Our church is welcoming, nurturing and educational. God’s warmth is felt throughout the members and is evident in how we treat each other. The church renews the spirit of all who come.
We follow Jesus as our teacher and guide. There are many valid paths to understanding life’s mysteries. There is no “right” understanding of what God is or isn’t. We acknowledge that the force we call God is a mystery. We celebrate God’s love.
We welcome diversity and we celebrate the unique gifts each person brings. We seek a community that is inclusive of all people regardless of race, background, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, creed, or set of beliefs. All are welcome. God acts within and through all of us.
We seek justice for all and harmony among all. We believe that everyone deserves justice and strive to work with the community to ensure it.
We take the Bible seriously but not always literally.
The Earth is our home. We have a sacred duty to protect, preserve, and restore it and every creature that lives on it.
We believe there is no conflict between science and religion. They are simply two different fields of inquiry. Science pursues facts. Religion pursues truth, meaning, values, and transcendence.
We are a self-governing church. All members carry out our ministries in covenant with each other, God, and the larger church.