“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome in the United Church of Christ.”
Are you ready for a new faith home? Your sisters and brothers at Middlebury Congregational Church welcome you! United Church of Christ churches believe in an “extravagant welcome” — we are ready to accept and love all God’s people.
Check us out on YouTube or in person; meet some of our people, listen to some of the services. We hope you feel at home! When you’re ready, contact Pastor Katrina Manzi or any of the Deacons and we will set you on a path to joining our faith community.
You’ll meet with Pastor Katrina and with one or more Deacons to give you an understanding of Congregational history and polity, the United Church of Christ, and the history and life of our own church. On approval by the Diaconate, new members are received into our church family at a Sunday morning service, or by the Diaconate if they are unable to attend the service.
We believe in infant baptism and membership as adults by confirmation, affirmation of faith, or letter of transfer of faith from another church. You can see our membership vows on this YouTube video. If you’re an adult who has never been baptized, this service also shows how during the Sunday celebrating the Baptism of the Lord we can all join in baptism. (If you want to see an infant baptism, roll this video back to 18:00.)
During the service, you will be introduced to the congregation and together we will affirm our mutual covenant:
We covenant with God and with one another in mutual love and trust:
- to worship God together,
- to study and respond to God’s Holy Word,
- to witness in all the world to God’s reconciling love,
- to strive for love, justice and peace,
- and to walk together in the ways of the Lord.
We rely on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us.
We acknowledge God’s covenant with us, made known to us in Jesus Christ.
We recognize our continuing need for God’s grace, and our dependence upon each other, in the fulfillment of this covenant.
Amen.
Members are expected to be faithful to the duties essential to the Christian life; to attend the services of the Church; to give regularly to its support and benevolences; and to share in its organized work.
All members 18 years of age and over on the active membership list may act and vote in the legal transactions of the Church. Members on the active membership list under 18 years of age, however, may vote in certain elections as specified hereafter in these bylaws. We have even had teens serve as Deacons!
We’re looking forward to welcoming you into our church family. See you Sunday?