Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC

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ARTICLE I     Name    

The name of this church is the Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, hereinafter known as the Church.    

 

ARTICLE II     Purpose    

The avowed purpose of the Church shall be to worship God, to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the Sacraments; to grow in Christian fellowship and unity within the Church and the Church Universal; to render caring service to all people and to strive for righteousness, justice and peace.  

 

ARTICLE III      Polity    

The leadership of the Church shall be vested in its members, who exercise the right of control in all its affairs, subject to the laws of the state of New Hampshire.  The Church shall be in fellowship with the Merrimack Association of the United Church of Christ and the United Church of Christ.  We welcome ecumenical fellowship with all churches that seek to promote the teachings of Jesus Christ.  The Church embraces fellowship with other religious societies and agencies to engage in charitable and missionary work that will exemplify God's love.                 

 

ARTICLE IV      Faith 

We adhere to the following statement of faith (Second General Synod of the United Church of Christ, Oberlin, Ohio, 1959 and revised 1981 adapted by Robert V. Moss):    

• We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify.

• God calls the worlds into being, creates humankind in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.    

• God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.    

• God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.    

• In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.    

• God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the Church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.    

• God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.    

• God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.    

• Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God. Amen.    

 

ARTICLE V     Covenant    

The covenant of the Sanbornton Congregational Church United Church of Christ, is as follows:

 

Believing in Jesus Christ as the foundation of our faith, we covenant with God and each other to seek God's will for our lives and for the mission of our church.  We will pray for and with each other and accept one another in love and trust recognizing that we will not always agree.  We commit ourselves to this way of life trusting in God's grace.    

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ARTICLE VI     Peace and Justice    

The Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ is a Church for Peace and Justice.    

 

We affirm our dedication to prayer, study and understanding of issues of peace and justice in ourselves, our families, our community, our state and our world.    

 

Knowing that vision of a just and peaceful world begins with the work of God through each of us, we further resolve:    

• To provide a safe place for all people of good will to converse with God and each other;    

• To use peaceful and creative ways to settle conflicts;  

• To maintain a spirit of responsiveness and caring towards all of God's Creation: all people, all creatures, and the planet on which we live;    

• To work together with others to build a world of peace, kindness, responsibility and justice in God's name.    

 

ARTICLE VII    Open and Affirming    

 

We declare ourselves an Open and Affirming congregation.  We celebrate the diversity of our membership and affirm that every person is a unique creation made in God's image.  All are welcome to worship here and are encouraged to participate fully in every aspect of the life and work of the Church.  We thank God for the nourishment, the challenge, and the joy we experience in our differences and gifts.    

 

We affirm that all people are embraced within the family of God and the community of this congregation.  We welcome people of every race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, economic class, physical or mental ability, and any other of the diverse attributes that are woven into the fabric of humankind.  As participants in the life of the Church, we encourage everyone to share in the worship, membership, ministry and leadership in our congregation.