What does being a Congregational church mean? There are certain characteristics that define this New England Protestant denomination. Most notably, we acknowledge Jesus Christ as the sole head of our church. There is no other governing authority to whom we report. Historic Congregational churches are independent, self-governing, and autonomous. As such, there can exist a rather wide range of beliefs from church to church.
Theologically, we are a conservative, evangelical church.
We are members of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (www.ccccusa.org), an evangelical association of like-minded churches. We whole-heartedly subscribe to the CCCC Statement of Faith. We strive to be Spirit-led in all matters.
Our worship service is primarily traditional, but we periodically incorporate contemporary elements, such as modern praise music. Whatever the mode of worship, we seek to glorify the Lord.
While we acknowledge the historical importance of the ancient creeds of our forbearers, we are not creedal by definition. Similarly, in a corporate sense, we are but mildly confessional. Our confessions are typically held privately before the Lord, and to each other.
We observe two sacraments: the Lord's Supper (Communion) and Baptism. Neither imparts salvation to the recipient. Communion, in which we memorialize our Lord's sacrifice, is open to believers, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Eligibility to partake is determined by the individual's heart before the Lord. We practice two modes of Baptism. Consistent with our Reformed roots, we practice traditional infant Baptism, in which the infant enters into a covenantal relationship with the body of Christians. We also baptize adult believers, in which the candidate makes a conscious, outward testimony to his or her salvation.
As the Lord works to transform us into His likeness, so does He work to transform His church. As such, we are a work-in-progress. Come worship and grow in the Lord with us!