We are strongly affiliated with the United Church of Christ, a denomination which was established by the merger of the Congregational/Christian and the Evangelical and Reformed Churches in 1957. The UCC acknowledges as sole head Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. It acknowledges as kindred all who share in this confession. Its ecumenical spirit is nourished by Jesus’ prayer, “That they may all be one.” No matter who you are, no matter where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
The church is congregational in polity, grounded in Scripture, and historically focused on social action. We affirm God’s love for all people, regardless of race, gender, orientation, social standing or ethnicity.
Our worship is joyful with a balance of liturgy and informality. We include all ages in our worship and enthusiastically welcome children. Music is a significant part of our celebration. We present a theologically open and moderate/liberal voice in our community. The Scriptures are central to our worship. We use the lectionary for worship themes. The sacrament of communion is celebrated at least once a month, and our table is open to anyone who in faith desires to receive it, whether a member of the church or not.
PURPOSE AND IDENTITY STATEMENT
WE, THE CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST OF BUENA VISTA, COMMIT OURSELVES TO:
BEING GOD’S PEOPLE BY:
* Loving and serving God
* Living lives of integrity
* Living with thanksgiving and gratitude
* Supporting one another through loving words and actions
* Using God’s written and living Word to guide our lives
* Proclaiming the Good News of Christ
* Promoting the unity of Christ’s church
* Celebrating our life together
GROWING SPIRITUALLY BY:
* Committing ourselves to life-long learning
* Deepening our relationship with god through prayer, worship and study of scripture and other sources
* Opening ourselves to teachings and insights from many sources
* Cherishing and teaching our church community’s children and youth
* Strengthening family relationships
* Openly discussing important issues
* Honoring tradition while embracing new ideas
REACHING OUT BY:
* Being generous with our talents, time and financial resources to make a difference in our community and the world
* Providing support in difficult times by extending ourselves to those in need
* Involving people of all ages in mission work
* Modeling respect and care for all God’s creation
* Working for justice, healing and wholeness of life
WELCOMING AND ACCEPTING BY:
* Committing ourselves to be a church for all people
* Integrating people of all ages into active congregational participation
* Respecting and accepting diversity
* Striving to overcome our prejudices
* Loving and practicing kindness toward all
* Laughing together and enjoying one another
To see our Bylaws, last revised January, 2022, click here.
To see the Annual Report for 2022, click here.
OUR COMMUNITY COVENANT
Congregational United Church of Christ of Buena Vista
* We seek to think of each other as Children of God, made in the image of God, to be treated as sisters and brothers in Christ.
We will strive to listen respectfully to how others prefer to be treated.
* We will act with kindness and respect while speaking truth in love and being honest with each other.
Therefore, we will seek to listen with interest and curiosity, keeping an open mind.
* We will share our time, gifts and talents, bringing positive energy to groups and projects.
* We will build up the community by bringing any grievances we have directly to the persons involved
or to the Pastor/Congregation Relations Committee.
* We will seek honest reconciliation of disagreements and practice forgiveness.
* We will each try to be worthy of the trust and confidence of our fellow members.
(Adopted by CUCC Council September 15, 2021)
MISSION STATEMENT
As followers of Jesus, we are committed to exploring together Jesus’ teachings, his actions, and his justice, to better love, respect, and welcome all people.
(CUCC’s Mission, Identity & Purpose)