HomeWe seek unity and strength in the body of Christ and believe that we are all called to carry out his ministry. We believe in a loving and forgiving God and in Jesus Christ as God's ultimate expression of faithfulness and love. We profess to our church's Covenant. We recognize the Bible as the basis of faith and practice, and hold that we are called to live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
We are an Open and Affirming Church. All are welcome in the full life our community regardless of their race, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, economic status, ability or disability.
We are a Just Peace Church. We are a community of worship and celebration centered on the Good News of Jesus Christ and His message of justice and peace. In the midst of violence, war, human oppression and abuse, the still-speaking God cries out through the voices of the poor, the powerless and most vulnerable. We listen, discern, and each of us responds to God's call in our own individual way.
We are a Green Church. Our declaration: "We recognize that one of the most significant challenges facing humanity is the achievement of a sustainable earth. As a Green Church, we welcome this responsibility. Being faith-filled and responsive stewards of God's creation, we are committed, through education and action, to the environmental well-being of our planet. Imagining a brighter future, we are committed to treading more lightly, leaving a smaller footprint, and living more simply that others may simply live."
United in Spirit and inspired by God’s grace, we welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all. We are the United Church of Christ.
About Us
First Church was founded on October 18, 1710, making us the oldest faith community in Tolland County. (read some of our history here)
We are a community of people with diverse faith backgrounds and traditions, including Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Jewish, Congregationalist and Unitarian. While diverse in background, we are united in striving to understand God's will. We value each person's unique perspective and recognize that we are all pilgrims, each on our own faith journey.
We have freedom; we enjoy the privilege and wrestle with the responsibility of interpreting how the scriptures apply to our daily lives. We are bound together by our struggle to build a covenant with God and support one another even while we may be taking different paths.
In addition to a professional staff which includes the pastor, office administrator, organist and music director, we are committed to the belief that all Christians are called to share in the ministry of Christ. Children, youth and adults in our congregation place emphasis on various aspects of faith life, such as Bible study, home and hospital visitation, worship, church administration, meditation and prayer, social action, local outreach and wider mission, Christian education and Christian fellowship.
We believe in the importance of our actions and community outreach as an expression of God's presence working through us. Through our denominational Basic Support, we contribute to our state, national and world Boards of Mission. We also play an active role in local outreach by supporting Windham Area Interfaith Ministry, Covenant Soup Kitchen and local shelters, by working closely with our town's social services department, and by giving financial assistance to individuals with special needs.
Our Ministry
The Covenant of our church is what binds us together into a community. We invite all who can accept this commitment to join us in our fellowship, worship, and work of Christian ministry.
We covenant with each other and with God to know the will of God as taught in the Holy Scriptures, and to strive to walk in the ways of the Lord, made known, or to be made known to us; to study and to teach the faith of the Church; to take part in the business of the Church; to support the work of the Church here and throughout the world with our labor and our gifts according to our means.
We recognize this church as one congregation of the whole Christian Church, and acknowledge that the covenant which binds us together as a local church also unites us in worship and work with all Christians everywhere.
If you are interested in church membership, please contact our pastor by calling (860) 423-9008.
Our Covenant
"What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." [Micah 6:8]
Where Faith Takes Action!
549 Storrs Road
(Junction of Routes 195 & 89)
Mansfield Center, Connecticut
