The Congregational Church in Deerfield United Church of Christ embraces a theological heritage that affirms the Bible as the authoritative witness to the Word of God, the creeds of the ecumenical councils, and the confessions of the Reformation. The denomination has roots in the "covenantal" tradition?meaning there is no centralized authority or hierarchy that can impose any doctrine or form of worship on its members. Christ alone is Head of the church. We seek a balance between freedom of conscience and accountability to the apostolic faith.

As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of God's will for our lives. But we are called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship with one another?gathering in communities of faith to share insights and for cooperative action under the authority of Christ.  We are called also to join in a covenantal union with other churches to make manifest the unity of the body of Christ and thus to carry out God's mission in the world more effectively.

Unity

We are a uniting church as well as a united church.  This motto reflects a spirit of unity and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ.

Expressions of that unity are as diverse as the individuals who worship with us.  The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It requires only a mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.  The common thread that runs through all is love.

In the spirit of unity, all people of faith are invited to participate in the sacrament of Communion, the reminder of Christ's sacrifice and the discipleship to which we are called.

Faith

Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ has no formula that is a test of faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians have shared their faith with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms and other statements of faith.  We recognize the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith as a common affirmation of faith in worship and as a basis for study.  To read the UCC Statement of Faith, click here.

We affirm the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible, though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is pursued with the expectation of new insights and God's help for living today.

We recognize faith as a spiritual journey, and each of us is at a different stage of that journey.  We welcome people at all stages of that journey to worship with us.

Ministry

All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion.

Recognition is given to those among us who have received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational, and administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as servants?rather than as persons in authority. Their task is to guide, instruct, and enable the ministry of all Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.

For more information about the United Church of Christ and its beliefs, click here.