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Who We Are
We identify as a diverse Christian community of varied spiritual experience, opinions, and beliefs, seeking to be united and uniting within our congregation and the wider Christian community.
Our Covenant
We Covenant To: Be a progressive Christian community, that values inclusivity and embraces diversity. We Endeavor to: Be a congregation of extravagant welcome, that respects the spiritual life and journey of each person. We Listen to: The “Still Speaking God,” who emboldens us to seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)
Our Declarations
"We are an Open and Affirming (ONA) Congregation that welcomes everyone without regard to race, gender identity and expression, citizenship status, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, economic class, marital or educational status, physical or mental abilities, or appearance. We encourage all people to share their talents, gifts, and energy in the liturgy, life, and leadership of our congregation. We affirm that it is our call to work for peace and wholeness by overcoming attitudes and acts of injustice, discrimination, violence, and hatred in ourselves and others."
First adopted in 1997
​"We are a Just Peace Church. We seek to keep the vision of shalom central to our corporate and individual lives, working to deepen our understanding of the many dimensions of peace and justice in our time. Through our worship, programs, and outreach, we seek to be a community of reconciliation, hope, and courage, as we work and pray for peace and justice in our world."
First adopted in 1996
Progressive Christianity
The United Church of Christ was formed in 1957 on the belief that the way we treat one another in community is more important than the particular ways we express our beliefs. Because we believe that Jesus also honored inclusion and justice over uniformity of belief, we seek to do the same — celebrating all our glorious diversity, and welcoming all into the healing circle of God’s unconditional love. Progressive Christianity is a term that encompasses all kinds of churches that are committed to an open and honest search for truth and meaning, wherever that search may lead. By calling ourselves progressive Christians, we mean we are Christians who:
1. Believe that following the path and teachings of Jesus can lead to an awareness and experience of the Sacred and the Oneness and Unity of all life;
2. Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey;
3. Seek community that is inclusive of all people, including but not limited to: conventional Christians and questioning skeptics, believers and agnostics, all genders, all sexual orientations, all classes, and all abilities;
4. Know that the way we behave towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe;
5. Find grace in the search for understanding and believe there is more value in questioning than in absolutes;
6. Strive for peace and justice among all people;
7. Strive to protect and restore the integrity of our Earth; and
8. Commit to a path of life-long learning, compassion, and selfless love.
If you’d like to experience progressive Christianity for yourself, you’re invited to attend a Sunday worship service at First Congregational UCC, Salem. You can also visit our friends at ProgressiveChristianity.org for more resources and events.