"The avowed purpose of this Church shall be to Worship God, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the Sacraments; to realize Christian fellowship and unity within this church and the Church Universal; to render loving service toward humankind; and to strive for righteousness, and peace."

At first read the statement seems to be too long to memorize and remember. But after you look at it, you see that there is much to be found within this statement.

First and foremost is the focus on Worshipping God, which we do corporately every Sunday morning. Worship also takes place in smaller venues like Bible Study and small group gatherings.

Second is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Persons need to have a relationship with God. One way is through the life and ministry of Jesus. The Gospel's are our way of knowing about Jesus' teaching and preaching and how we can come to know God in our everyday life. Luke's writings in Acts and Paul's writings continue to witness to the presence of Jesus Christ in people's lives. And not only witness, but the importance of that presence.

Third, we Celebrate the Sacraments together. We acknowledge the two Sacraments given to us by Jesus: Baptism and Communion (Lord's Supper).

All believers have entered into the Christian community via Baptism. In the United Church of Christ, Baptism is usually done to infants or young children, but all modes of Baptism are recognized and participated in (Sprinkling, Pouring and Immersion). Communion is the central way that Christians celebrate and remember what Jesus has taught us. Even though at times, the Celebration of the Eucharist or Communion is a somber affair, it is also a celebration of Jesus' life among us and how we continue to acknowledge Jesus' presence with us to this day. In the United Church of Christ, all persons are welcome to participate and celebrate with us in the Sacrament of Communion, which we commonly call "Open Table."

Fourth, we are to continually to be striving for Christian unity, not only among ourselves, our neighbors, other church persons, but also with other denominations within the Church Universal. No one congregation or denomination can work on its own to achieve unity - it must be done in conjunction with other congregations and denominations. We struggle too much with our disparity and not enough with our similarity as we strive to share how God is alive and at work in our lives.

Fifth, we are to "render loving service to humankind." That task is sometimes hard to do. It is difficult as a human being to view others as part of God's creation. For the most part, we struggle in "rendering loving service" even to our own family, neighbors and fellow church members. This small phrase is really important to the context of one's Christian living, but difficult to sometimes live out.

Sixth, we are to "strive for righteousness and peace." For one to do this, you need to define for yourself what is righteousness and peace? For most of us, it is not easy to treat another human being as we would want to be treated. We look at others, thinking we are better, have more OR covet what others have that we think we deserve. The over-riding question is always, "What is the right thing to do?"

To strive for righteousness and peace means that we need to continually raise that question of what is the right thing to do, as well as seeking peace.

Submitted by Rev. J. Martin Westermeyer, July 2008

This website is a tool to be used in sharing our faith with others by sharing who we are in the community of faith known as St. Peter and St. Paul United Church of Christ. Please share it with others who are on a journey and show them the doors that they may open to them here.

"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek and you will find; Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
(Luke 11:9-10, NRSV)