About Us
Address
130 East Church Street, PO Box 380
Belleville, WI
US
Phone
(608) 424-3572Our Mission and Vision
First UCC Covenant: We covenant with one another to seek and respond to the Word and Will of God. We resolve to walk together in the ways of the Lord, made known and to be made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the Church to witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ in all the world, while worshipping God, and striving for truth, justice, and peace.
As did our fathers and mothers, we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us.
We pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God,
And we look with faith forward the triumph of righteousness and eternal life.
Amen.
The First United Church of Christ Mission Statement: First UCC reaches out to all people to grow and share in Christian, faith, hope, and love.
The First United Church of Christ Vision Statement: As a faith community we practice:
- Welcoming all into the presence of Christ;
- Connecting with God and one another through regular Worship, ministries, study, and fellowship;
- Reaching out to our neighbors with compassion and hope.
Our History
Today, First Church, now a congregation of the United Church of Christ, continues to thrive in worship and ministry both locally and globally. Our members include people from all walks of life and many different denominational traditions. Together, we seek to live out Jesus’ commandment “to love God with all your heart, and to love your neighbor as yourself.”
“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here”
What We Believe & Practice as a UCC Congregation...
We believe in the triune God: Creator, resurrected Christ, the sole Head of the church, and the Holy Spirit, who guides and brings about the creative and redemptive work of God in the world.
We believe that each person is unique and valuable. God calls every person to belong to a family of faith where they experience a strong sense of being valued and loved.
We believe that each person is on a spiritual journey and that each of us is at a different stage of that journey.
We believe that the persistent search for God produces an authentic relationship with God, engendering love, strengthening faith, dissolving guilt, and giving life purpose and direction.
We seek to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Jesus, through his life, death, and resurrection, offers us a way to live. Through faith, we seek to follow the path Jesus taught us.
Responsible Freedom. Each person is responsible for their own understanding and commitment of faith. There are no dogmas or creeds one must affirm before becoming a member of First United Church of Christ.
There is more light and truth to break forth from God’s holy word. The Holy Bible is inspired by God and is a living witness of God at work in the world. We also recognize that God is still-speaking in new ways to inspire and address our contemporary times.
In the essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity. We recognize that mutual understanding, respect for each person’s faith, and seeking a shared faith are essential to First United Church of Christ.
Priesthood of All Believers. Each person of faith is called to love their neighbor. So we say, “Everyone is a minister of the church.”
The Sacrament of Baptism is a sign of God’s love, grace, and belonging in the family of God.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion gathers all God’s children to celebrate Christ’s presence in our midst and be renewed by God’s love and grace.
United Church of Christ
“The United Church of Christ is an inclusive and diverse community of Christians connected by faith that calls us to build a just world for all. Our ministries advocate at a national and global level, but our roots are planted firmly in our local churches in communities like yours.”
First United Church of Christ holds a covenantal relationship with sister churches within the Southwest Association of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ. Both the Association and the Conference staff provide support and resources to local churches, and together we work to proclaim the gospel of Christ in our communities and in the wider world.
Learn more about our denomination, the United Church of Christ, its history, organization, and its ministries at: ucc.org
United Church of Christ Statement of Faith in the Form of a Doxology
We believe in you, O God, Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God, and to your deeds we testify:
You call the worlds into being, create persons in your own image, and set before each one the ways of life and death.
You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.
You judge people and nations by your righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, you have come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to yourself.
You bestow upon us your Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.
You call us into your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be your servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.
You promise to all who trust you forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, your presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in your realm which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto you.
Amen.