Holmdel UCC Spirit and Tradition

1. Our church is hospitable. It is a place of open doors. We welcome Christians of many backgrounds and denominations without making them take a test of faith or loyalty. Our only request is that people join us on our journey of discovery, traveling ever closer to God's presence and will for our lives.

2. We agree to disagree. We are not a 'creedal' church that depends on a set list of beliefs, we are a "covenanting' church that journey's together in faith. As Christians we come from a spectrum of beliefs from Protestant to Catholic, from liberal to conservative. And we agree to respect, and even learn from each other; believing that sincere dialogue is enriching.

3. We are a people of the Word; we trust in, and learn from, God's holy Word in scripture. It is a mirror within which we find-ourselves. Yet we are not fundamentalist or dogmatic in our approach. We respect modern scholarship and archeology that seeks to delve more deeply into the history and background of scripture, which still holding its authority in our lives.

4. We are an open-hearted church, reaching out in love to the most destitute and forgotten. Through the work of dozens of dedicated volunteers, our church seeks to help people face-to-face through gifts of food, clothing, blankets, conversation and funds. We do not condemn those who are different than we are or insulate ourselves from society. As Christians we are in the world, but not of the world; 'one foot in piety, one foot in society."

5 Key Points of Faith

1. Freedom of conscience and private judgment.
   (We are each entitled to our own personal approach to God; and the church does not dictate the terms.)
2. This church is non-creedal - There is no test of belief - Christian character is the only requirement.
   (We do not all need to be at the same place on the journey to God, and the church is not meant to enforce conformity of belief. How we live is the main test.)
3. Authority of the local church - simple church government - Lay leadership
   (This church is very democratic. The local church runs its own business and its leadership is shared amongst its members. All members are ministers, not just clergy.)
4. Sole authority of the Bible - while not fundamentalist in interpretation
   (We look to scripture for our authority, not to the church hierarchy or government or pubic opinion.)
5. Christ is the only head of the church
   (We are all equal in the church, all disciples. The head of the church is not the minister, or a Pope, or any other authority - only Christ.)

The United Church of Christ is one of the top ten 'Mainline' Protestant denominations with a total membership of 1 3/4 million members in the US and 6,450 congregations throughout America. The religious heritage of the UCC stems from the great traditions of the Protestant Reformation - Lutheran, Calvinist, and Congregational. These traditions were brought to America by Protestants fleeing persecution in Europe. The UCC was once 4 church bodies, now joined together in an ecumenical denomination whose goal is unity in Christ.

"In essentials, unity. In non-essentials diversity. In all things, love."

United Church of Christ Beliefs
"That they may all be one…" (John 17:11)

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

In essentials unity, in nonessentials diversity and in all things charity. The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view nor a rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of Christian faith and life are essential. The unity of the church is not of its own making. It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals. The common thread that runs through all is love.

Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith. We have no formula that is a test of faith. Through the centuries poems, confessions and catechisms have helped the church express what words alone cannot say: that God's love is available for everyone. We cherish the words of the past but are not limited by them in our modern lives.

There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's Holy Word. We celebrate the insights of our sacred writings and recognize that they still speak to us in our present condition. We also note that the study of the Bible is not limited to past interpretations but is to be pursued with expectancy for new insights and help for living today.

The priesthood of all believers. 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. The role of the minister is one of servanthood -- not hierarchical authority -- and their task is to guide, to instruct and to enable all believers to do the work of the ministry for we are not a church where the minister ministers and the congregation congregates.

Responsible freedom. As individual members, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of God's will for our lives. But we are also called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship with one another -- gathering in communities of faith, congregations of local believers and in local churches.

In short as Gracie Allen said,"Never place a period where God has placed a comma!"