ARTICLE III STATEMENTS OF FAITH

Section 1. THEOLOGY

God calls us and all of Creation into being, and to be in harmony within ourselves, with each other, and with the world. This harmony is created out of our diversity, and is rich, intense, beautiful, deep, and mysterious.

Jesus of Nazareth experienced a unique, intimate relationship with God, such that God’s aim for Jesus and the world was identical with Jesus’ aim. As a result, this possibility now is available to every human being. The Word came to the world and was fully incarnate in Jesus, who was fully human and fully divine. Because of this, he came to be called the Christ, the Anointed One.

Led by the Spirit, the followers of Jesus intentionally gather as the Church to worship God, to hear God’s word, and to carry the Word to each other and into the world through the doing of justice, which is God’s love in action.

Section 2. COVENANT

As College Community Congregational Church, we strive to be...

a community of faith,
gathered in response to the love of God,
made real to us in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ;

a family of faith,
where we value and honor each person as God’s gift,
where we understand life as a journey;

a community of Christian love,
where the worth and integrity of each person
are held in regard and protected;

a community of belonging,
where acceptance is practiced and diversity is appreciated,
where relationships matter;

a community of nurture,
where the Story is told and retold and claimed as our story,
where each person’s spiritual growth is supported and encouraged;

a community that invites and includes,
asking others to join us in the journey of faith,
reaching out to those in search of community;

a community of action,
where our faith compels us to make a difference in the world,
where the love of God, self, others and creation are known as inseparable;

a part of the United Church of Christ,
participating in its life and ministry,
and through it, reaching out in mission to the entire world;

a partner in the life of greater Fresno,
responding to its needs and opportunities,
seeking to contribute to the quality of life here for all people;

a partner in ecumenical endeavor,
seeking to express the unity of Christ’s body,
through worship and shared ministries to human need;

a community of hope,
experiencing the power of God’s love to redeem and reconcile,
trusting in the daily dawning of God’s reign in human lives;

a community open to God’s future,
where exploring and searching are valued,
where we expect the Spirit to lead and change us.

Section 3. STATEMENT OF INCLUSIVENESS

Our family of faith is open to people of every religious background, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, race, age, gender, education and economic status. We welcome all people to participate fully in our church’s life and ministry.