About Us

The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant denomination founded in 1957 when the Evangelical and Reformed and Congregational Christian denominations decided to join forces. The UCC values “unity in diversity.“ We honor the freedom of conscience for individuals and congregations.  At the same time, we are bound to one another in covenant (God-centered promise).

The UCC does do not have a set creed or confession of faith. We believe that “God is Still Speaking”—that we can hear God’s ancient story in fresh new ways that relate to our lives now. We try to be attentive to God’s creative movement in the world, and to prepare our members for lives of engaged, active faith.

The United Church of Christ has a proud history of being at the forefront of social change. We took an early stand against slavery and worked actively for its abolition. We fought for civil rights. We ordained female clergy, African American clergy, and openly gay clergy long before other denominations. We stood with farm workers in their struggle for dignified treatment. We have embraced marriage equality for GLBT couples. Click here to view an interactive timeline that outlines these significant events and more in the history of the UCC.

First Church is proud to be part of the United Church of Christ and our regional Minnesota Conference. A portion of our budget supports the UCC’s mission at the local, national, and global levels. We also regularly collect special offerings that contribute to special projects in the UCC that extend the hands of our church around the world.