Our Mission Statement
~Approved by FCUCC Congregation February 2024
First Christian United Church of Christ in Burlington, North Carolina opens wide its doors to all who hunger for God and God’s righteousness. It seeks to provide rest for weary spirits, comfort for troubled hearts, and to inspire all to follow Jesus Christ in unselfish service to humankind. We, in the spirit of Jesus’ great commandments, commit to love God and our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:28-34) and follow Paul’s teaching of acceptance of one another (Romans 14:1-15: 13).
We believe that all people are created in God’s image and are blessed and loved equally by God. We welcome with respect, and nurture with intention, the gifts of all who come to us on the journey of faith and seek eternal salvation under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. We welcome everyone to join us in the life and leadership of our family of faith, and in our ongoing commitment as an Open and Affirming Congregation. The people of First Christian United Church of Christ are dedicated to always being a welcoming and loving church; a “House of Christian Fellowship for ALL people.”
Who We Are
FIRST CHRISTIAN UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST is an intergenerational community of faith that connects the young and young at heart to the love of God made real in Jesus Christ.
We are comfortable with a diversity of ideas. We support those who have doubts and questions about faith. With the Holy Bible as our guide, we also recognize that “God is still speaking” to us through the Holy Spirit as we move along in our journey of faith.
If you are looking for a church where everyone will know your name, this is the church. First Christian UCC financially supports a large number of missions, locally and world-wide. We serve others in any way that we can because we are aware of the many blessings that God has provided us and we wish to model Jesus in his service to others.
Our History
Our Statement of Faith
Our Statement of Faith
Our church has the oldest Christian congregation in Burlington, NC. In 1884, Burlington was called Company Shops. It was so called because the railroad needed a maintenance shop for its trains and tracks near the county seat of Graham. The law stated that the maintenance yard had to be a certain distance from the Courthouse. As the settlement grew, the railroad saw the need for a place of worship for the men and women who had come to live there. So they built Union Church, the only church the railroad ever built. All denominations used it. From 1884 to 1893 the early members of First Christian Church worshiped there. On February 18, 1884, a group of 18 people came together and signed a statement of principles marking the formal organization of the church. They continued to meet at Union Church. Then in October 1890, they decided to build their own church. A year passed while they collected money to start construction. In September 1891 they started to build on a lot donated by B. A. Sellars. In December 1893, their church was dedicated. For the next 27 years the congregation worshiped in their building on the southeast corner of Church and Davis Streets. When the congregation outgrew their building, they began raising money for a new church. In 1920, the new church building was dedicated. With the ranks of steep steps leading up to massive columns and four main front doors coupled with the dome, our church reminds one of early Greek and Roman architecture. Our church is the only one in town with main entrances on what were originally the two main roads into and out of Burlington. Besides the dome, we take a lot of pride in and pleasure from the six Italian crafted stained glass windows which depict favorite Bible stories. They are over 88 years old and valued at over 1 million dollars. Our doors are open to everyone. If you find the steps daunting, we have an elevator accessible from the parking lot, through the breezeway.
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Our Statement of Faith
Our Statement of Faith
Our Statement of Faith
United Church of Christ
Statement of Faith
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 jin Him in His passions 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.
Our Future
Our Statement of Faith
Our Future
First Christian United Church of Christ believes God is still speaking and we are committed to the light and vision God shares.
We continue to look towards the future with enthusiasm and energy as we work to fulfill our purpose in God’s world. We are dedicated to exploring what it means to be a progressive church community.
We continue to faithfully covenant with the United Church of Christ and to be faithful in missions, evangelism, worship, and prayer. But most importantly, First Christian UCC’s community of faith continues to stop, look, and listen for God’s voice.
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