Our History
Our First Church of Christ in Woodbridge is a member of the United Church of Christ (UCC), a denomination that now can be found from coast to coast. Our origins are in New England. We are direct spiritual descendants of the Pilgrims that landed on Plymouth Rock. As refugees from the persecution they were experiencing in England, they immigrated to the New World to find freedom of religion. They had wished each parish to be separate, allowed to call its own pastor, and to be able to worship in the form that each congregation chose. As a result, they were referred to as “Congregationalists” or, disparagingly, as “Separatists.”
Originally Calvinist and very strict in its beliefs, the United Church of Christ today is considered a mainline Protestant denomination, and one of the more liberal ones at that. We are truly Christians, believing in Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church. We observe the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. We also observe the rites of confirmation, marriage, ordination, and the confession of sins. We are Trinitarians, and consider the Bible to be the basis for our doctrine.
Since our parishioners have come to us from many denominations and from many places on their individual faith journeys, there are apt to be lively discussions on our individual differences and agreements. No one is required to “toe the line.” Each person, through prayer and study, is expected to grow in the Christian faith. Where you are today is less important than where you will be tomorrow.
