ABOUT US

What We Believe

Mission Statement

How Eliot Works

Open and Affirming

Safe Church

History

Eliot History
UCC History
John Eliot

Staff

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About Us

What We Believe

An Expression of Eliot's Identity
Eliot Church is a community that brings to the meeting house different religious traditions, unique paths of spiritual seeking, and varying ways of living out the promise of the Spirit in the larger world. From our many and varied backgrounds, we are drawn together to worship and celebrate the sacraments; to share joys and sorrows; to feast; to read, debate and ponder the word of God. The many mysteries of faith have laid claim to us all in separate ways, but the unique bond of that faith allows us to be one community.

We find practical ways to love and care for each other in our daily lives. We cherish the many children in our midst, and seek to share with them our reverence for the scriptures, our faith in God and our experience of the love of Christ. We attempt to practice generosity and reconciliation towards each other and towards the world, by reaching out in social witness to the Gospel. By our common commitment to be a church together, we try to be faithful stewards of our time, talents and personal resources in all that we do. And through it all we trust that God's grand design goes on: We stumble, we search, we know we are not in control, and we rejoice that grace abounds!

Open and Affirming Statement

We, the worshipping community of the Eliot Church of Newton, believe in God and God's love for us and for all people. We are mindful that Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves and that each person is a member of the whole human family. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."

We affirm that all people are children of God. We honor and warmly welcome everyone, and we are committed to being a uniting church that embraces the rich diversity of God's creation. We recognize, celebrate and give thanks for the many gifts of all of God's children. We encourage those of every race, gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic circumstance, marital status and physical or developmental ability to join in the full life and ministry of Eliot church.

We acknowledge that Christian churches have not always welcomed all believers into the full life of the Church. As a congregation that is Open and Affirming within the United Church of Christ, we accept the responsibility to work individually and collectively against all forms of discrimination, to continue our efforts toward inclusiveness and to celebrate all relationships founded on the principles of God's love, compassion and faithfulness.

474 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02458 - 617-244-3639