Our Story
This church is independent in spirit and congregational in organization, welcoming into its fellowship persons embodying a wide range of religious convictions. We honor the Timucua, Seminole, and all other Native people who lived on this land and cared for it long before us. The church values the human diversity each individual brings to the congregation, including racial identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and religious background.
Membership in the church is based solely upon a person’s acceptance of the Compact of the United Church of Gainesville. (See below)
To worship God, however known,
To welcome into our church those of differing
understanding and theological opinion,
To learn from our religious heritage, yet to
grow by seeking new dimensions of truth.
To follow, even imperfectly, the way of Jesus
in personal involvement with each other,
And, strengthened by this bond, to act in
Christian concern for the welfare of all people.
Church Life
The spirit of religious inquiry is strong in this church, and a program of education and discussion for both children and adults stands with the service of worship and our outreach to others as the basis of the entire church life.
Behavioral Covenant
In May of 2025, the congregation of the United Church of Christ voted to adopt a Behavioral Covenant to govern our life in relationship with each other within our community. The behavioral covenant is the result of months of church wide work and collaboration to establish normalized expectations of how we interact with one another.
In this covenant, we draw inspiration from our church compact “to follow, even imperfectly, the way of Jesus in personal involvement with each other” by promising to:
Treat each other with love, kindness and compassion.
Be supportive, welcoming and inclusive.
Listen to the words, ideas and feedback of others attentively and with a curious mind.
Speak only from our own experience, using “I” statements whenever possible.
Discuss, debate and disagree in an open and respectful manner.
Express our feelings honestly, and respond to one another with patience and a desire to understand, recognizing that others may be experiencing difficulties that are unknown to anyone else.
When conflict happens, remember to pause if triggered, assume the best intentions of each other, invite more information, respond with respect and refrain from negative judgment.
Take personal responsibility for our actions and seek repair and reconciliation when we harm others.