10 Things you should know
about Us

1. You Can Be Yourself Here
You don’t have to have your faith figured out before you walk through our doors. Bring your questions, your doubts, your hopes, your story, and yourself. We are a community of different backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and experiences, learning together what it means to follow Jesus in the way of love and justice.

2. Find Meaningful Worship.
Rooted in the Christian tradition, we continue to explore meaningful and creative ways to worship together, making space for inspiration, encouragement, comfort, challenge, and transformation.

People gathered around a table outdoors, serving and eating food during a community event on a sunny day with trees and buildings in the background.
People packing canned goods and food boxes in a room with yellow walls and ceiling lights.
A group of young children, sitting on colorful bean bags and a small carpet, listening to a woman reading a children's book. The children are wearing name tags and are in a cozy, decorated room with a bookshelf, artwork, and a small artificial tree.

3. We Are Open & Affirming.
In 2007, our congregation voted to become an Open & Affirming church, publicly affirming our commitment to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the life and ministry of our community. But for us, welcome is more than words on a page. We strive to be a church where people of every sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ability, age, background, and circumstance are not simply welcomed, but valued, celebrated, and invited to participate fully in our life together.

4. We Reach Beyond our Walls.
Our members are passionate about sharing our time, talent and resources to help those less fortunate and to promote justice in our community and the world. Colonial fosters a culture of volunteers.

5. We treasure our children and youth. We strive to provide a vibrant Christian education program. Volunteer leaders and the youth themselves are involved in the life of the church through worship, service and fellowship.

6. Our faith is 2,000 years old. Our thinking is not.
As part of the United Church of Christ, we are a progressive Christian community. We take the Bible seriously, but not literally, approaching scripture with curiosity, humility, and an openness to questions. We believe faith is something we continue to explore rather than something we have all figured out. We draw wisdom from scripture, Christian tradition, reason, lived experience, and the world around us as we seek to follow the way of Jesus in our own time and place.

Five people standing together, smiling, wearing festive aprons, at a holiday event. A banner in the background reads 'Happy Holidays from Colonial UCC.'

7. We are A Caring Community.
We believe church is a community where we care for one another through all that life brings. We celebrate life’s joys together and show up for one another when the way becomes difficult. Sometimes that means a call or a card, a meal or a ride, a prayer or a hug. Sometimes it simply means having someone by your side. Through it all, we remind one another that none of us has to walk alone.

8. We are a growing, multi-generational congregation.
We are an intergenerational community, bringing together people who have called this church home for decades and others who are just beginning to find their place here. We’re grateful for the growing presence of young adults, families, and children, and for the energy and new perspectives they bring to our life together.

9. This is not a “one-size-fits-all” church.
Much of our vitality comes from gathering in smaller groups, where friendships deepen around shared interests and experiences. From Bible studies and book clubs to writing, quilting, movie nights, women’s and men’s groups, and more, there are plenty of ways to connect, learn, laugh, and find community beyond Sunday morning.

10. Find Open Minds, and Open Hearts.
We come from many different religious traditions and find ourselves at different places on our journeys of faith. We don’t expect everyone to believe the same things or arrive at the same answers. Instead, we believe our different experiences, questions, perspectives, and convictions enrich our life together. Here, there is room to wonder, to wrestle, to change your mind, and to learn from one another.

A group of children and a pastor standing at the front of a church, some children wearing Easter-themed costumes and headbands, with a cross and religious decorations in the background.