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This congregation was established in 1836 in a site about a half-mile from the place we now call home. We’re proud of our long and stable history in this community. It’s a history that has long been entwined with the history of the city of Middletown’s.
And, though we are proud of our past, we are not preoccupied by it. We know what year it is, and we have a loving relationship with the God who makes all things new. God has been faithful to make this congregation new again and again – keeping us relevant in this ever-changing world.
The journey ahead
The goal of Christianity is not Heaven (though we all plan to meet there someday.) The goal of Christianity is to lead lives that give glory to God because they reflect the life of our Savior.
How does a church change so that its people can change? So that the world can change?
It needs to become a church …
- where people are committed to Christ, not just an institution
- where people are prepared for a life-long journey of growth, not just trained to be good, faithful members
- where people are focused on the vision God has given them for the future, not just perpetuating a heritage.
- where people come together in small groups of supportive friends, not just in endless committee meetings
- where the energy goes into caring for each other and making a difference in the world, not just administering an institution
- where reaching out into the community is something the whole church does, not just the work of a small committee doing outreach for the whole church;
- where everything we do is energized by the transforming power of Christ instead of being limited by the personal tastes and preferences of a few key members and leaders.
A little more about us
What we are, and have always been, is a congregation of the Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ),– a denomination forged on the frontier in America’s infancy; a denomination in which the beliefs we share are more important than the things that divide us. We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; and we openly confess our faith in Him. We believe that Jesus Christ was born into this world to bring us abundant life in the present and eternal life in the future, and that He was physically resurrected from the dead three days after He was sealed in a tomb. We believe it is God’s grace that saves us, not anything that we could do for ourselves. We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, and the local church exists to make a difference in the community – bringing hope and love to the world. We practice baptism by immersion for new believers, but do not require those who were baptized another way to submit to a second baptism. Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward change. We believe the Bible is God’s “life manual,” and it is every Christian’s responsibility to become a lifelong student of the Bible. We understand that God is bigger than any of us can comprehend, and we won’t let disagreements in interpretation of Scripture divide us. We affirm the call of men and women, young and old to ministry and to ministry leadership.
At the moment, we are more than 1,500 strong led by a committed group of staff and lay leaders. We welcome newcomers weekly, and pray that you might one day be among them.
Join us in worship, and see for yourself whether this is the church to which God is calling you.
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