At First Congregational Church of Canton Center (also known as “Canton Center Church”), we like to say that we’re a church with a long history and a contemporary spirit. We’re rooted in a historic Protestant faith, in a way that helps us interpret and live that faith in new ways for our current context. The basic idea is that our spiritual perspective is for the sake of real life in the real world, and for using our gifts to make that life as loving, compassionate and just as we can, for each other and for all others, following the way of Jesus in this world.
Following the teachings of Jesus and the ongoing leading of the Holy Spirit, we, The First Congregational Church of Canton Center, affirm that all people are created in the image of God, uniquely gifted, and called into the life of community.
We are an open congregation that fully welcomes and affirms persons of all ages, races, nationalities, faith backgrounds, economic and social status, marital status, family configuration, physical and mental health or ability, gender, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation.
We welcome all into full participation in the membership, fellowship and ministries of this church, as we seek to practice a faith that gathers us inclusively and equips us joyfully for lives of love and service, in both the church and the world.
About that long history…we’ve been here since 1750 (see more about our history here ) as a Congregational Church, and in the 1960’s joined most other Congregational churches in forming the United Church of Christ (UCC), the denomination we’ve been part of since.
What’s a Congregational church? It’s democratically organized around the principle that the ministry of the church belongs to all its members, such that many ministries are carried out by lay members and important decisions are made by the whole congregation. We’re structured so that committees take leadership for various ministry areas and are coordinated by a Church Council that is our governing body, made up of representation of all the committees, plus church staff.
What’s the United Church of Christ? We’re part of a denomination with a strong commitment to social justice, compassionate human community and care of creation in the living of the Christian spiritual path. The UCC is committed to diversity and inclusion, both in the church and in the church’s witness in the world. In terms of polity (way of being structured), it recognizes on the one hand the importance of local autonomy (each individual local church is in charge of its own life) and, equally, the importance of covenantal partnership among various levels of the church (we belong to and participate in wider UCC bodies). FCCCC is part of the Farmington Valley Association of the UCC and the Southern New England Conference of the UCC (MA, RI and CT).
For more about the national UCC, see www.ucc.org.
For more about the Southern New England Conference of the UCC, see www.sneucc.org.
We are an Open & Affirming congregation of the UCC, striving to be an inclusive and welcoming faith community, open to all, and are happy to welcome any who wish to connect with us and explore the life of our church.
For what to expect when attending worship services, see Worship and Music Ministry.
For information about children’s ministries, service & mission opportunities, fellowship events, how to receive church communications, or other interests you may have, please browse the various pages of this website.
Questions? Contact us at office@cantoncenterchurch.org, or 860-693-4581.