An Open and Affirming church in the heart of New London, CT
Who We Are
The First Congregational Church in New London has been part of the New London community since the mid 1600’s when we gathered as the first organized congregation in New London. In the late 1800’s, our church bell was used by arrangement with the town to call people to town meetings and to sound fire alarms.
Times have changed but we continue to worship in the heart of the city, seeking to understand how God is calling us to share the love of Christ today. We treasure our history, while also seeking out what new things God is doing in our midst. Our doors are wide open and we enthusiastically welcome new people into our fellowship.
Even though our congregation is more than 400 years old, our thinking is not.
We are firmly Christ-centered but focus more on discipleship than on dogma. We have no one creed upon which all must agree. What we share is not so much agreement on certain beliefs but rather a common passion to experience and share the love of God through Christ. We journey together toward that deeper love through worship, bible study, fellowship and service to our community.
We have no formal pastor, and take turns giving the weekly lessons, blending a Bible passage,
related message, and responses from the congregation with prayers, hymns and Communion.
We also invite pastors or lay people from other denominations to share their faith with us. Our
weekly faith practices strengthen and energize our focus and our trust in the power of God’s
Love in our world.
As members of the United Church of Christ, we function as an independent community within a broader fellowship. A local leadership team sets the direction for our church. Everyone has a voice. The work of the church does not take place only on Sunday and does not end at the church door. Our hope is that every member of our community finds themselves empowered with a specific vision of how they can minister to others, in love. Our goal is to support each other in whatever form our individual ministries take.
Come and get to know us by joining us for worship, coming to a Bible Study, helping in our ministries or coming in to talk about the church. If you would feel more comfortable knowing more about us before coming, we would be delighted to speak with you over the phone or via e-mail, whichever you prefer.