Our Denomination Affiliation

The Norwich Congregational Church (UCC) is a congregation of the United Church of Christ denomination, which was itself formed out of several other church entities in 1957. Our relationship with the denomination is tempered, however, by our congregational system of governance, which means that decisions are taken by the membership of the congregation as a body, and not handed down to us by an overarching authority. These decisions range from who will be our pastor to what will be served at coffee hour. We see all of these decisions, from the largest to the smallest, as part of the fabric of our ministry of care to one another, to our neighbors, and to the world.

But we are bound to the wider denomination by a covenant, in which we and the United Church of Christ promise to support one another and work toward common goals. The larger denomination is organized into Conferences (we are members of the Vermont Conference) and smaller sub-units called Associations (we are members of the Windsor-Orange Association). Meeting with representatives of other congregations allows us to “take the world’s temperature” together, so that we might better identify and respond to its needs.

It has been said that there are as many doctrinal opinions in the Norwich congregation as there are members, and while that may not be strictly true, we have a history of valuing freedom of inquiry in both ethical and theological matters alike. We tend to bring to our encounters more questions than answers, and we believe that in the mutual give-and-take — in worship, in congregational meetings, and in informal social gatherings — we are gradually moving toward a more holistic and generous worldview, and a better sense of our place in God’s mission of reconciliation and love.

We hope that you will join us in that journey, by bringing your own particular insights, values, and gifts to that work.