About the United Church of Cookeville
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
The United Church of Cookeville is an inclusive fellowship dedicated to seeking and serving Christ in humility and love. We strive to be an accepting fellowship in Christ through weekly worship that enables our congregation to be attentive, caring, and supportive to the needs of members, visitors, and the community as a whole. The United Church of Cookeville is active and visible in the community through hands-on service, giving of funds, and availability of facilities for community use. Our congregation is a safe haven from hypocrisy and condemnation, including everyone at Christ’s table.
Who We Are
Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we.
We believe in extravagant welcome. This is why we insist that God’s communion table is open, not closed, and God’s gift and claim in baptism are irrevocable. We advocate justice for all. Our congregation extends hospitality as a sign of God’s inclusive love. We teach that evangelism — offering bread to those in search of it — is God’s mission. We think that many times the questions are more important than the answer. Our perspective is global, not provincial. We work with — not against — people of other faiths. Why? Because God is still speaking,
We bring together different traditions, varying worship styles, contrasting theological outlooks and the gifts of diversity found in Christianity. We celebrate the commonality of our faith in God made known to us through Jesus. As Christians, we are called to remember that what joins us with our sisters and brothers in faith is far greater than what divides us, and we recognize that the Church is at its best when it is living, dynamic and changing. In our midst are believers, questioners, and doubters, young and old, gay and straight, partnered and single, many with children and all who are children of parents, those who know what they believe and those who are still trying to figure it out.
Our life together is grounded in worship that draws from the best of our traditions and is open to the Spirit moving through us today. Together we engage in programs of education, service, spiritual practices, fellowship, and music — that we might grow closer to God, be drawn into a deeper relationship with one another and be more steadfastly connected to the world in which we live. We rely on God’s grace and guidance on our journey together.
What We Believe
Our faith is 2,000 years old. Our thinking is not.
We believe in God’s continuing testament. This is why we are committed to hearing God’s ancient story anew and afresh in our lives and in the world today. We try to remain attentive to God’s creative movement in the world. We believe that religion and science are not mutually exclusive, so your head and your heart are both welcome. We prepare our members and leaders to be engaged in ministry in the present and future church, and we embrace all kinds of communities and new modes of thinking.
- We believe God not only created the world but continues to create it each and every day.
- We believe we were created in God’s own image: beautiful and good.
- We believe that God’s own child and humanity’s savior, Jesus Christ, is a hope, redeemer, and friend to each of us.
- We believe in the Holy Spirit, the power of God at work in our daily lives day by day. It sustains us and is with us always.
- We believe that we are called to be real, honest and authentic.
- We believe that we are called to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Never place a period where God has placed a comma.
We believe the church’s mission is to change lives — individually, systemically and globally. We work to make transformation possible, but trust in God’s grace. This is why we insist that the United Church of Cookeville is a place of honesty and vitality in worship, learning, and advocacy. We are committed to working for justice, and we believe that lives are changed through global experiences and friendships.
The United Church of Christ
The United Church of Cookeville is a congregation of the United Church of Christ. The UCC is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination of 5,000 churches and over one million members. We are people of God’s extravagant welcome, who listen for the Still Speaking God and insist that “Jesus didn’t turn people away, and neither do we.”
