494 East Main Street Hillsboro, OR 97123 (503) 648-4341

About First Congregational and the UCC First Congregational Church of Hillsboro is a member of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ denomination. A good discussion of what it means to be a UCC member church can be found in a document titled What is the United Church of Christ? . In particular, the section titled "What we believe" gives a good overview of the characteristics of a United Church of Christ congregation. Our Mission Statement We are Christians who have joined together to worship God and educate ourselves, our children, and others in our Christian faith. We are called to share the Good News of the Gospel and minister to our community and to the world. Following Christ's teachings, we open our church and ourselves to all in a spirit of fellowship and mutual support. Our Vision Statement We are working toward a vision of "no longer strangers" in our communities. We are achieving this vision by seeing the strangers in our own lives, by offering them servant hospitality through Jesus Christ, and by creating ecumenical partnerships with other faith communities. We are honoring this vision by openly affirming God's love for all people. We explicitly welcome everyone into our Christian community, fellowship, and worship, regardless of sexual orientation, ethnic identity, economic circumstance, physical or mental ability, or any other perceived differences. More about us We are a diverse and accepting congregation. Each of us searches the Scriptures and our own conscience for the way God would have us live and believe. Our faith in Jesus Christ binds us together in unity of Spirit. In our diversity we find a sign of God's loving kindness. We choose to trust the integrity of each one's "walk of faith." Many who attend First Congregational Church find they are allowed and encouraged to express a wider range of faith questions, answers and viewpoints than they have experienced in other churches. We pride ourselves on our theological latitude, yet find a very deep unity within our Christian faith and sincere attempt to live as the followers of Jesus. We make decisions democratically, and leadership is shared by all who choose to offer theirs. We believe in being active within the community through service projects and through partnerships with other churches. In all that we do, we respect the integrity of each person who seeks to follow God in his or her own way. Please call the church with any questions. The Rev. Diane Dulin will be most happy to speak with you and provide answers to your questions, an invitation to join us in worship, and a sincere respect for your faith journey.

No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome at the United Church of Christ. Sadly, NBC & CBS choose not to air our ad of inclusiveness. View The Ad Take Action Blog

Sunday Worship and Education Schedule

Our service is rather traditional in format and somewhat progressive in content. People come in casual clothing, and newcomers are both expected and welcomed. We practice open communion. You need not be a church member to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (which is served on the first Sunday of each month.)

Please come and worship God at First Congregational United Church of Christ! We would like to tell you about our choir rehearsal (children and adults), youth ministry meetings, special and ongoing Bible and book study groups. projects of service within the community, and special worship services or other programs which are offered at various times of the year.

Christian Education for Children

Weekly Sunday School

Sunday School takes place each week. See the Sunday Schedule for information.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School is held each year, generally during June.

Christian Education for Adults & Teens

Adult Sunday School (Bible Study)

Sundays at 9:30am, led by Rev. Harvey Booth. Childcare is provided

Theology Book Study

Tuesdays at 7:00am in the Pastor's study.

Youth Ministry

Senior High Youth (9^th-12^th Grade)

Meets every other Sunday from 12:00 to 2:00pm with Marie Hatton as the youth advisor.

Mid High Youth (6^th-8^th Grade)

Meets twice a month on Sundays 12:00 to 2:00pm with Lynette Trabosh (503-681-2284)

Kids' Club (4^th-5^th Grade)

Meets monthly.

Children's Music: Bells and Choir

Call or check the calendar for information.

Other Fellowship Groups

Readers' Rendezvous

Meets every two months to discuss novels chosen by the group. See the calendar and announcements for details

The Mission and Outreach of our Church

You are invited to become involved in the mission of Christian compassion, activism, and witness through any of the following projects:

Family Bridge

This is our ecumenical ministry with the homeless. Every nine weeks, our church hosts several homeless families for a week. Meals are provided by church members, and other members volunteer to stay overnight at the church. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Maleah clark at 503-681-0899 or Meeta Heuss at 503-591-7439

Additionally, Hospitality House (the day center for the network) is always in need of volunteers during daytime hours. This keeps the doors open for families and allows our director to work at finding jobs, apartments, etc. for participating parents and kids. If you'd like to volunteer at Hospitality House, please contact Karen Hudspeth.

Homeless Youth

We are currently recruiting partner congregations for participation in the ministry with homeless high school youth which will begin in early 2005. One night per week, we will offer a hot meal, a video, and an opportunity to take a shower. Most of all, we will offer welcome and hospitality along with community referrals and resources to serve homeless youth.

Christmas Boxes

For the past few years, our church has donated Christmas boxes to needy families in our area, providing food, gifts, and household items. Church members donate throughout the year to ensure that the Christmas boxes are stuffed with goodies!

Emergency Food

Our church provides lunch bags with a balanced meal for hungry people. Church members donate non-perishable food items, and volunteers assemble these into lunch bags. Want to get involved? Bring "lunchbox" items that do not need refrigeration or preparation and place them in the barrel in the Narthex at any time.

Ten Thousand Villages

Each winter, our church plays host to a Ten Thousand Villages craft fair. Ten Thousand Villages provides vital, fair income to Third World artisans by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Find out more at tenthousandvillages.com. There's a store in Portland, too, if you just can't wait until December!

Fair Trade Coffee

Our church sells fair trade coffee, which ensures that farmers world-wide receive a fair price for their labor -- and consequently lose the incentive to plant illicit drug crops instead.

Location of First Congregational Church

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