What We Believe

Federated Church is part of the United Church of Christ, a denomination with a rich and storied history and a promising future. Formed in 1957 from the merger of several earlier denominations, it is a “united and uniting church.” Committed to social justice and to sound theology, each local congregation is given its own responsible autonomy. Free of restrictive and limiting ties to a larger denomination, we are able to govern ourselves as we see fit.

At the same time, we are acutely aware that we are bound together with all churches and with all the world. Thus, everything we do is done with an eye to the larger world, and with an acute sense of our responsibility to care for all that hurts. Above all, we believe that God is still speaking, that God is doing a new thing in our midst, and that faith, hope, and love will have the last word.

"That they may all be one." (John 17:21) "In essentials–unity, in nonessentials–diversity, in all things–charity," These UCC mottos survive because they touch core values deep within us. The UCC has no rigid formulation of doctrine or attachment to creeds or structures. Its overarching creed is love. UCC pastors and teachers are known for their commitment to excellence in theological preparation, interpretation of the scripture and justice advocacy. Even so, love and unity in the midst of our diversity are our greatest assets.

Living in God's Grace, we value:

Extravagant Welcome: We warmly welcome and appreciate all people.
Wondrous Worship: We praise and glorify God at the front and center of our lives. We open ourselves to God's call while seeking to create sacred space wherever we are.
Faith Formation: We believe God is still speaking. We nurture and deepen our relationship with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit individually and in community.
Purposeful Leadership: We lead, work and serve together as followers of Christ to discern, design, create and inspire opportunities to experience the Divine.
Responsible Stewardship: We serve as faithful and generous stewards of God's gifts to us: time, money, talents, church resources and the earth to do God's work in the world.
Boundless Beauty: We encourage and celebrate individual and communal expressions of beauty in our worship and surroundings as examples of the Holy elegance of God.
Transformational Ministry: Following Jesus' example of love and justice, we seek to transform lives, including our own, through compassionate response, caring relationships, advocacy and active service.

At Federated Church, the phrase "All are Welcome" really means ALL.

In January 2007 the Central Council commissioned a group of church members as the Open & Affirming Task Force. This group met over the following months, reviewing various materials, meeting with other churches, our staff, and conducting education sessions for our congregation, among other activities.

In January 2009 they met with the Central Council, reported on the progress, and developed a statement which was finalized and then unanimously approved by Central Council on February 3, 2009. The Statement was presented and overwhelmingly received and supported by those in attendance at the Annual Meeting of the congregation on February 22, 2009.

The following Open & Affirming Statement is a statement of welcome to all people, and will let our light shine from the inside out, making a public witness that our Church is committed to the kind of inclusive grace that our Lord calls us to share. It was enthusiastically affirmed and officially designates Federated Church as an Open and Affirming congregation:

We, the members of The Federated Church of Chagrin Falls, Ohio believe that God is still speaking and we seek prayerfully to discern God’s plan for us today. Acknowledging God’s acceptance of us and Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, we affirm our belief that we are one body in Christ.

We welcome people of all races and ages, mental and physical abilities, marital status, gender or sexual orientation. We invite those from different backgrounds of economic class, ethnicity, and varieties of thought, expression and religious tradition to join us in our worship and to participate in the full life and ministry of our church.

We celebrate the diversity of God’s creation and believe that every person is uniquely made in God’s image. We embrace the joy of being accepted and affirmed by God and by one another.

We strive for justice and inclusiveness following Jesus’ example of love.

Baptism at Federated Church is a sacrament (or sacred celebration) signifying God’s gift of love and grace to everyone. It is the sign and seal of God’s never-ending care for the ones being baptized. As such, it is open to all people.

Because baptism is also our human response to that divine grace, it is expected that those being baptized, or their parent(s), will display a commitment to Federated Church. Faith is developed through practice in Christian community. Thus it is vital that those requesting baptism here be active in the life of the church and regularly present in worship at Federated.

Baptism can be arranged by contacting one of the pastors. Baptisms will be celebrated in public worship. There, the ones being baptized, or their parent(s), will make promises of commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ, and the congregation will make promises, in return, to assist in the development of faith.

In circumstances in which the baptismal commitments cannot be met, a rite of blessing may be offered. We welcome your participation in the life and faith of Federated.

We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at Christ's table for the sacrament of communion. In communion at Federated Church, we celebrate the love of God in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a love known as we join together in the sacrament (or sacred celebration). At the communion table, we give thanks for God’s grace, remember the blessings of Christ, confess our sin, and receive the assurance of God’s never-ending love. Both solemn and joyful, communion conveys the mysterious grace that we can never earn and nourishes us with the love of God.

Communion at Federated is open to all who seek to walk the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ. You need not be a member to share. You need not be successful or accomplished or happy or perfect. Simply know that you are welcome. It is a meal, a sacrament, of pure grace. Freely receive at the communion table a gift from God. And may that meal strengthen you for ministry in Christ’s name.

Children are welcome to share communion, and while we don’t require prior education about the sacrament, we do offer communion classes for fifth graders and older to enhance their experience of the meal.

In order to remove any obstacles to receiving communion, we use grape juice, and we have gluten-free bread available.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the sacrament, please contact a pastor.