The First Congregational Church of Sharon
Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Sharon!
An Open and Affirming Church of the United Church of Christ
Please come in and worship with us!
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Worship Services Are Every Sunday 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Or, for those who cannot attend in person
Join our Live Stream on Facebook 10:00 a.m. every Sunday
Worship Services are also posted on our Facebook page for viewing at your leisure.
Our Sanctuary is open to all!
Location: 29 North Main Street in Sharon, MA 02067
Parking: Parking is available in the municipal parking lot behind the church on High Street, with additional on street parking on High
and North Main Streets.
Our Story
Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Sharon, MA!
We are an Open and Affirming Church of the United Church of Christ. This means that we intentionally welcome anyone into our community, no matter your race, skin color, ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, family structure, physical or mental ability, or health and economic circumstance. We welcome everyone into the fellowship and service of our congregation.
Our mission is to grow in our relationships with God and those around us. We find God in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures, in service to others, and in the celebration and commemoration of the important milestones in the life of our families and communities.
Come and join us!
Statement by the First Congregational Church of Sharon
An Open and Affirming Church of the United Church of Christ
“In the loving spirit of Jesus Christ, we, the First Congregational Church of Sharon, affirm the dignity and worth of each person. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, whatever your race, color, ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, family structure, physical or mental ability, health and economic circumstance, you are welcome in the full life and ministry of this church. We invite all to walk with us in the ways of the Lord, asking you to join in the blessings and responsibilities of our faith community. All are invited to join us at Christ’s table.”
The members of the First Congregational Church of Sharon voted unanimously in 2013 to join the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ, adopting the above welcome statement which advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the UCC and beyond, and equips UCC congregations to become effective witnesses to Christ’s extravagant welcome. Over the past 11 years, we have lived by this commitment to receive all people into our community and to accept each other as we come to the table, as reflected in our Welcoming Statement above, written to echo the promise of God’s love for all.
Over the weekend of July 28, 2024, our church was targeted by a group that does not agree with the values and beliefs of an open and affirming church. The word SIN was taped over the front of the Pride flag on our front circle, and a Christian flag and banner with “Jesus is King” were left behind, presumably to replace both our Pride flag and Progress Pride flag. Copies of an anonymous letter focusing on biblical passages interpreted in a way that condemns homosexuality were found in our mailbox.
We reported the incident to the Sharon Police Department; four other Welcoming churches in the area were also targeted by what appears to be the same group, given the similar actions at each location.
On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, our community gathered in our sanctuary to pray together, discuss what happened, and plan how we will move forward as a congregation. We decided on two actions: to make this Hate Crime public knowledge, and to reaffirm our commitment to being a welcoming, open, affirming, and loving church to all people, especially to our siblings in the LGBTQIA+ community. We will not be bullied into changing who we are and what we believe. And now more than ever, we will continue to proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love for all people, which we see reflected in God’s Rainbow.
Statement from the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Council of Churches: https://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024.08.02-FINAL-MCC-Church-Violence-Statement.pdf
Joint Statement from the Episcopal Dioces of Massachusetts, the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ: https://www.masscouncilofchurches.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024.08.02-DIomass-ELCA-UCC-statement-on-LGBT-Church-Violence.pdf