About Us
We are a loving and welcoming community of faith, nurturing and empowering people to enrich the lives of others
-
We are an Open and Affirming Church where people, especially those who have been previously excluded from other places of worship, can safely gather to fight for social justice and human rights issues, explore different forms of worship, and experience affirmation and support.
Our support system is unique. We believe everyone is deserving of love, and we love you from the moment you walk in the door. We offer a unique ability to love and welcome everyone and mean it.
-
CCC has been at the forefront of women’s rights and inclusion for the majority of its history. Like many Churches, our congregation is made up of a strong majority of women, with women leading and serving in foundational ways. Our worship, too, uses gender inclusive language--in our song books, our prayers, and our liturgies--and racially diverse imagery. All are included and represented in our worship and in our community.
-
Our church has been strongly focused on social justice issues since the 1950s, when members marched, protested, and developed programs to fight issues such as civil rights, fair housing, the farm workers movement, hunger, and domestic violence. We are an active church that asks patrons to live their faith- it’s not just about going to church on Sunday. It’s about what we can do to strengthen our community.
You Belong Here
The Community Church of Chesterland is an Open and Affirming Church, fully welcoming all people regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, faith, nationality, ethnicity, martial status, physical ability, economic situation or whatever other barriers there might be.
Today that statement drives our ministry in all areas of our church, from our building and grounds, to our worship, to our engagement in the community.
Statement of Belief
Many of us experience and express our experiences of the divine in different ways. This is how it should be. At Chesterland Community Church, everyone is encouraged to express and often struggle with their own beliefs and faith perspectives. This statement is not a test to see if you agree, but rather an example of how we might express our various perspectives of faith.
We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify:
God calls the worlds into being, creates humankind in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.
God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.
God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.
God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.
God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.
God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace,the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God.
“Our church is intergenerational, and everyone has the freedom to be who they are. We aren’t an institution, we are a family who actively cares for each other: spiritually, financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Simply and powerfully, we love each other and that love manifests into the work we do supporting our Community and each other”
— CCC member
Our Mission Statement
Community Church of Chesterland welcomes people of all backgrounds to celebrate the love of God and Jesus Christ. We strive to follow the examples of Christ and other faithful people as recorded in the Old and New Testament of the Bible.
As a family of faith we seek to live out our love for God by answering Jesus’ call “to love one another as I have loved you”.
As a congregation we are committed to growing in love and understanding, and to sharing the Good News by reaching out to our congregation, community, and world.