WE BELIEVE ...
OUR DOCTRINE
This Church recognizes the Bible as the sufficient rule of faith and practice, and holds that living in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ is the true test of fellowship. Each member shall have the undisturbed right to follow the Word of God according to the dictates of his/her own conscience under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The following statements of faith and principles, therefore, are not a test but an expression of the spirit in which the Church interprets the Word of God.
We believe in God as the only living and true God.
We believe in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the enlightener, sanctifier, and guide of God's people.
We believe also in the Holy Scriptures as a revelation from God.
OUR COVENANT
We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the Holy Scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord, made known to us or to be made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the Church of Christ to proclaim the Gospel to all humanity, exalting the worship of the one true God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brother/sisterhood, depending, as did our forebears, upon the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. We work and pray for the transformation of the world into the Kingdom of God, and we look with faith for the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The object of this Church shall be to bind together followers of Jesus Christ for the purpose of sharing in the worship of God and in making God’s will dominant in the lives of people, individually and collectively, especially as that will is set forth in the life, teachings, death, and living presence of Jesus Christ.
OUR POLITY
This Church acknowledges Jesus Christ as its head and finds in the Holy Scriptures, interpreted by the Holy Spirit through reason, faith, and conscience, its guidance in matters of faith and discipline. This Church is independent in respect to its internal organization and regulation of its affairs, yet recognizes and sustains the relations of mutual counsel, fellowship, and covenant with other churches in the Congregational tradition, and seeks the promotion of peace with all churches of our Lord.
OUR BYLAWS
You can view the bylaws of The First Church in Weymouth here.
CONGREGATIONALISM
The Congregationalist Tradition
What is a Congregational church? As stated on the Congregational Library website, the Congregational tradition dates back to sixteenth century England where Protestant reformers formed the ideal of independent local churches free from liturgical ceremony and hierarchical control by the Church of England. These reformers, also known as Puritans, emigrated to New England in the mid-1600s to establish a "godly commonwealth" of locally governed churches with simple forms of worship governed by the people of the congregation. As a Protestant denomination built on strong community bonds, the Congregational churches went on to exercise a broad influence on American culture both in the world of ideas and in efforts for social reform.
The First Church in Weymouth is an independent Congregational Church in this historic tradition. We express our bonds with the wider community through our vibrant relationship with the Town of Weymouth and our covenantal relationship with the Massachusetts Association of Congregational Christian Churches.
What Does It Look Like?
As a Congregational church, our governance is vested in the body of believers who compose it under the leadership of Jesus Christ and the guidance of Holy Scripture. The highest human authority in our church is the congregation itself. We gather regularly for two annual meetings (autumn and winter), and for special meetings when circumstances warrant in order to conduct the business of our church.
Apart from those meetings, three boards see to the regular affairs of the church. The Diaconate has oversight over the spiritual affairs of the church including all aspects of the services of worship. The Board of Trustees has charge of the financial affairs of the church and acts as its legal representative in business matters. The Church Council is a mixture of elected, appointed and ex officio positions. It is the church's executive board and handles the remaining affairs of the church between meetings of the congregation.
The church also has four standing committees: Christian Education, Mission and Outreach, Finance, and Publicity. These committees handle the day to day operations of many programs and aspects of church life. There are also elected officers who oversee and direct different aspects of church life and governance. Through the efforts of all these people and groups, the church is governed fully by its members. All are encouraged to become members and actively participate in the life and operation of their church.