OUR COMMITMENTS
We are challenged to think and to question.
We seek to take Jesus seriously.
We work for justice in all of God’s creation.
We work at sharing God’s mercy.
We care for one another.
We are Open and Affirming.
We live into racial diversity.
We experience an interfaith life.
We seek to practice good stewardship.
We have five core values.
WE ARE CHALLENGED TO THINK AND TO QUESTION
Through preaching and study, we value the challenge to think
critically – respectfully and carefully – about the Bible, what
it meant and what it means today, how and why it was written and
what that means for us. We search for truths imbedded in its
stories and wrestle with some of its troubling texts, seeking
good news. We take the challenge to “Listen for the Word of
God.” Through the sharing of personal stories and the studying
of current events, we’re discovering that the Bible does not
contain the last word on God.
For more
about how the United Church of Christ reads and understands the
Bible,
click here.
We’re trying to understand what “following Jesus” means in a day
when nothing is as simple as it used to be. So we offer regular
studies and try to act on such matters as immigration, health
care, poverty, race, LGBT issues, and other mattes of real life.
To think, question, and act.
WE SEEK TO TAKE JESUS SERIOUSLY
Jesus can be difficult for many mainline Christians – highjacked
by conservative evangelical Christians. But we won’t ignore his
teachings. Who is a better model of faith, compassion, and a
prophetic life? We do not all agree on such ideas as “Savior”
and “Messiah” and “Lord.” But we are a gathering of people who
work at taking his life and teachings seriously and following
the example of Jesus in our everyday lives. Anyone who faced
Jesus was asked to change, to be transformed. Some did. Some
walked away because the personal cost was high. We are sustained
by worship in community to remain steadfast in our commitment to
lead a transformed life.
WE WORK FOR JUSTICE IN ALL OF GOD’S CREATION
We have a deep and enduring commitment to social justice. We
believe that our humanity flourishes in freedom. We seek not
only to define personal and social problems, but also to
understand how our faith can inform and guide our response to
them. Instead of standing downstream trying to lift suffering
people out of the water, we strive to go upstream to alleviate
the injustices that throw people into the water in the first
place.
For more, see our Just Peace Covenant
WE WORK AT SHARING GOD’S MERCY
Life is tough enough. Things we don’t expect and can’t control
happen every day. As we share our stories we keep in our prayers
those who suffer and are heavy laden. We believe it’s important
for everyone, no matter how troubled, to be lifted up with hope.
Justice without mercy is legalistic; compassion without justice
is unfinished business.
For more, see our page about
Social Justice and Service
WE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER
We are a community of young and old, black and white, gay and
straight, with differing perspectives, abilities and interests,
committed to caring for one another in times of joy and sorrow.
Many of us have discovered that no other everyday affiliation –
our co-workers, neighbors, family – allows us such diversity.
This church practices a true
ministry of caring between members.
WE ARE OPEN AND AFFIRMING
Convinced that "in Christ there is no longer Jew nor Greek,
slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one ...,
" Park Hill
Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, declared itself
to be Open and Affirming of women and men of all ages, races,
abilities, and sexual orientations who desire to share in its
services and activities.
It is hopefully a sign of progress that no one quite knows who
the LGBT members are and who are the “straight” ones. We are all
integrated into one another’s lives and in each other’s homes in
such a way that it doesn’t make a difference. Yet, we don’t hide
behind invisibility. Each person’s life and story is unique and
is to be celebrated. We host occasional potlucks for LGBT
members as a way to welcome new people to feel safe and secure
in community while being part of the whole church.
For more about our biblical understanding of homosexuality,
click here
To see our full Open
and Affirming covenant, click here
To learn more about the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns,
click
here
WE LIVE INTO RACIAL DIVERSITY
Multiculturalism marks the intersection of leadership, social
commitment, and faith. PHCC has been active with issues of race
and community for fifty years. While the congregation
predominantly stems from European roots, people of color in the
congregation are vital to shaping who we are and what we want to
be. We believe that ethnic and spiritual diversity are
fundamental to living our faith.
PHCC’s history with regard to the racial integration of our
neighbourhood is core to our story. Read more about
Our History in this area.
WE EXPERIENCE AN INTERFAITH LIFE WITH TEMPLE MICAH
We have shared our building with Temple Micah, a Reformed Jewish
Congregation, for about 30 years. The relationship has taken
many forms and we currently enjoy pulpit exchanges and
educational dialogues that enrich the faith of both
congregations.
Click here for more about
Temple
Micah
WE SEEK TO PRACTICE GOOD
STEWARDSHIP
2009 Time and Talents Survey
As hard as it is to achieve, we seek a maturity of spirit that
compels us to take responsibility for the health of the whole
human community and the globe on which we live. In addition to
performing random acts of kindness and sacrificing for justice,
we strive as individuals to give financial and service support
to and through our church. And the church in turn supports over
20 local groups and the national UCC with our dollars and
volunteer work.
Click here to see a list of
Our Partners in Ministry
WE HAVE FIVE CORE VALUES
We have tried to capture all of the above commitments in a
statement of core values:
Freedom to Think
Spiritual Nourishment
Inclusivity
Love of Neighbor
Commitment to a Just Peace
For
more about Our Beliefs,
click here.
