OUR CORE BELIEFS

Hillcrest is a congregation within the United Church of Christ, a national protestant denomination which both empowers local churches to shape their own ministries and promotes cooperation among regional and national entities within our denomination, and with other denominations and religions.  The UCC says of itself that it is both “United” and “Uniting.” God calls us to community and to cooperation. At Hillcrest we build bridges, not walls, as we walk in the way of Jesus Christ.

Over the years, the people of Hillcrest have adopted four “statements” that guide our ministries: 

  • We strive to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, and to share the Gospel with the wider community. As a community of faith, we affirm the oneness of the human family and embrace all of God’s children, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, age, sexual orientation or other labels that could divide or distinguish one from another. Recognizing that we are called to love one another as God loves us, we commit individually and collectively to develop and nurture spiritual growth and to create an atmosphere which seeks to promote the principles of agape love.

    Our Church Community’s Guiding Purpose teaches us:

    • To Follow the teachings of Jesus Christ

    • To share the Gospel with the community

    • To love one another as God loves us

    • To affirm the Oneness of the human family

    • To embrace all of God’s children regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, age, sexual orientation or other labels that could divide or distinguish one from another

    • To develop & nurture spiritual growth

    • To promote the principles of agape love

    Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12)

    Love with your actions in truth/Love is as Love does. (1 John 3:18)

    Take the time to respond to people’s needs.

    Love persons indiscriminately, even if inconvenient, risky or expensive.

  • We, the people of Hillcrest Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, seek to be a community of Christians who celebrate and live in openness to the voice of the Still Speaking God.  As we seek to live out our Guiding Purpose, to “affirm the oneness of the human family and embrace all of God’s children,”  we welcome everyone, including persons of all sexual orientations, gender identity and expression, mental and physical ability, socio-economic status, marital status and family structure, age, race, and nationality, into the full life and ministry of the church. 

  • “We strive as a community of faith to create and enhance an atmosphere which seeks the welfare and happiness of others without expecting anything in return. To do this we nurture and respect all of God’s children.

    We commit ourselves both individually and collectively to develop and nurture spiritual growth. We strive to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, to fulfill God’s vision for humankind and all of creation, and to share this vision with the wider community.”

  • “Responding to God’s love and will, we unite in striving to walk in the way of Jesus Christ, to be open to His leading, faithful in following Him, and constant in our loyalty to His church. We covenant with God, and with one another, to accept the cost and joy of this discipleship, and in mutual love and respect, pledge ourselves to seek the growth and consummation of God’s kingdom, which has no end.”