10. What if church is like spinach…?
You know, like something that you hated as a kid but you love as an adult because you eat it in ways that suit you much better. Church can be like that. In the UCC, things are often quite different and worth checking out.

9. Variety …
At St. Peter's United Church of Christ, we worship in a variety of ways. Our Director of Music Ministry, Dr. Daryl Hollinger, puts it this way: When we sing songs from other cultures and other times, we unite with Christians everywhere in giving praise to God.”

8. No apologies …
You are what you are … and so are we. We embrace diversity.

7. No waiting …
No reservations needed!

6. No boxes …
UCC people tend to think “outside the box.” We've pioneered with many firsts. We were the first mainline church to take a stand against slavery (1700), the first to ordain an African American person (1785), the first to ordain a woman (1853), the first in foreign missions (1810), and the first to ordain openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons (1972). We value education for all people. We founded Harvard and Yale, and many historically black colleges.

5. One God, one faith, one baptism for all …
When we baptize someone into our community of faith, we promise that we will never take it back, no matter what you or others discover about yourself along life's journey. We believe that baptism places each of us into the “body of Christ” and lasts forever. Some are baptized as infants, others as adults. Some are sprinkled, others immersed. Some reclaim their baptism from a previous church life. For each of us, baptism is big enough, strong enough, and cleansing enough to last forever. We believe that everyone - old or young, physically or emotionally challenged or not, rich or poor, sure or unsure, lost or found, Democrat, Republican, or Independent - has a place in the body of Christ. Baptism is like a badge that says, “You're a full member of the church, now and always.”

4. Good news people …
We believe that number 5 above is good news!

3. Party church …
God is having a party and we are all invited. At God's party, our spiritual hungering is fed and our thirsting is quenched. At God's party, we get strength, stamina, and community support that help us through the tough times that come to everyone. Feeding our spiritual hunger helps reduce those “I can't believe I'm so stupid” moments. But we will never eliminate them all. That's why we need friends and companions, and not judges (no offense to judges) for the journey.

2. Spiritual guidance …
It's not about commandments. It's about relationships - even with God. The most important relationship is our relationship with God. Second most important are our relationships with the rest of the human family. In balance, these relationships produce justice amid injustice, kindness in the face of meanness, and the humility of self-acceptance that comes as we sense the presence of a God who knows our inmost thoughts and loves us just as we are. Spiritual journeys can be like the exercise equip-ment we buy and don't use. Without coaches and workout partners, most of us don't stick with it. We're the “journeys wanted” people. Bring yours.

1. We're waiting for you …
At St. Peter's United Church of Christ, you will be welcomed!