Doug Gray
What Do We Believe?

What Do We Believe?

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We are individuals and no one speaks for our consciences. Still, we have committed ourselves to the following:

“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 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 humankind, exalting the worship of the one true God and laboring for all progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace, and the realization of human community. Depending, as did our parents 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.”
— First Church of Squantum

FAQ: Is there a God?

We (all of us) ask this question for lots of reasons—maybe because bad stuff is happening and we don’t know why, maybe because we have trouble believing there could be a God, maybe because we desperately hope that there is, maybe because we are questioning all sorts of things, maybe we are just curious. At First Church Squantum, we believe there is an answer to this question, and that the question and the answer are the most important parts of anybody’s life. Not all of us have found God—some of us are still looking! So at First, we are comfortable with this question because we have asked it ourselves and because the Answer (God!) continues to find us.

FAQ: I don't know what I believe. Is that OK?

Of course! One of the beautiful things about Congregationalism is that we have a rich heritage of asking questions and sharing our doubts. Jesus even had disciples who weren’t sure what they believed either, but still they came to Jesus and found what they were looking for. So feel free to come with your questions and doubts. We find God is very patient with us and our questions, and we try to treat people in the same way. Come and see! We think you’ll enjoy the grace you’ll find when we are together...no matter what you believe. Maybe you have something that could help us understand God better!

Do you have a dress code?

You do not have to dress up.

We do require that you wear clothes—not wearing any makes it hard for everyone to concentrate on worshiping God, the real reason we get together. (That was a joke!)

More seriously, we do not have a dress code. Our fellowship takes people as they are, and we are glad to see you however you come. We believe God feels the same way:  Always glad to see you, no matter what you’re wearing.

Can I take communion at your church? Can my child?

When it comes to communion, we believe that Jesus Christ is the host, the One who invites each of us to the table. You are invited to share in the Lord's Supper whether you are a member of our church, another church, or not a member of any church—anyone who wants to get closer to Jesus, to have Jesus be more Lord of their lives than when they came.

What about children? That's up to parents. The rule of thumb is that children are welcome to have communion when they are old enough to understand what it means. Some parents encourage their children to have communion as young as they are able. Other parents ask their children to wait until they are baptized/confirmed. Parents make the call.

FAQ: Can reading the Bible really change my life?

Absolutely. The Bible is the Word of God—powerful, active, always fresh, always refreshing. Every time we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks to us about what’s really going on in our lives. When we listen for the Holy Spirit’s direction and follow, great things can happen in our lives and the lives of those around us. But don’t just take our word for it!

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.””
— The Bible, Psalm 119:105

Can I have a wedding, funeral, baby shower, birthday, etc. there?

Absolutely! Here's the quick link:

I’m divorced. Will I be welcome with you?

Why wouldn't we? Divorce happens. We all have stories about where we have been, but at the First Church of Squantum, we believe they are not as important as where we are going with God’s help. We are a congregation that accepts people as they are, and we try to show the same kind of grace that Jesus showed each of us (because not everything is perfect in our lives either).

What the heck is Congregationalism anyway?

Congregationalism is a movement in which churches answer directly to God for their behavior, look to Christ as the head of the church, and form voluntary relationships with other churches to support each other in making God’s will real in the world. It’s a cool idea that lots of people use today, though some don’t call it that. Want to learn more? Try the link below.

How old is your church?

Our church is 100 years old. The building in which we worship and serve is about that old too.

A church is formed when God calls people for living and serving together. Jesus says in Matthew 18:20, “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

The building helps us gather, but it is God whose grace makes us church together.

“The Greek word for church is “ecclesia” (EK-lay-SEE-ah; from which we get words like “ecclesiastical”) which means literally, “the called out ones.” So the church is those Christ “calls out” of the world to gather in His Name.”
— Pastor Doug