About Us
We are a congregation of the United Church of Christ, a denomination formed in 1957 by the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Our roots go back in this country to the Pilgrims and to the German Reformed Church. While there is much diversity in the United Church of Christ, we accept together the Gospel of Christ.
We Believe
- We affirm God as the creator of all that is, and we seek to know Christ as personal Savior.
- We accept the Bible as authoritative in matters of faith and practice, considering it as the revelation of God for humankind.
- We recognize that salvation is the free gift of God in Jesus Christ.
- We affirm the church as the Body of Christ, into which we come through baptism to accept the “cost and the joy of discipleship.”
- We are part of the historic Church and share with other Christians the creeds and confessions of the church.
- We seek to reach out in mission and ministry to the whole world. What God has called us to do; the Holy Spirit empowers us to do.
Our History
On December 18, 1824, six women and three men met at the home of Jesse Perrin in the Town of Perinton. After much discussion, a covenant was created that organized the First Congregational Church of Fairport --- a denomination established by the Mayflower pilgrims with deep roots in New England. It was by no means a new concept in the area; six of the members came by way of a transfer from a Congregational Church in Pittsford, and three of them came from a Congregational Church in Penfield.
In 1828, four years after its organization, a council of ministers was called to consider the dissolution of First Congregational, as membership was at a standstill. However, because the Church did have twelve members – “a number equal to that of the Apostles of the Redeemer” – they were determined to “trust in God and go forward.”
Over the years, membership steadily grew and the first church building was erected in1833. By 1844, that building became too small, so it was moved to another site in the Village of Fairport. A new building was erected in its place. By 1868, that building, too, was too small, and the present structure was built – again on the same site.The sanctuary was updated in the 1940s and with several additions made since to the back portion of the building, however, many of the original elements remain – including the pews and the lovely painted glass windows.
On June 25, 1957, the United Church of Christ was formed by the joining of four denominations: the Congregational Churches, the Christian Church, the Evangelical Synod of North America and the Reformed Church in the United States. The first two denominations united on June 17, 1931 to become the Congregational Christian Churches, and the second two joined on June 26, 1934 to become the Evangelical and Reformed Church. After much deliberation, the First Congregational Church of Fairport voted to join the newly created United Church of Christ but has maintained much of its congregational roots and traditions in its governance and worship style.
While the passing years have brought many changes, we remain true to these constants: our worship of God, our devotion to Christ, and our love for one another.
