Visitor Page
Welcome
We are grateful that you would visit us at Grace Congregational Church. While we hope to offer you an overview of our church’s ministry on this web site, we would truly hope to offer you a better appreciation of our church in person. If interested, you may worship with us on Sunday morning at 8:00 or 10:30 a.m. Or, you may choose instead to schedule an appointment with our pastor and ask whatever questions may concern you.
Weddings at Grace Congregational Church
We’re glad you are considering us for your wedding. A church wedding is right for you if you share these convictions: marriage is a covenant relationship founded in response to the faithfulness of God’s love; the Christian wedding is a worship service of humility and joy; and two persons become “one” in the exchange of promises.
Grace Congregational Church expects couples to plan on at least three sessions with the pastor. These sessions have two focuses: the preparation of the wedding ceremony, and increasing the understanding of person who is about to become one’s spouse. The church seeks lasting unions.
A couple that comes to Grace Congregational Church requesting Christian marriage will be presented a wedding handbook that has been prepared by our staff. It is the responsibility of the couple to contact and compensate an approved church musician for their wedding. It is our expectation that the musicians attend the rehearsal. It is not necessary that a couple have soloists. Aisle cloths are not necessary. Unity candles are welcome. Couples may prefer to use ‘the pouring of sand’ as an option. If the couple desires to use the fellowship hall after the rehearsal or after the wedding, arrangements need to be made with our church office. We allow no alcohol on our church property. A changing room is provided for the bride and her attendants.
We request that there be no flash photography during the wedding ceremony. It is the responsibility of the couple to communicate this policy to the photographer. Video photographer is allowed with proper etiquette.
Fees For Weddings At Grace Congregational United Church of Christ
GRACE MEMBERS NON-MEMBERS
Use of Church Couple’s Discretion $300
Clergy Couple’s Discretion $200
Church Assistant $100 $100
Organist $125 $125
Soloist $100 $100
Sound Assistant $ 50 $ 50
Printing of Bulletin $ 40
Our Pastor at Grace Congregational Church
The Senior Pastor at Grace Congregational Church is Kim Henning whose primary role is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. He came to Grace Congregational Church in 1988 following six years of serving Lake View United Church of Christ in Iowa. A graduate of Lakeland College and Eden Theological Seminary, Kim’s home church was Bethlehem United Church of Christ outside of Kiel, Wisconsin.
Kim and his wife, Fay, are parents of three children, Nicole (Rob Herda), Erica, and Ryan. Kim was raised in a cheese factory outside of Kiel, and still has a current cheese-making license. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Kim’s hobbies include listening to Public Radio, playing the piano, singing, reading, snow skiing, water skiing, gardening and boating.
The United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination of about 1.2 million members in the United States. There is no hierarchy that can impose any doctrine or worship format onto the individual congregations within the UCC. While individual congregations are supposed to hold guidance from the general synod "in the highest regard", the UCC's constitution requires that the "autonomy of the Local Church is inherent.
The United Church of Christ acknowledges as its sole Head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. It acknowledges as kindred in Christ all who share in this confession. It looks to the Word of God in the Scriptures, and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. It claims as its own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. It affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of heart before God. In accordance with the teaching of our Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, it recognizes two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Where Do We Come From? History
The United Church of Christ came into being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in turn, the result of a union of two earlier traditions. The Congregational Churches were organized when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation (1620) and the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629). The Reformed Church in the United States traced its beginnings to congregations of German settlers in Pennsylvania founded from 1725 on. The Christian Churches sprang up in the late 1700's in reaction to the theological and organizational rigidity of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist churches of the time. The Evangelical Synod of North America traced its beginnings to an association of German Evangelical pastors in Missouri in 1841.
What We Believe
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the one, holy universal Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST STATEMENT OF FAITH (Doxological Form)
We believe in You, O God, Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ and Our God, and to Your deeds we testify: You call the worlds into being, create persons in Your own image, and set before each one the ways of life and death. You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. You judge people and nations by Your righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the Man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, You have come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to Yourself.
You bestow upon us Your Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.
You call us into Your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be Your servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.
You promise to all who trust You: forgiveness of sin and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, Your presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in Your realm which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto You. Amen.
THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
The Bible is the most important book in our faith and in the church. We refer to the scriptures as the Word of God because God inspired their human authors and because God still speaks to us through the Bible. We understand the meaning of the Bible through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Scripture is a primary means through which God reveals God’s will to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Grace Congregational United Church of Christ?
We’re at 2801 Garfield street in Two Rivers, directly behind Dairy Queen on highway 42.
How do I dress when I come to worship at Grace Congregational Church?
At Grace Congregational Church, you will meet people who wear suits and ties, dresses….as well as more casual wear. We encourage people to dress in ways that are comfortable and appropriate for the worship of God.
When are your worship services?
We worship God at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. every Sunday morning, summer included.
Do you offer child care?
Yes! We offer adult and professional care for our children during worship services in a nursery that is located down the hallway from our sanctuary.
How do I join Grace Congregational Church?
Three times a year, we offer a membership class. The second step of our membership process is for new members to be invited to a meal that is served by the leaders of our church. At this meal, a member of our church will be assigned as a sponsor. Finally, membership is completed when a new person affirms their baptismal vows.
What do you offer for youth and children?
We offer Sunday School Classes for children beginning at age 3. First Communion Classes are offered to children who are in Second Grade (if a parent desires). We offer a two year Confirmation Program that is typically attended by seventh and eighth grade youth. Generation G is a high school youth group that meets on Wednesday evening from September through May, and occasionally during the summer. The Appalachia Service Project is a mission trip that is available to youth who are in high school and beyond.
Can my child receive the sacrament of Holy Communion?
Yes, when parents offer their permission. We offer a five week First Communion Class to children who are in second grade and older.
What denomination is Grace Congregational Church?
We are a member of the United Church of Christ. We are a mainline, Protestant church that was formed in 1957 as a merger of four Protestant denominations: Reformed, Evangelical, Congregational, and Christian. Our earliest roots take us back to the Pilgrims and Puritans who settled in these United States back in 1630.
What does Congregational mean?
Congregational means that we believe that God’s Holy Spirit is given to each of us. Each of us is inspired with talents and gifts, all of which together are necessary for us to be the Body of Christ. We are autonomous congregation, which means that primary decisions of faith are made at a local level.
What is the United Church of Christ?
The United Church of Christ is a small denomination of about 1.2 million members. We uphold the authority of scripture while striving to practice justice. Our denomination’s slogan in recent years is, “God is still speaking.”.
Does Grace Congregational Church believe in the Trinity?
Yes. The Trinity is an important doctrine of the church that traditionally gets expressed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are equally comfortable referring to God using other terms such as Creator, Christ, and Sustainer.
Who is the Moderator?
The Moderator is the elected lay leader of the congregation. The Moderator leads our monthly Cabinet meetings, our annual congregational meeting, and is the highest representative of our congregation.
How do you call your pastor?
In the United Church of Christ, we call our pastor in a way that is similar to a modern-day courtship. When a pastoral vacancy occurs, the congregation goes through a search process that may be a year or more in duration. Churches are free to call a pastor who is either of the United Church of Christ or one of its partnered denominations. It is expected that UCC pastors have received a Master of Divinity degree and have taken a polity class of the United Church of Christ.
A Safe Sanctuary Congregation
Grace Congregational United Church of Christ is a “Safe Sanctuary Congregation.” Every adult who works with children and youth must complete a Volunteer Disclosure Form as well as consent to a state-wide background check. Any new person must be a member or a committed friend known to the staff for at least six months before they can work with our children. All gatherings involving youth must have present a minimum of two unrelated adults who represent the genders of the group. When we have knowledge of a person registered with a Sex Offender’s Registry Program, that individual must be accompanied by a church member when on the premises.