History and Belief

Roxbury Congregational Church was founded in the 1733, as settlers made their way from the Congregational Church of Stratford, Conn to claim land in nearby Woodbury. It is said that the settlers as they traveled up the Housatonic River, missed the Pomperaug River and traveled farther north and eventually coming up the current Shepaug River. The came ashore in the Wellers Bridge area and walked east staying that evening on Good Hill. Before  going down the hill into Woodbury. Some of those settlers stayed behind in this area and traveled to Woodbury village to attend worship each Sunday. They petitioned the General Assembly to have “winter priviledges” so they courd worship locally during the inclement winter weather. Eventually, they petitioned this area was declared a “distinct ecclesiastical society” on May 27, 1743.

The church is rooted in the historic Congregational tradition that first took hold in New England in the early colonial period. From its beginning, the church has been shaped by the core Congregational conviction that each local congregation, under the guidance of Christ and the Holy Spirit, is called to govern itself and discern its ministry together. That spirit of covenant, shared leadership, and freedom of conscience continues to guide our life and mission today. Roxbury Congregational Church is now a member congregation of the United Church of Christ, reflecting both our historic roots and our ongoing commitment to thoughtful, engaged Christian faith.

Our story is part of the wider Congregational movement that began with the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower and flourished in early New England communities. Congregational churches became known for their independent governance, deep involvement in their local communities, and leadership in social reform movements such as abolitionism and women’s suffrage. At Roxbury Congregational Church, we continue that legacy—honoring our past while seeking to live faithfully and courageously in the present.

 What is Congregationalism?

As Congregationalists, we believe in the freedom and right of each person to have their own individual and personal relationship with God. We believe that no institution, not even a church, stands between God and us as individuals. To help us nurture our relationship with God, we have God’s grace, the Bible, prayer, worship, the accumulated wisdom of the ages, and a supportive community with which to journey.

As a local Congregational Church, we are locally autonomous. We, the congregation, govern our own ministry, hire our own clergy, own our own property, envision our own call to service and worship, and define our own values and vision. There is no ecclesial authority over us. As seekers, not holders, of truth, we agree to honor each other’s interpretation of the Bible and personal faith journey. We seek to affirm one another along life’s pathway while being held together by unconditional love.

Statement of Faith

United Church of Christ Statement of Faith—adapted by Robert V. Moss

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus our brother, and to whose deeds we testify:

God calls the worlds into being, creates humankind in the divine image, and sets before us the ways of life and death.

God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord,God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator.

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, 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.

God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God.

Amen.

From the Preamble of the Constitution of the United Church of Christ:

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 it’s own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in the 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 or Holy Communion.