We believe God can blow the lid off any box, unfold it, and turn it into a dance floor. We're out of the box people.
Who We Are
Visiting a Church for the first time can be a frightening. You might drive by a church for years and wonder what goes on in there. Sometimes your curiosity will get the best of you and you make the decision to attend. We know it can be scary walking through those big wooden doors so we want to answer some of your questions. Then, when you come to visit you will feel more comfortable. We assure you though, that the hard part is making up your mind to visit. Once you are here you will find a haven of hospitality, beauty, and inspiring worship.
Mission Statement
To provide a spiritual home for a diverse and inclusive congregation actively seeking to spread God’s love.
Vision Statement
We are all on a journey of hope. As a diverse community of friends, we seek the inclusiveness of God’s love. We embrace the challenge to believe and to act, striving for social justice and caring stewardship. Convinced that love and laughter are God’s gifts, we celebrate through the arts a sense of wonder for all creation. Inspired by our heritage, we continue our journey as an historic church whose greatest days are today and tomorrow.
The church was founded in 1923 and is the oldest established building and organization in Coral Gables. George Merrick, the architect and developer of Coral Gables was the son of a Congregational Minister. To honor his father he built this church which has continued to be not only an historic site but a significant force in this community. Known for it’s inspiring worship; outstanding music and arts program, a top notch early childhood center; and a bold and prophetic outreach program, the church has been a place of solace, sanctuary, and spiritual growth for many over the years.
Ultimately, the congregation decides all matters in public meetings, by voting. The biggest such meeting is the annual congregational meeting, which occurs in January. In practice, it is very much like an old-fashioned town meeting. For the rest of the year, regular business is delegated to various boards and committees, whose members are elected by the congregation at the annual meeting.
We are both “Congregational” and “United Church of Christ” which makes for an interesting history. The UCC 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. So in a real sense our roots are in the great Reformation movement as well as with the Pilgrims searching for religious freedom. Through the years, other groups such as Native Americans, Afro-Christians, Asian Americans, Volga Germans, Armenians, Hungarians, and Hispanic Americans have joined with the four earlier groups. Coral Gables Congregational Church is historically a Congregational Church but we proudly claim a home within the United Church of Christ.
We, in the UCC cherish not only our rich and profound history but also our dynamic and vibrant ministry and mission yet today. The UCC has about 1.5 million members nationwide in over 6,000 congregations. The UCC is a church of many “firsts”. You could say we’ve always been an “act up” people. While it’s not always easy being first, it’s usually worth the risk. Among our 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, as well as many historically black colleges, six of which remain affiliated with the UCC to this day.
This is always a bit of a challenge to answer as the UCC has no magisterium, or overarching governing body that determines the specifics of faith and practice. This means that there is a great deal of theological diversity within the UCC and within Coral Gables Congregational Church. Perhaps the best way to tell you about the UCC is with the help of seven phrases from Scripture and tradition which express our commitments.
- That they may all be one. [John 17:21] This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on which it is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church.
- In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity. The unity that we seek is based on mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.
- The unity of the church is not of its own making. It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals. The common thread that runs through all is love.
- Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith. Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ has no formula that is a test of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and others, are valued as authentic testimonies of faith. In 1959, we adopted a Statement of Faith prepared especially for congregations of the United Church. Many use this statement as a common affirmation of faith in worship and as a basis for study.
- There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s holy word. This affirmation recognizes that the Bible, though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is pursued with the expectation of new insights and God’s help for living today.
- The Priesthood of All Believers. All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion. Ordained clergy and other leaders in our church serve to guide, to instruct, to enable the ministry of all Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.
- Responsible Freedom. As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of God’s will for our lives. But we are called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship with one another.
Each congregation or local church is free to act in accordance with the collective decision of its members, guided by the working of the Spirit in the light of the scriptures. But it also is called to live in a covenantal relationship with other congregations for the sharing of insights and for cooperative action under the authority of Christ.
The best place is the original national Church website at www.ucc.org. For an alternative look, check out the “Still Speaking” (link to http://www.ucc.org/god-is-still-speaking/outreach) website (still an official site, just a livelier style).
They are fun and dedicated, compassionate and courageous but most of all, down-to-earth. Just like the congregation they are diverse in their cultural background, faith tradition, and interests. Laurinda, or Laurie as she likes to be called, is our Senior Pastor and grew up in the United Church of Christ. A mid-westerner by birth she enjoys basketball, going to the movies, rock and roll, and the creature comforts of a four-star hotel. Guillermo, our associate pastor comes from a Cuban family and grew up in the Roman Catholic Church. He likes writing, reading poetry, carpentry, and hiking the Appalachian Trail (about as far away from the Ritz as you can get).
They are like the people of this diverse, culturally rich, and intriguing community we call South Florida. They come from as close as down the street and as far away as Sarasota to attend worship. They are young and old, economically fortunate and economically struggling; they are Hispanic and African-American; fair skinned and berry brown; gay and straight; they are native Miamians and transplants from around the globe. A common misconception is that Church goers, especially those of a traditional Church, are stuffy and standoffish people who don’t like newcomers. Nothing is farther from the truth here. We want YOU to experience our fellowship and closeness firsthand. We want you to feel comfortable and to enjoy worship and we work hard to make that happen.
We are a traditional Church which means that we have things like candlesticks, hymnals, choirs, organ music, and pews. But we are also a church that believes God is still speaking so we listen for new ways to respond to a new generation of worshipping people. On one Sunday you might hear a classical piece by Bach and the next week a jazz interpretation of Amazing Grace. We find humor in the ordinary and grace in the extraordinary; we worship with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other; sometimes the mood is gentle and quiet; and at other times it is exuberant and spirit-filled. While our services last about an hour, we have a saying that worship is over when it’s over.
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
(located directly across from the Biltmore Hotel)
