Mission Statement

The mission of
First Plymouth Congregational Church
United Church of Christ is
to worship God,
to nurture people on their Christian journey,
and to witness to God’s love in word and deed.

Relying on the grace and power of God,
known to us most fully in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ,
we aspire to be a community which is biblically based,
intellectually open,
theologically progressive,
and inclusive of all people.

Fostering an atmosphere of joy and
celebration that welcomes all people,
we commit to provide:

- Varied and meaningful opportunities
for worship and spiritual growth.

- Engaging and interactive Christian education
for all age groups.

- A caring and compassionate ministry
to members and friends of the church family.

- Loving service to the wider community
with a focus on human need, social justice,
and stewardship of the earth.

- Generous material and spiritual support for
our mission and community.

Committed to providing loving service to the wider community, First Plymouth puts a premium on meeting human needs, standing up for social justice and being faithful stewards of our earth.

We are an Open and Affirming Church, committed to supporting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Nonbinary, and Queer people and their families in Denver and beyond. First Plymouth Congregational Church designated itself an Open and Affirming (ONA) church in 1999. Simply put, our policy is:

In keeping with the life and teaching of Christ Jesus, we joyfully and unconditionally welcome all people of any age, gender, race, culture, ability, or sexual orientation into our community of faith and affirm the worth of all people as unique individuals made in God’s image. We are open to the special gifts that each person brings and invite each one to participate in the life of our church.

First Plymouth has a committee that focuses on the implementation and manifestation of the church’s commitment to being an inclusive, welcoming place for everyone, no exceptions. Its activities include the annual PrideFest parade and response to critical events unfolding in our community, such as firearm violence and social justice. Learn more today >>>>

First Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, of Englewood, Colorado, supports legislation at the state and national level designed to reduce the present level of violence arising out of the improper use of firearms.

We are called to this position, in part, by Micah 4:3b-4: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.”

To that end, we support the following legislative actions:

1. Strengthen the regulations and requirements for an adult citizen or legal resident to obtain a permit to purchase a firearm.
2. Create requirements for education and training for citizens and legal residents prior to issuance of a permit to purchase a firearm.
3. Review present concealed gun permit laws and regulations to ascertain whether they effectively balance the legitimate rights of gun owners and the need to protect the public from gun violence.
4. Require any purchaser of a firearm at a gun show to fulfill the same requirements as those required of an individual purchasing such a firearm at a retail outlet.
5. Tighten the present law relating to types of firearms which may be sold to the general public, including a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons.
6. Set new regulations to limit the capacity of magazines and clips for firearms.
7. Authorize and fund federal agencies (ATF and CDC) to release and publish data and conduct research on the role of guns in violent deaths.
8. At federal, state and local levels, increase the effectiveness of coordination and communication among law enforcement and regulatory agencies in enforcing present regulations for firearm usage.
9. Increase the present level of awareness, support, funding and access to appropriate services for those who have serious or severe mental health challenges.

First Plymouth Church, on behalf of its more than 700 members, urges swift and affirmative action by our elected and appointed national and state level representatives. Learn more today >>

First Plymouth is a Creation Justice Church, a congregation in the United Church of Christ (UCC) that is committed through its worship to love God’s creation, to educate its members regarding the interconnectedness of all of God’s creation, to practice wise stewardship of the Earth, and to provide outreach in the community for Creation Justice concerns.

Past and Current Creation Justice Projects:

• Candle Recycling
• Community Gardens
• Conventional Recycling
• Electronics Recycling
• Environmental Education
• Family Hikes
• High Efficiency Light Bulb Project
• Reach Out and Read Colorado
• Restoration Projects
• Seedlings for Peace
• Summer Farmers’ Market
• Youth Group Partnerships

First Plymouth is governed by a Church Council, elected from the membership of the Congregation.  Council consists of the Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Treasurer, Church Clerk, Immediate Past Moderator, and six at-large members.  The Senior Minister is an ex-officio, non-voting officer of Council, as are the Church Clerk and Immediate Past Moderator. The six at-large Council members serve for a 3 year term, with two at-large members rotating off every year.  The Vice-Moderator moves into the Moderator position after serving one year as VM, while the Moderator moves into the IPM position after serving a one year term as Moderator. The Treasurer and Church Clerk serve two-year terms.

Nope!