Questions about the Church?

What is this church really about?
In short, PCUCC is a Christian community focused on love, justice and peace. We aim to present God’s message of Love to all people we encounter through service, scripture, reflection and music. We are one form of chosen family for many people in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

UCC stands for United Church of Christ. In 1957, four different Christian churches came together “so that they could be one.” The United Church of Christ and its constituent traditions have a long history of including those often overlooked in other Christian communities. 

It is notable that while our congregational church is a part of the UCC, not all are. By actively deciding to join the UCC, we find ourselves challenged by prophetic voices which bring comfort to those most in need. Some call the UCC a church of spiritual immigrants. The UCC is the broader church (denomination) supporting our local church of PCUCC. 

Our local church is a part of the Merrimack Association of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ.

What’s a service like?
Our services are typically between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes. In some ways our services are traditional. We most often sing sacred hymns, recite the Lord’s prayer, read from the canonical bible, and hear a word of reflection. Our Pastor, Rev. Dean LeFrancois has a background in Hospice and Hospital Chaplaincy, and provides insightful, relevant reflections on scripture using humor and wit. We rely on the Holy Spirit to communicate through silence, song, scripture and space. Oh yes, we are very proud of our sanctuary - please come and share the space with us!

Does PCUCC teach from the bible?
YES, absolutely. Our community generally uses what is called the Revised Common Lectionary. This means each Sunday Congregants are likely to hear from both the Hebrew Bible (commonly referred to as the Old Testament) and the New Testament. 

We take the bible seriously rather than literally. The bible has some pretty odd stuff, much of which needs to be interpreted for contemporary life. We honor the entire canonical bible and we ask hard questions about the relevance of certain parts of this 66 book library! (There are 39 Hebrew Bible books and 27 New Testament books.)

Are there opportunities to volunteer or get involved?
Yes! Like all churches, we are a volunteer-run organization. We rely on the generosity of congregants to keep the wheels turning. There are volunteer opportunities in-house and outside the church. Our volunteers help feed food insecure children and we maintain our little food pantry. We also partner with Habitat for Humanity and other organizations. If you like to sing, we still have a small, but mighty choir which rehearses weekly.