In 2020, we reviewed statements that we have said about ourselves as a congregation and developed the following Vision Statement.

The purpose of the Brecksville United Church of Christ is to be a vital and faithful Christian community in ministry and mission. We understand our church as called by God to be:

• Open and responsive to the gifts given to us through the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Earnest in seeking to learn God’s will for us through prayer, worship, the study of the Bible and our Judeo-Christian heritage.
• Intentional in our witness by giving love, thoughts, treasure, and actions in many ways through ministry to each other, and through mission in our city, in our nation, and throughout the world.

By being open and responsive, we mean:

• Our congregation is warm, friendly and loving with members who are at varying stages of their faith and life journeys and come from diverse religious backgrounds. We want to be challenged to grow in faith, stewardship and outreach.
• We offer support and nurture to our members and visitors.
• Having chosen to be a part of the United Church of Christ, a mainline denomination in the free church tradition, we are governed by a consensus of our members. We counsel together with respect for each other’s opinions and feelings so that the unity we achieve may be rich and strong.
• In 1991, we became an Open and Affirming Congregation, as recognized by the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns.
• In all aspects of our life and mission, we are committed to minister to all and receive the God given gifts of every person with respect, appreciation and gratitude.

By being earnest in our worship and study, we mean:

• We worship in a manner that is balanced between traditional and innovative. We gather together in our sanctuary, in small group settings, and even virtually, to celebrate our faith.
• As we share our beliefs, and as we link together in our firm faith in God, we seek to live by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• We resolve to be a thinking, caring, loving church in our place and in our time.

By being intentional in our witness, we mean:

• Our Congregation has a long history of involvement in social issues and outreach programs. In 1971, the national United Church of Christ named us “A Just Peace Church:”, in recognition for our commitment to ministries for peace and justice.
• One of our key ministries is “Our Church’s Wider Mission”, through which we:
  • Feed the hungry
  • Share our gifts
  • Respond to human tragedies and natural disasters
  • Serve to meet vital human needs
  • Celebrate diversity without division
  • Share joyfully with “the last and the least”
  • Together, serve God’s people
• We see ourselves as all being ministers of the Gospel in this work and witness.

Celebrating over 200 years of history, and in keeping with our established role and mission, looking to the future, our goals are:

• To be a church which provides opportunities for each of us to grow in our knowledge of God, in the depth of our own faith and in our relationship to each other
• To grow our congregation, with members giving evidence of our Christian stewardship through the offering of their time, talent and treasure, enabling our ministries to thrive.
• To eliminate our annual operating deficit.
• To support the national United Church of Christ’s wider mission through financial support of at least 10% of our budget.
• To seek new possibilities of serving additional needs in our wider community and take appropriate action.
• To be aware of future developments for downtown Brecksville and plan for the use of our church facilities accordingly.

Click to view and download a presentation of our BUCC Vision 2020.