About Us
Our faith is centered on God's unconditional love and the transformative teachings of Jesus Christ. We believe God welcomes all people, calls us to love our neighbors, and invites us into a lifelong journey of growth and discovery. Our beliefs shape how we worship, serve, and live together as a community.
Our Affiliation
We are a member of the United Church of Christ.
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a progressive, mainline Protestant denomination in the United States, formed in 1957 through the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, known for its commitment to social justice, inclusivity, and local church autonomy.
Our Beliefs
No membership is required to worship or participate in the fellowship of Plymouth Church.
Our theology is grounded in a statement of faith written at a national gathering of congregational churches in 1913, adapted here to have more inclusive language.
We believe in God,
infinite in wisdom, goodness, and love,
and in Jesus Christ, God's Son, our Lord and Savior,
who for us and for our salvation lived and died and rose again
and liveth evermore,
and in the Holy Spirit,
who taketh of the things of Christ
and revealeth them to us,
renewing, comforting, and inspiring the souls of all.​
We are united in striving to know the will of God
as taught in the Holy Scriptures,
and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord,
made known or to be made known to us.​
We hold it to be the mission of the Church of Christ
to proclaim the Gospel to all humankind,
exalting the worship of the one true God,
and laboring for the progress of knowledge,
the promotion of justice, the reign of peace,
and the realization of human brotherhood.​
Depending, as did our ancestors, upon the continued guidance
of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth,
we work and pray for the transformation of the world
into the Kingdom of God,
and we look with faith for the triumph of righteousness,
and the life everlasting.We’re a covenantal church, not a creedal one. That means we’re held together by shared promises rather than tests of belief. Our mission is simple: to know God, grow together, and live out our faith boldly and generously.
As Christians, we share the Bible as our sacred text. We believe that scripture is the word of God and recognize that it was written by different writers at different times who reference their own contexts and perspectives. When we read and reflect on scripture we bring our full selves, including our intellect and our own experiences which influence our personal interpretations.
We recognize that the communion table doesn't belong to us, but is God's table where there is a seat for all of us. All are welcome to partake in communion regardless of age or membership status. We observe communion on the first Sunday of each month, and our tradition is to receive the elements where we are seated in the pews.
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Our History
Plymouth Congregational Church has a rich and deep history rooted in Belmont, MA.
Plymouth Is Founded
Founded in 1899 as a suburban mission of the Massachusetts Missionary Society, Plymouth Church became an independent congregation by 1934. We stand in a long line of New England Congregational churches, with roots stretching back to the town’s earliest settlers organizing worship in the 1700s. Faith and civic life have always been deeply connected here.
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Our original church was on Common Street between Belmont Center and Cushing Square. This church building was lost to a fire during World War II.
A New Community
Following World War II the church rebuilt in a new location in a growing edge of Belmont as Winn Brook and other neighborhoods took shape. Our location on Pleasant Street has inspired our nickname as "The Walking Church" as we are in the heart of Belmont Center and walkable from many homes and businesses.
As proud members of the UCC, we have a longstanding tradition of training and mentoring ministers through year-long internships. Many actively serving UCC ministers around the country have been seminarians at Plymouth!
Who We Are Today
We area growing multigenerational congregation of around 200 members, with a weekly worship attendance of about 70. Our community includes families, singles, children, youth, young adults, elders, newcomers, and lifelong residents.