Show Church From Section Cover people into their flock regardless of their lifestyle or past “We don’t condemn people for their habits" he said “We don’t stress that because we all know that we’re going to be judged (by God) sometime for our actions That’s the way we look at it” Joos said he tries to emulate the Pilgrims’ practice of strict and literal adherence to the “rules and the laws” of the Bible “1 always try to base my sermons on the Bible” he said Gordon K Harrington professor of history at Weber State College and a member of the United Church of Christ said the Pilgrims’ influence continues to be felt in the Congregational movement today As in the early days of the church their denomination which founded Harvard and Yale continues to emphasize educational achievement As well Congregationalists today like the Pilgrims who hosted that first Thanksgiving meal continue to get actively involved in community affairs and charitable causes And on a national level they can be seen working for social reform just as they did during the early days of their church when they came out against slavery he said In addition the early Pilgrim’s quest for religious freedom continues to be a theme for Congregationalists today in their efforts to promote world peace and to speak up for human rights and equality Much of this is done through worldwide missions established to help meet human needs in education health and social work Congregational missionaries by the hundreds have devoted their lives full time to these causes Harrington said For Johnston it is not so much what his denomination may be doing on an internation Church that impresses him as much as what it is doing for him personally on a local level He said the Pilgrims showed a great sense of trust in God and in each other in their quest for religious freedom He said these actions developed a strong sense of community that he believes continues even in the church today in each of the congregations It was this camaraderie that first attracted him to the Congregational movement 10 years ago On this particular Sunday he was on hand to bid Cindi and Tom Wells farewell Cindi recently resigned as moderator The couple is returning to their native Massachusetts after living several years in Ogden During the worship service attended by about 50 people special tribute was paid to the Wells for their years of service to the small congregation As gifts and words of appreciation were exchanged people could be seen wiping their eyes These were not just members of a al scale expounds doctrines theology church congregation bidding each other farewell they appeared more like members of a family that would miss each other like family Following the “Children’s Service" which involved all the children in the congregation who hstened to a five minute sermo-netDavid and Tanya Beyer who recently joined the congregation were invited to the front They knelt by the altar and made vows to become new members Vows were repeated by the rest of the congregation welcoming them Joos who is acting as pastor until the church finds a new e pastor presided over the communion service He broke a large homemade loaf of bread into quarters which were eventually passed around to the rest of the congregation Communion ended after wine poured into small plastic cups was also passed around te full-tim- Lee Cragum readies feast at Songs sung were typical of Protestant hymns including “Amazing Grace” and “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah" They sang from the “Pilgrim’s Hymnal” which not only includes hymns but also services prayers and readings for the congregation One little gem was found toward the back of the book called the Salem (Massachusetts) Church Covenant 1629 The spelling grammar and English dialect was left untouched providing a unique glimpse into those early days It read: “We covenant with the Lord and one with an other and doe bynd our selves in the presence of God to walke together in all his waics according as he is Congregationalism grew in Utah While Brigham Young was yet alive and direct- ing the pioneer efforts of the early Mormon Church Congregationalism began to make its mark in Utah Gordon K Harrington professor of history and coordinator of Asian Studies at Weber State College said Congregationalism came to Utah on Jan 18 1865 with the arrival of the Rev Norman McLeod He was called to Salt Lake City from Denver by the American Home Missionary Society of the Congregational Churches to carry the gospel into Utah He was known for his fiery stance He left speeches and his in the “American wrote 1873 in Utah Harrington Association” Congregational By 1878 Congregationalism began to prosper and by 1895 the First Congregational Church in Salt Lake City had more than 300 members In time two other churches sprang up These churches sponsored a number of satellite churches and Sunday schools in surrounding communities including Provo and Park City he said anti-Morm- 4 Church News Standard-Examin- er In Ogden Congregational activity began in 1876 About 10 people met for six months with the Rev A W Safford in a room over a drugstore By 1895 the First Congregational Church of Ogden grew to 137 members and sponsored a number of satellite churches in surrounding communities Harrington said While congregations were being formed and churches built Congregationalists were also focusing on education They did this for two reasons Harrington said to avoid Mormon influence and to create an atmosphere where they could have influence of their own on young Mormon children who might attend their schools The Congregationalists entered the field of education in 1878 when the Salt Lake Academy was opened sponsored by the First Congregational Church in Salt Lake City and came under the wing of the New West Education Commission This commission built the largest “gentile” educational system in Utah territory By the end of the 1800s some 38 schools had been established with nearly 2500 children being educated each year he said The United Church of Christ (Congregational) has more than 2 million members with 6000 congregations throughout the United States According to an official church publication the United Church of Christ believes in the authority of the scriptures doctrinal freedom and Christian unity They believe in the Trinity that God Christ and the Holy Spirit are one God They believe that Jesus Christ is the only head of the church They teach that forgiveness grace and eternal life are promised to all who have faith They also believe that each church Dave Detteer photo generation is responsible for rethinking its beliefs “as God’s United Church of Christ word unfolds and conditions change” pleased to reveale himself unto The mission of their church is us in his blessed word of truth” to work for justice for all and to The Rev David Matsumura establish God’s rule in the visiting from Salt Lake City world the church publication preached about the “storms in states life” He personalized his serMembers of the United mon by talking about the Church of Christ may practice “storms of change” that the con- their own form of worship acgregation is undergoing with the cording to the dictates of the Wells’ leaving and their search congregation Many of these ine for a pastor clude a statement of faith scripAfter the sermon the congre- ture reading anthems prayers gation sang “God Be With You sermons and thanksgiving The Till We Meet Again” They end- church recognizes two sacraed with prayer ments: baptism and commuWhile farewells were being nion said to the the Wells’ other The structure of the church is church members had gathered based on the local congregation around the Beyer’s to welcome recognize Christ as the onThey them The cycle appeared to be ly acknowledged leader of the continuing Meanwhile the food church No official hierarchy was getting cold they began to manages local affairs the church make their way downstairs statement said It was time again to feast full-tim- Church has long history By JOHN DeVILBISS Standard Examiner religion editor Although the Congregational Church is what the Pilgrims of Thanksgiving fame belonged to this church did much more than just host the country’s first harvest meal A great deal of what the United States is today takes root in the Congregational movement said Gordon K Harrington professor of history at Weber State College The democratic movement can be linked to Congregationalists who believed in the right to decide their own affairs by a majority vote It was in defiance that left the Church of England in the 16th century They believed that indi vidual congregations should have the right to decide their own fate — not the church as a whole Harrington said Ironically Congregationalists were as intolerant of in Massachusetts where they eventually settled in 1620 as the Church of England had been to them at home Each congregation continued to decide its own affairs but only church members could participate in local municipal government “However since each church and municipality decided its own affairs by majority vote the seeds of American democracy were sown in this rather barren non-believe- rs See HISTORY on Page 8 November 19 1988 |