Ties to the United Church of Christ & Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance

United Church of Christ  Our church’s name in full is the “Flagg Road United Church of Christ, Congregational.” This is significant because it gives a nod to our long standing congregational roots going back to the Puritans who came to America in the 1600’s. Yet we are a young congregation, coming together in 1957 at the same time as the creation of the United Church of Christ, our national denomination.

The United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming denomination, having ordained our first openly gay minister in 1972. We seek to err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion. Our invitation is that “Wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here”.

We fully take part in our denomination’s activities, participating in its mission and leadership. Reverend Diters is currently Moderator of the Hartford Association of the United Church of Christ and a delegate to our General Synod nationally.

GHIAA  At the same time, we aspire to be in relationship with all people of faith. To this end our congregation is a founding member of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA). GHIAA is a faith based power and organizing effort formed of member institutions from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian institutions, which had its initial assembly October 28, 2019.

 At the founding there were 35 initial institutions from the Hartford region, and at the opening assembly there were more than 1,500 people in attendance. That evening, more than $230,000 was pledged by those congregations and institutions to effect real change.