Hillcrest Congregational United Church of Christ
United in Spirit and inspired by God’s grace, we welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.
About Us
We are a Congregational Church with a long history in Montrose, Colorado. We were established in 1885 and first known as the Union Congregational Church. The church burned in 1917 and a second Church was built in 1920. That church, too, was lost in February 1966 and the congregation built again, in our current location. The bell from the original church and the cornerstone from the second church are both at this location. The bell is still rung every Sunday close to 10am. The corner stone sits by the front door with a reminder of our commitment to our community carved into it.
A Congregational Church is one that is self-governing. We call our own pastor, set our own budget, engage in worship and develop our own programs. A local congregation is where faith becomes real and concrete. Here we struggle to learn, to grow and to deepen our understanding of God. Here we experience a community of faith, love and support through fellowship. And here we are challenged and encouraged to act on our faith through service. Your path of spiritual expression will be honored at Hillcrest. Bring your curiosity and questions. We believe in an open faith dialogue and respect differences of opinion.
Our Sunday Services are traditional with scripture readings and hymns. We celebrate Communion on the first Sunday of each month, followed by a Potluck lunch. We enjoy this time to discuss our thoughts about the service. Every service is followed by fellowship with coffee and snack.
We are a Church with:
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A Caring Community of Faith
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A Church with a Heritage and a Future
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A Church That Is Accepting of All
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A Church That Works for Justice and Peace for All Life on Earth
WORSHIP WITH US
Sunday Worship
10:00am
Scriptures and Sermon
The Sunday selection of scriptures is taken from both the Old and New Testaments and usually follows the UCC liturgical calendar. The sermon, based on the selected scriptures, seeks to explain the scriptures and relate them to our current spiritual journey.
Communion
Our Communion table is open to all who wish to know the presence of Christ and to share in the community of God's people. It is served on the first Sunday of each month, during our morning worship service. We share in Communion using intinction, which is dipping the bread into the wine or grape juice. If a person is unable to walk to the front of the church, the pastor will serve that person where the person is seated.
Closing Words of Peace
Each service ends with the following words:
Shalom . . . . . Hebrew
Salaam . . . . . Arabic
Shanti . . . . . .Hindu
Vrede . . . . . . Afrikaans
Paz . . . . . . . . Spanish
Mir . . . . . . . . Russian
Peace . . . . . . English
These words, hanging on banners around the sanctuary, are a constant reminder to all of us that peace is possible when we are willing to recognize and respect the diversity of God's creation.