No Matter who you are
We welcome ALL into the full life and ministry of our church. We are an eclectic mix of diversity in sexual orientation, color, ethnicity, age, social status and ability. Whomever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome and accepted into full participation in our faith community.
A Church of history

Originally settled in 1720, Bolton Congregational Church United Church of Christ is situated at the heart of the Town of Bolton Connecticut, surrounded by lush lawns and several town green areas. In May of 1721, town members voted to establish a congregational meeting house in the center of town, close to where this current meeting house sits, and on May 27, 1723, the call was given to the 20-year-old Reverend Jonathan Edwards to be the first minister. At first, Reverend Edwards accepted the call, but soon afterwards was appointed a tutor at Yale College. So the man who was later to become one of the most celebrated writers and speakers in colonial America did not become the pastor of Bolton. In 1725, the Reverend Thomas White became Bolton’s first minister ª.

We are individuals and celebrated!

Our church does not require members to subscribe to specific doctrines or creeds. We believe that often such doctrines become instruments of judgment and exclusion that divide, rather than unite, God’s people.

However, while you will certainly find a variety of individual perspectives among the members of our congregation, we are also confident you will find that all our members’ lives and faith are guided by the supreme Christian principles of love of neighbor, humility before God, compassion for the needy, respect for life and all living things, and commitment to peace and justice for all of God’s people across all of creation.


We are the United Church of Christ

Bolton Congregational Church is a member of the United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination of reformed Christians that came together from the lack of trust for hierarchy and beliefs that did not fit the changing tides of society. The motto of the United Church of Christ comes from John 17:21: "That they may all be one". The denomination's official literature uses broad doctrinal parameters, emphasizing freedom of individual conscience and local church autonomy. We believe in total freedom of one's belief system.  We not only say the words but stand by the idea that no matter who you are or where you on life's journey you are welcomed here. This idea of total freedom means that you can worship how you want to worship, believe the creeds you want to believe, and live your life as you see fit in your own relationship with the divine. We do not adhere to one set of rules, one set of doctrines, and above all else we are open to all of God's children.  This includes our open communion table where we say and believe to our core that there are no barriers from receiving, no rules, no guidelines that stop anyone from receiving.  The decision to partake can only be made by you and your discernment with the divine.