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Learn More About Us
Welcome
Welcome to the Oxford United Church of Christ Congregational,
located just above Connecticut's Naugatuck River valley . This is the official Web site of the Oxford United
Church of Christ. Read on to learn about us, our faith, our history, and our mission.
Faiths and Practice
Oxford United Church of Christ, Congregational, traces its faith heritage
from the Puritan movement of the English Reformation. We believe in one God who created all things, who has
redeemed the world from its sins and errors in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and who guides and
strengthens us through the Holy Spirit. The church's covenant reads:
"We covenant one with another to seek and respond to the Word and the Will of God. We resolve to walk
together in the ways of the Lord, made known and to be made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the
Church to witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all the world, while worshipping God, and striving for truth,
justice and peace. As did those before us, we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us. We pray for
the coming of the Kingdom of God, and we look with faith toward the triumph of righteousness and eternal life."
Another expression of the church's faith is found in the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith.
This statement is read at baptisms, confirmation, and when new members join the church.
The church worships in a simple, quiet style, singing hymns by the guidance of a pipe organ and a
small but strong choir. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and
Baptisms are celebrated as requested.
Mission and Program
The church carries on its work both nearby and far away.
Local mission includes the normal
activity of the church:
- Worship - which testifies to our faith and devotion to God.
- Education - which equips young and old for faithful service in all
settings.
- Community - which renews us together for our separate
labors.
Local ecumenical mission:
- Support for Area Congregations Together ministries to the needy.
- Participation in Ecumenical Worship Services sponsored by the
Oxford-Seymour Clergy Association.
- National and international ministries of the United Church of
Christ.
History
Congregational churches in Connecticut were established by action of the colonial legislature. Because church attendance
was a legal obligation, churches tended to be founded as the edge of European settlement crept up the smaller river valleys
from the earlier settlements in Hartford, New Haven, and Saybrook.
Three residents of what was then known as northern Derby petitioned the General Assembly to form the Ecclesiastical Society
of Oxford in 1741, and held the first meeting that June.
At this early stage ministers could only be hired for one year. The Society began work on a building, but met in Mr. Sam Twitchell's
house on the Sabbath until the Meeting House was usable in June of 1743. On January 9, 1746, the Society received permission
from the General Assembly to "embody a Church Estate and settle a Minister." The Rev. Jonathan Lyman accepted the call to be
the first settled pastor and served from 1746 to 1763.
The church's work and membership has changed many times in many ways over the 255 intervening years. At some periods it has
been served briefly by divinity students, and at others by settled pastors over long terms. It is now reviewing its mission statement and
visualizing the possibilities for faith and ministry in the 21st century.
Relationships
This church is a full member of the United Church of Christ, and participates in its life, work, and mission. It is a member of the Naugatuck Valley
Association of the UCC, in which it shares in the authorization and supervision of ministers, and supports the ministry of each member church.
It is also a member of the Connecticut Conference, UCC, which assists local churches in their work and carries on mission work across the state.
The church also works with its neighbors through Area Congregations Together (ACT) in Derby, Connecticut, and the Seymour/Oxford Clergy Association.
Leadership
- Pastor: Rev. Lucille L. Fritz
- Organist: Louise Burr
- Choir Director: Martha Lubowiecki
- Moderator: Robert Farnum
- Clerk: Jean Brown
- Historian: Lisa Lauder
- Treasurer: Louise Knies
- Financial Secretary: Norean Woodin
- Sunday School Co-Coordinators: Lisa Lauder & Laura Denslow
- Chair of Diaconate: Rich Gee
- Chair of Trustees: Ralph McKinney
- Chair of Christian Education: Don Miner
- Chair of Missions: Lois Pallotolo
- Chair of Stewardship: Dee Cupole & Bunny Mechler
- Church Secretary: Mariann Fenton
Church Office Hours
The church office is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 12:30 AM
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