Our Church

Individual Freedom is both our heritage and our core commitment. We have inherited a free church from forebears who kept the flame of an open and liberal religious spirit alive since 1761, when our congregation, the original church in Walpole, was founded. Today, we have no creedal tests for membership and respect the free heart, mind and voice.

As a result, we embrace diversity. We believe that fellow seekers, who are very different from ourselves, enhance our search for truth. We celebrate variety in theological beliefs as well as race ethnic and religious background, sexual orientation, ability and age. While some churches find diversity to be an ugly thing, maintaining power in conformity, we believe that diversity is a beautiful thing and can enrich us all.

Yet it is the caring community that makes the practices of individual freedom and embracing diversity meaningful. Only in a community of respectful and inclusive practice can freedom and diversity flourish. Without a caring community providing necessary boundaries, the flame of an open and liberal spirit can too easily be lost in the stultifying powers of conformity or the chaos of individual license.

We are all in this together, this search for truth and meaning in our lives, this quest to make the world a better place. Only together can we maintain a place for the free heart, mind and voice. Only together can we build a community that encourages individual freedom and embraces diversity. Such a mission is of inestimable value in our world.

You are welcome to join your journey with ours.