23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 NRSVA
No matter who you are, no matter where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome at North Port Community (NPC) United Church of Christ (UCC). NPCUCC is a welcoming congregation that celebrates the diversity of our members but focuses on what we have in common in order to nurture growth and healing. Drawn together by the Holy Spirit, we are a distinct and diverse community of North Port area Christians that come together as one church, joining faith and action. In covenant with the church in all of its settings, we serve God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world as made manifest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
NPCUCC belongs to the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions. The denomination emphasizes freedom of individual conscience and local church autonomy.
NPCUCC extends this philosophy to each member with an emphasis on individual conscience and tolerance of the beliefs of other members. We recognize that each individual is on their own faith journey. Respecting others and tolerance of their beliefs is essential to having the discussions which allow all of us to grow in our faith. We encourage everyone to join us for worship, music, prayer, bible study, Christian fellowship and putting our faith into action.
History
NPCUCC began in 1967 when individuals began organizing a church. Early in January 1968, they met with Rev. Alva Soldner, a local minister, and Rev. Melvin Dollar, a UCC Florida Conference minister, and agreed to form a UCC congregation with Rev Soldner as pastor. When Rev Soldner suffered a stoke the following August, Rev. Dr. A. C. Decker, a retired UCC minister living in Englewood, temporarily took over services and ended up serving the church for 17 years. The Warm Mineral Springs Community United Church of Christ was officially formed on March 9, 1969 and accepted into the West Central Association, Florida Conference, United Church of Christ on April 15, 1969.
Initial church meetings in 1967 were held in individual homes. The Warm Mineral Springs Recreational Association allowed the church to use its building and the first services were held in its building on January 21, 1968. On March 29, 1972, the church filed for incorporation with the State of Florida as the Warm Mineral Springs Community United Church of Christ, Inc. On April 17, 1977, the congregation voted to change its name to the North Port Community United Church of Christ, Inc. On May 2, 1978, the church purchased 5.65 acres and built a 2,048 square foot church (currently known as Decker Hall). Ten years later, they completed a new 8,312 square foot church, our current church.