United Church on the Green, UCC: New Haven, CT

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United Church on the Green, UCC: New Haven, CT

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A place of hope on the New Haven Green. Open & Affirming since 1989. Sundays at 10am. Come as you are. A congregation of the United Church of Christ.

A progressive, Open and Affirming congregation on the New Haven Green since 1742. We believe in a world of crucifixion, the church should be a place of hope. Whether you’re a long-time believer or a seeker with more questions than answers, you will be welcomed exactly as you are, no explanation required. We have a long history of standing for justice, from the Amistad incident and the abolition of slavery to the 1970 Black Panther trials. Today, we continue that work through our commitment to peace, social justice, and our "Just Peace" mission. Worship with us:
Sundays at 10am | In person at 270 Temple Street or online on YouTube.

10/15/2026

When IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services lost its federal funding in 2025 and had to close its headquarters on Nicoll Street, the question for us was never whether we would help. It was how fast we could open the door.

We have partnered with IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services for years, and their education programs now run directly out of our Parish House at 323 Temple Street. A church is not just a landmark or a building where people worship on Sundays; it is a place that makes room for the work of justice.

If you want to support or get involved with the work of IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, visit their page for more details.

What does "faith in action" look like where you live? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

10/14/2026

The Israelites carried gold out of Egypt. But they also carried Egypt's imagination.

They carried the idea that God could be reduced to something you could hold. Something you could control. A golden calf. A graven image. A god small enough to fit your expectations.

Rev. Ray called it the dangerous side of nostalgia. Not the harmless kind. The kind that rewrites history so we never have to face what actually happened. And when we hide that, the evil does not disappear. It just finds new ways to shape what comes next.

The Virtue of Traveling Light. Exodus 32.

10/13/2026

"One thing that we know is that evil which is hidden does not go away. It just finds new ways to shape the future."

Rev. Ray went after nostalgia this Sunday. Not the harmless kind. The kind that rewrites history to make bo***ge look bearable. The Israelites did not just carry gold out of Egypt. They carried Egypt's imagination with them. They carried the idea that God could be reduced to something you could hold, something you could control. And a god you can control has no power to free you, because that god is already a prisoner of the same system.

The sermon asks a hard question: what are we still carrying from the places that held us? And are we honest enough to name it?

Full sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/qxj6utfTLNo?si=k8psCpaNT9DwhUGQ&t=1102

10/08/2026

Most people do not know this about our church.

The choir at United Church on the Green is not just a group of volunteers who love to sing. It is built around a professional quartet of section leaders and soloists recruited through the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. These are trained musicians who rehearse every Thursday evening and lead worship every Sunday morning alongside our volunteer singers.

Our Music Director, Caesar Storlazzi, studied at Yale. The Yale Organ Academy has held public recitals in our sanctuary. Yale Schola Cantorum has performed in this space. That is the caliber of music happening at 270 Temple Street on a Sunday at 10 AM.

And here is the thing: you do not need a ticket. You do not need a membership. You just walk in and sit down.

We are curious: what is the first thing you notice when you walk into a church? Is it the sermon? The people? Or is it the music?

Tell us in the comments.

unitednewhaven.org/music

10/07/2026

"If the theft of your life, the theft of your labor, the theft of your being is stolen every day, then theft doesn't mean anything. And in a world in which lies become common and the language of power, what place is there for truth? What does it even mean?"

Rev. Ray preached the Ten Commandments this Sunday. But not the way you have heard them before. He started with a question most people never think to ask: what do these words mean to people who have never been allowed to live by them?

What does "do not commit adultery" mean when your body has never been yours? What does "do not steal" mean when everything you are has already been taken? What does "do not bear false witness" mean when lies are the official language?

God did not hand the commandments to people in power. God handed them to people who had just walked out of slavery. That is the whole point. You matter enough to be spoken to as if you do.

Full sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/TCDtCni_TnU?si=E2jziM4zunE8Cndn&t=933

10/06/2026

"In a context in which people's dignity and labor is stolen every day, the idea of theft loses all of its gravity. And likewise, in a world in which lies become common and the language of power, what place is there for truth? What does it even mean?"

Rev. Ray took the Ten Commandments apart this Sunday. Not to dismiss them. To ask what they mean when the people receiving them have never been treated as if the rules applied to their lives. What does "do not steal" mean to a people whose entire existence has been stolen? What does "do not commit adultery" mean when your body has never belonged to you?

Exodus 20 is not a list of rules. It is God saying: you are moral agents now. Act like it. Because no one else is going to treat you that way.

Full sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/TCDtCni_TnU?si=C4x5p1d8cVtgPxAq&t=938

10/01/2026

Many churches expect you to figure it out on your own. You walk in, you sit down, you leave, and nobody explains anything.

We do it differently. On the first Sunday of every month, we host a gathering called "This Is Our Church." It is exactly what it sounds like. You show up after the service, grab some coffee, and we talk. What is this place? What do we believe? What does Open and Affirming mean in practice? How does a church built in 1815 end up on the right side of history over and over again?

You do not have to be a member. You do not have to sign anything. You can come in person at 270 Temple Street or join on Zoom. It is a conversation, not a sales pitch.

If you have been curious but were not sure where to start, this is it. This Sunday, right after the 10 AM service.

unitednewhaven.org/community-information

09/29/2026

We will be at New Haven Pride this Saturday.

The Pride Block Party is back in the Ninth Square. Crown and Orange Streets, noon to 4 PM. Drag performances, a DJ circle, a Health & Wellness Village, and a whole lot of community.

United Church on the Green will have a table there. We show up every year because our welcome is not a seasonal event. We have been Open and Affirming since 1989. That is 37 years of saying yes to our LGBTQ+ siblings, and we are not slowing down now.

Come find us. Ask us anything. Or just come say hi and grab a sticker.

Saturday, October 3 | Noon to 4 PM
Crown & Orange Streets, Ninth Square
Rain date: Sunday, October 4

09/26/2026

Due to inclement weather, we are cancelling in-person worship for tomorrow, Sunday September 27.

Instead, we will be hosting an abbreviated virtual service via Zoom; you can join us using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85297051303?pwd=cm8wd01ENTQvbk9nOHF3aS9LaFJNQT09

Stay safe!!

09/24/2026

A lot of churches will tell you everyone is welcome. Fewer of them will perform your wedding.

United Church on the Green has been Open and Affirming since 1989. That is not just a line on our website. It means that if you and the person you love want to get married in a church that actually celebrates who you are, our Meeting House is open to you. Same-sex couples. Interfaith couples. Members. Non-members. It does not matter.

Our pastor meets with every couple, plans a service around your life together, and stands with you at the altar. No conditions. No caveats. No "love the sinner" qualifiers.

The building was built in 1815. The welcome has been here since 1989. Both of those things are still standing.

If you or someone you know is looking for a church home, or just a church that will say yes, we are at 270 Temple Street on the New Haven Green.

unitednewhaven.org/host-an-event

Address

270 Temple Street
New Haven, CT
06511

Opening Hours

9:30am - 11:30am

Website

http://www.unitednewhaven.org/

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