St. John’s United Church of Christ is called to follow Jesus’ path of love, justice and inclusion.
The gospel says to love God “with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” [Luke 10:27]. We believe that all people are created in God’s image and thus are loved and blessed equally by God.
We invite you to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for our weekly worship service, or to participate in any of our local missions, including our Food Pantry and free Saturday community breakfast.
St. John's Church was founded as an inclusive church in Owosso in 1894.
St. John's was established in 1894 after another local church refused to allow people with certain affiliations to be members of their church. 52 men met in what had just become a newly vacant Methodist church building here at 429 North Washington Street, and St. John’s German Evangelical Church was born. In the 1930s the German Evangelical Lutherans joined with the German Reformed Church in America and we became a Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1938. On June 25, 1957, the United Church of Christ was created by the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church with the Congregational Christian Churches. Since then, our church has been known as St. John's United Church of Christ.
What makes these events significant is the fact that we did not join with other traditions that were similar to us, but rather with ones that were drastically different. We joined with traditions that had different beliefs, different creeds, and different practices.
The motto of the United Church of Christ - "That they may all be one" [John 17:21] - reflects the spirit of unity on which our denomination is based and our prayer to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church.
St. John's United Church of Christ is an open and affirming church.
We extend a welcome to all to participate fully in the life of the church – regardless of race, age, ethnicity, marital status, family structure, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, education, physical or mental ability, addictions, socio-economic status, or faith background.
We are committed to being a safe place for all, and a place where people are welcome no matter where they are in their faith journey.
Come as you are - we’d love to see you!