Welcome

Blessings and peace to all of you from the Congregational Church of South Dennis!

What a joy it is to be the pastor of this wonderful congregation. The first time I walked into our historic meetinghouse as a supply pastor, I was so struck by the loving, caring, inclusive nature of this community of faith that my calling to continue serving here became a reality. I simply never wanted to leave.

We have a rich history and our worship services are held in our serene Meetinghouse. It is like walking lovingly into the past, given some of the original fixtures, including the chandelier that was originally lit with whale oil, but later electrified. In fact we are called “The Sea Captains’ Church” because it was founded in 1817 in response to the need for families of the clipper ship sea captains to have a place to worship and come together as a community. Our historic Snetzler organ which was built in 1762 in London, England by the King’s own organ builder fills the space with wonderful sound at the hands of our gifted organist Donald Enos. (It is worth a visit to see and hear the organ, on its own merits!)

But when you come through the doors of our meetinghouse, while surrounded by artifacts of the past, you are also surrounded by the incredible love and welcome of this amazing community—something very much of the present. We are delighted to welcome visitors, and I think you will find an immediate place in our “family heart.”

As an historic Congregational Church, we are part of the United Church of Christ and join with our denomination and sister churches in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. The liberty of conscience for each believer is respected while each one is encouraged to grow in his or her walk with God. We hold that God is still speaking and there is more revelation to come from God’s holy word. And, as part of the UCC, we proclaim each Sunday that “no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here to experience the wonder and love of God.”

Whether or not you are a Cape resident or a visitor enjoying the beauty of our surroundings in this very special part of the world, we joyfully welcome you through our doors to worship with us at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings. We also have an online ministry; our Sunday services are recorded and posted on this site by Tuesday each week. I also provide to our mailing list a Saturday evening reflection; let us know if you would like to be on the email distribution list for that.

Perhaps you, like I, will also never want to leave.

May the peace of God, the love of Christ and the power and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you this day, tomorrow and forevermore. We hope to see you among us very soon.

Rev. Deborah Mahaney