The Church of Christ, Congregational sits at 142 Exchange Street in the heart of Millis, a small Norfolk County town about 25 miles southwest of Boston. With roots reaching back more than three centuries, it is one of the oldest Protestant congregations in the region and the spiritual home of a body that calls itself Open and Affirming. Today the church is known for a progressive welcome, a dynamic music program, and a clothing ministry called the Second Chance Closet that serves neighbors across the area. Its simple mission - "Worship God, serve our neighbors, share God's love" - sets the tone for everything that happens inside the Exchange Street doors.
A 300-Year Congregation on Exchange Street
The congregation traces its story to the early 1700s, when the area that is now Millis was still part of Medway. For more than 300 years it has gathered on Exchange Street, making it one of the longest-standing communities in the area. That Congregational heritage runs deep: the tradition goes back to sixteenth-century England and the belief that each local church governs its own life, calls its own leaders, and works in covenant with other congregations without answering to a bishop. As a member congregation of the United Church of Christ, the largest Protestant denomination in Massachusetts, the church retains full control over its finances, its calling process, and the vote of its members. The rainbow colors on the UCC symbol signal that this particular church is also a designated Open and Affirming congregation.
Faith Without Creeds
The church is proudly non-creedal. There is no statement one must sign to join, and members are not asked to profess particular doctrinal formulas. Belief is described as "more of a way of being in the world," a journey rather than a fixed position. Holy Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience are all understood to work together in shaping mature Christian faith. Three documents anchor the congregation: a Church Constitution, a Church Covenant, and the United Church of Christ Statement of Faith. From those documents the church draws language about the God made known in Jesus and the way of life the gospel calls believers to walk.
Members live out a vision adopted by the national UCC in 2017: "a just world for all." Locally, that vision shows up in the congregation's outreach, in the welcome it extends to people often turned away by other churches, and in the steady drumbeat of small acts of care that move through Exchange Street week after week.
Sunday Morning at 10
Worship is held every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, both in person in the sanctuary and on Zoom for those at home. The service typically runs about an hour, from 10:00 to 11:00, and includes singing, Bible readings, prayers, and a sermon. Children are welcome to stay in the sanctuary throughout the service, and a basket of coloring and activity books sits in the back for anyone who needs one. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month, and everyone is invited to participate - though no one is required to. After the service, the whole congregation gathers in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, juice, and snacks, a long-standing chance to meet new people and catch up with old friends.
During July and August, the regular schedule moves outdoors. The lawn behind the church becomes the worship space; worshipers bring a chair or a blanket and listen to the music drift across the grass. Special services mark the seasons of the church year, including Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, All Saints Sunday, an Advent Taizé service, and Christmas Eve, along with celebrations that reflect the congregation's character: Pride Sunday, Coming Out Sunday, Disability and Access Sunday, Mary Magdalene Sunday, Blessing of the Animals, Baseball Sunday, an Earth Day observance, and a Halloween-themed Spooky Sunday that mixes playfulness with awe.
The building is fully accessible. There is a ramp from the parking lot into the church, an elevator serves the lower level, and the sanctuary is designed so that anyone who uses a wheelchair can participate fully.
Open and Affirming Since 2018
In 2018 the congregation formally adopted an Open and Affirming designation, committing itself to welcome people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions into the full life of the church. The designation is more than a slogan; it is the result of a deliberate process of learning, conversation, and story-sharing that is still remembered as a defining moment in the church's life.
The Welcoming Statement makes the breadth of that welcome explicit: "You are welcome here... if you are 3 days old, 30 years old, or 103 years old; no matter your skin tone or nationality; if you are a United States citizen, a United States resident, an undocumented immigrant, or a refugee; no matter your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; if you are single, married, widowed, divorced, separated, or partnered; if you are fully-abled, or are living with physical or mental challenges; if you were raised in another religion or have never set foot in a house of worship; if you have ever had medical struggles and/or addictions; if you have ever had legal trouble or a criminal record; or if you own a home, rent, live with your parents, or are homeless." The rainbow stripe in the UCC logo carries the same message to anyone walking in the door.
Music: Hymns, Gospel, and Praise
Music has been central to this congregation for as long as anyone can remember. The choir, led by Music Director Rebecca Abalutzk, draws on a wide repertoire: traditional sacred hymns sit comfortably alongside contemporary praise and gospel music. Over the years the choir has performed Lessons and Carols, Christmas cantatas, a program marking the church's 300th anniversary, and a tribute to George Ford, a beloved local teacher and public servant. For major events the choir is joined by singers from nearby community churches. New members are always welcome, and no audition is required, only the desire to make a joyful noise.
The Second Chance Closet
The Second Chance Closet is one of the church's most visible expressions of its faith. Located at 142 Exchange Street, it is a community-driven resource room that provides free clothing, shoes, and basic toiletries to anyone in need. Men's, women's, and children's items are all available, and everything is offered without judgment and without conditions. The Closet opens several mornings each month and is also available by appointment with the pastor. Donations can be dropped off on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 or during office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; the donation box sits to the right as you enter from the parking lot.
The ministry is grounded in the verses of Matthew 25 and Luke 4, and it is explicit about who it serves: "every neighbor, without exception, regardless of background, immigration status, income, or identity." Volunteers sort donations, welcome guests at the door, and organize the shelves, and the congregation frames the work as "discipleship in action."
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The church partners with several local organizations to stretch its reach. The Millis Ecumenical Food Pantry operates out of the church's lower level and serves Millis residents on Saturdays and the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 10:00 AM to noon; the church provides office support, financial help, and food donations. New Life Furniture Bank, a nonprofit that collects gently used furniture and household items and distributes them at no charge through referring agencies, is supported with volunteers and money. The Millis Fund, a community-based organization that helps Millis families with temporary financial emergencies by paying bills directly to creditors, also relies on the church for office support and donations. Other rhythms of service include the annual Jolly Holly Fair in December, with local vendors, a silent auction, fresh greens, and an outdoor Christmas market, and the Trunk or Treat gathering in the parking lot each fall.
Reading Together, Praying Together
Two small groups gather regularly. The Christian Origins Book Club meets to discuss books on biblical scholarship, theology, history, justice, discipleship, and contemporary faith. Past selections have included Marcus Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time," Amy-Jill Levine's "Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven," Joan Taylor and Helen Bond's "Women Remembered: Jesus' Female Disciples," Obery M. Hendricks Jr.'s "The Politics of Jesus," and Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels." Members come with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to be challenged. The book club gathers in the Church Parlor.
The M&Ms (Monday Morning Group) meets from 10:00 AM to noon on Mondays for needlecraft and conversation. No project is required; newcomers can simply show up, stay fifteen minutes or two hours, and join the conversation.
Visits and Prayer Warriors
The Visitor's Group sends volunteers to spend time with members and friends who can no longer attend worship because of illness or physical limitation. Visitors share conversation, play games, read aloud, make phone calls, send cards, and assist with special needs. They meet monthly with the pastor for support and training; confidentiality and respect are paramount. Alongside the visitors, the Prayer Chain, sometimes called the prayer warriors, lifts up the needs of people near and far. Anyone can join the chain or submit a request through the church office.
Beyond Millis: El Salvador
In October 2018, twelve members of the congregation traveled to Santa Ana, El Salvador to work alongside a partner family and local masons with Habitat for Humanity. The goal was straightforward and the work was concrete: help build a home. The trip is remembered as one of the clearest expressions of the church's conviction that adequate housing is integral to the welfare, education, and health of an entire family.
Meet the Staff
Rev. James Admans (they/them) serves as settled pastor. After studying anthropology and forensic anthropology at Southern Connecticut State University and Boston University School of Medicine, James earned a Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, concentrating in biblical studies, social ethics, and queer theology. Their final year at seminary was recognized with the Malcolm Boyd Veritas Award for social justice work in the LGBTQIA+ community. James previously served as Digital Minister and Seminary Intern at Fort Washington Collegiate Church and coordinated a COVID-19 vaccination site that distributed more than 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. They compiled the anthology "Beyond Worship: Meditations on Queer Worship, Liturgy, and Theology," which received a 2023 Independent Publishers Bronze Medal. Known throughout the UCC for a vibrant drag ministry under the persona Marge Erin Johnson, James is the first queer and nonbinary pastor of the church in its 300+ year history.
Rebecca Abalutzk (she/her) directs the music program. A graduate of UMass Amherst and Westminster Choir College, where she earned a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance, she has spent nearly twenty years teaching music in public schools and private studios and directing choirs and musicals. She also serves as Program Director at Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios in Franklin, Massachusetts, and as Adjunct Voice Faculty and ballet accompanist at Dean College.
Rev. Mary Perry (she/her) serves as Pulpit Supply Pastor. After thirty years as a registered nurse, Mary earned a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and a Post-Master's Certificate in Spiritual Formation from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. She served as sole pastor of the First Congregational Church of Stoughton for ten years, retiring in 2023. A Reiki Master and graduate of the University of Vermont's End-of-Life Doula program, she lives in Norfolk with her husband Robert.
Visiting and Getting in Touch
Church office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM. The Spire, the congregation's monthly newsletter, is available online, with new issues each month and a full archive going back to 2019. Worship services are livestreamed on Zoom, and past services are posted to the church's YouTube channel. Giving is accepted online through PayPal. The church can be reached by phone at 508-376-5034 or by email at millisucc@msn.com, and visitors are warmly invited to stop by at 142 Exchange Street any Sunday morning at 10.