No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here at University Congregational United Church of Christ. Young, old, sure of your path, or still searching --- we invite you to join us in imagining love and justice - as Jesus did - in acting to change the world.
Our in-person worship service starts at 10 am and includes hymns, prayers, scripture reading and a sermon. It usually lasts about an hour. During the 10 am service we also offer live-streaming to a nearby room that offers those with compromised immune systems to be more isolated. We also offer a separate space for children, with supervised play and crafts during the 10 am service. Sections of the 10 am service are programed into the 5 pm digital service, which is offered as a "vespers."
We are an inter-generational church and strive to be family-friendly, with an active ministry for children and youth. All ages are welcome in worship. We also offer nursery and child-care, Younger children begin the 10 am service with us and usually leave after about 15 minutes. Older children have the option of leaving for a special sermon time. Junior high and high school youth meet at 9 am and then often sit together in worship. Give us a call at 206-524-2322 for more specifics.
Wheelchair Access: The front entry is wheelchair accessible as are the rest rooms. Please don't hesitate to ask for assistance.
“Bumper sticker Theology: I can do all things through a verse taken out of context.”
Think about the bumper stickers you see around town – a sports team, a band, an honor roll student, a stick-figure family, a funny joke. These are all indicators of something different. They tell a part of the story, but not the full story. That same kind of short hand gets used with scripture. Often verses get shared – think guy in a clown wig with a John 3:16 sign or the “Do Justice. Love Mercy. Walk Humbly” button – but we miss the whole context of the story. This worship series gives us the opportunity to move beyond the pithy quote toward the depth of our sacred stories. We’ll share the verses before and after that give greater depth to our understanding of some well-known passages.
Spiritual Practice: This series focuses on experiencing the full story of well-known Bible verses. For our spiritual practice you are invited to consider how these texts prepare you for worship. Here are some things to consider:
- When does your preparation for worship begin? Is there a ritual that goes into this preparation? Does it happen as soon as you click a link or sit in a pew? Or is it something that begins when you wake up? The night before when you go to bed? When you finsh your overnight shift?
- How is your prayer life different when you arrive at worship with a specific prayer request? How does the prayers of others impact your worship experience? How would prayer help you prepare for worship?
- What is your relationship with scripture outside of worship? Do you regularly read the Bible or rarely read the Bible?
Throughout this series we want you to expand your worship preparation. Read the lesson for that Sunday mid-week. If you usually read the lesson before participating in worship, then read a bit more – the whole chapter, maybe the whole book. Look for connections you make about the bigger context in relationship to the Sunday pericope.
-Rev. Steve Jerbi