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.

We would love to welcome you at our in-person service each Sunday at 10 am. A digital service is also offered on line on Sunday evening at 5 pm. Our service is streamed on YouTube and Facebook. You will find the links just below this section on our home page. The weekly 5 pm service is  available on line after it is initially presented on Sundays..

We strive to walk in the path of Jesus, and to offer an authentic welcome to everyone who walks through our door or joins us online. If you are new to us, we would love to get to know you and answer your questions about our church, even if we cannot greet you in person. A member of our Welcome Committee, or a pastor, would be happy to correspond on email or talk with you on the phone. Click here to arrange for a meeting.

Our in-person worship service starts at 10 am and includes hymns, prayers, scripture reading and a sermon. It usually lasts about an hour and fifteen minute.. 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."

Children are an important part of our community, and are welcome for all or part or the service.

UCUCC Parking Map

View for detailed Google Map.

Parking can be a challenge in the University District! Persistence, patience and an early start are keys to success.

UW has free parking on Sundays. Enter the main campus gate at NE 45th and 17th Ave NE and turn left past the toll booth. It's about a three-block walk to the church. The UW Meany Garage at 15th Ave. NE and NE 41st St. is a five-block walk.

The church also owns three parking lots - Lot A is across the street from the church on 16th Ave. E. Lot B is beneath Sortun Court, just north of the church on the east side of 16th Ave. E. (It closes at 2 p.m.) Lot C (for those with difficulty walking, young children and visitors) is at the corner of 15th NE and NE 45th St., next to the church.

If you need to be assured of a close parking spot, you can call the church office before noon on Friday to reserve one: 206-524-2322.

From time time we host lunches for people who are interested in learning more about our church and/or possibly becoming a member.  We are also happy to meet with you over coffee or at the church to explore and explain a range of topics about our church, from history, to theology, to membership. Click here to arrange a meeting with a Welcome Committee Volunteer or pastor or to set up a meeting and/or to learn when the next Welcome Lunch is planned.

Thank you for your interest in our church community.

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 or email Margaret Swanson, our Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries..

Our programs for children and youth continue during this pandemic. Sign up at the bottom of the home page to receive our Children's Ministries and/or Youth Ministries newsletter.

Hearing Impaired: Our sanctuary has an induction loop system that uses the T-Coil mode of your hearing aids. You can get the necessary equipment just before entering the Sanctuary on the right or ask any usher.

Visually Impaired: We offer each Sunday's program in large print for easier readability.

Wheelchair Access: The front entry is wheelchair accessible as are the rest rooms. Please don't hesitate to ask for assistance.

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Budgeting for Love & Justice

by | Oct 17, 2022 | General News, Love and Justice

Budgeting for Love & Justice

A significant portion of the money we pledge each year goes to the Love & Justice Ministry. What happens to it?

In alignment with our covenant to “live responsibly within Your creation” and “to promote Your reign of justice and peace, meeting hate with reconciling love,” the Love & Justice Committee spends our entrusted funds to support the work of our Love & Justice Action Teams and 501c3s, as well as community organizations involved in direct service and social change.

In 2022, we had the joy of sharing about $30,000 from the church budget. We also allocated the interest from the Love & Justice Ministry Endowment ($25,528), formed during our last Capital Campaign, and $1500 from a revolving fund. Some money is kept in reserve for emergency needs for the final months of the year.

We invite new committee members to do this faithful and joyful discernment with us!

Love & Justice outlays can be categorized in a number of ways. For instance, we gave about $19,000 to organizations offering direct service, $11,600 to communities engaged in advocacy and systemic change, and $23,800 to support our Love & Justice Action Teams and UCUCC-related 501c3s. $1000 went to the national UCC Offering, Strengthen the Church, to build leadership within the denomination.

In determining contributions, we also use the lens of our five Love & Justice priorities, adopted in 2018. This pie chart shows how we have distributed 2022 moneys by priority. It does not include our Special Offerings or Superfluity donations.

Curious about the specifics of these contributions? They are listed below, in descending order of contribution size within each category.

Economic Justice (these often have a strong element of racial justice as well): $17,000

  • UCUCC Hunger Outreach Team
  • University Churches Emergency Fund
  • ROOTS Young Adult Shelter
  • Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness
  • UCUCC Youth & Adult Teen Feed Dinner Action Teams
  • Teen Feed
  • Neighborcare Health – 45th Street Youth Clinic for youth experiencing homelessness
  • Jubilee USA (advocacy for debt relief for countries of the global south)
  • Bread for the World
  • UCC Hurricane Relief Fund

Dignity, Equity and Belonging: $10,200

  • UCUCC Immigrant Justice Action Team/Afghan Refugees Resettlement
  • Roanoke Park Counseling (scholarships for adults who were sexually abused as children)
  • Mental Health Chaplaincy
  • UCC Strengthen the Church Offering (supporting UCC leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations)
  • People’s Harm Reduction Alliance

Racial and Indigenous Justice: $4700

  • Black Girls Magic Academy/GATE (from Emma Frater Fund)
  • Real Rent Duwamish
  • Chief Seattle Club
  • UCUCC Advocates for Racial Justice
  • Washington Poor People’s Campaign

Peace and Reconciliation: $3100

  • International Red Cross
  • International Rescue Committee
  • Amnesty International: honorarium for congregational workshop

Environmental Justice: $2800

  • Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light
  • UCUCC Sacred Earth Matters

Overlapping Priorities: $17,600

  • Mwanzo
  • Church Council of Greater Seattle
  • Faith Action Network
  • Tri-Cities Mutual Aid Fund (for farmworkers)
  • Peace & Justice Advocates

Special Offerings

In addition to budget funds distributed by the Love & Justice Ministry, our congregation donates monthly through a Special Offering to a specific organization. So far this year, our community has given generously to:

  • 350 Seattle (climate change & climate justice), January: $3070
  • Selinda Hospital in Zimbabwe, February: $4575
  • One Great Hour of Sharing (national UCC offering), March: $3990
  • Mwanzo, April: $12,368
  • International Red Cross for relief in wars in Ukraine, Yemen and more, May: $4986
  • The Trevor Project (crisis services for LGBTQ young people) – Youth-planned offering, June: $3006
  • Hunger Outreach, July: $7181
  • Green Buildings Now, August: $3,200

Not yet finalized:

  • UCUCC Child Care Programs, September
  • Neighbors in Need (national UCC offering), October
  • Global Hunger Crisis, November
  • The Christmas Fund (national UCC offering), December

Thank you so much for all your generosity in reaching out with love to our wider world!