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 worship service starts at 10 am and includes hymns, prayers, scripture reading and a sermon. It usually lasts about an hour. Right now we are worshiping online and will adjust this message once we are able to meet together in our sanctuary once again. 
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 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.
August worship theme: Seasons of Love
Seasons of Love The rhythm of life is a rhythm of seasons. Scripture acknowledges this truth in profound ways, naming within its stories of beginning a rhythm of work (creation) and rest (sabbath) and continuing to name throughout our faith stories other seasonal...
Emerging from the Pandemic
Opening slowly but surely On a normal Sunday morning, 1/4 of our congregation is unable to be vaccinated or has a health condition that makes the vaccine less effective. Our commitment to being inclusive reflects this reality. For large all-church and...
A note from your Pastors | July 16, 2021
Beloved Community, Being a part of a congregation and community would be so much easier if we could just get this whole communications thing down pat. But every organization wonders about and works on how communication can be improved. Improving how we communicate and...
Racial Justice at UCUCC since August 2020
August 2021 marks two years since the energies of our youth group propelled the congregation into adopting a resolution to become a Racial Justice Church. To mark this anniversary we are taking a look at the work of Racial Justice that has happened in the past year....
A note from your Pastors | July 9, 2021
Dear Beloved Community, As we in this congregation are experiencing this season of emergence from the lock downs and distancing of the pandemic we are also experiencing a shift in how we experience digital ministry. We’ve been doing things online since before Covid-19...
New Children’s Ministry Coordinator
The Children's & Youth Ministry Committees, Rev. Steve Jerbi and I are excited to share with you that we have hired Rev. Bruce Wilson Jr. as our Children's Ministry Coordinator! Bruce is an ordained minister, board-certified chaplain, licensed mental health...
A note from your Pastors | July 2, 2021
Beloved Community, On Sunday, July 4th, our nation will celebrate Independence Day. In recognition, our church office will be closed on July 5th. How a church recognizes, honors, or celebrates a national holiday is not a simple matter. This is certainly true for July...
Meet our Video Editor James Krick!
When did you start at UCUCC? June, 2020 When you aren’t working, how do you spend your time? I love spending time with my two cats and my girlfriend, hiking in the PNW, and playing games with friends and family. What’s the most interesting or favorite place you’ve...
Bequest Thank You
Bequest Thank You We are honored and blessed to receive a gift from the estate of JoAnne Conard. At the June council meeting, members voted to receive her bequest and shared memories and appreciations about JoAnne: her activism, her engagement, and her mentorship. “I...
Emerging from Covid-19
“Like a tree in the forest, we will know we are not alone, but part of a web, a network of life, healing, helping, nurturing each other… as it should always have been.” –Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee, Sufi mystic As we walk forward in our journey out of the pandemic, there...
Mwanzo | Developing Young Leaders
~Submitted by Lily Lahiri When I first started attending UCUCC, I was delighted to learn of our church’s support for Rabuor Village. When Loyce Ong’udi returned from Rabuor, she shared the story of finding her mother caring for Natasha and other young children in her...
Gathering Ground | July events
We're continuing our theme of THRESHOLDS, recognizing this time of transition and transformation: racial, environmental, economic, cultural, spiritual. How to leave behind old ways and enter into new ones? How to be with the uncomfortable space of not-yet, the messy...
United Churches Emergency Fund to PREVENT becoming homeless
One of the ways we support organizations is by providing space in our building—United Churches Emergency Fund (UCEF) is one of these organizations. We also donate money from L&J funds toward direct support. UCEF’s aim is homelessness prevention, and provide money...
Sacred Earth Matters | Recompose: A new alternative to burial and cremation
At our recent Sacred Earth Matters retreat, the topic of Recompose was suggested with the thought of sharing this brand new concept with our congregation through a presentation, hopefully this fall. Until that can happen, here is some information to begin to educate...
A note from your Pastors | June 25, 2021
Dear Beloved Community, As we celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and our legacy as an Open and Affirming Congregation, it is a good time for us to reflect on the ways we live out our values as a community. We recognize that there is a difference between saying “All are...
Children, Youth and Family ministry news and events
Children Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints: an at-home curriculum offering This Children's Committee, Pastor Steve and I are excited to offer you an at-home opportunity for learning and faith development. We invite you to get the book "Holy...
July Special Offering
Hunger Outreach—the need to do more The Emergency Feeding Program and the North Helpline Food Banks in Lake City and Bitter Lake have been called on to steadily increase their services this last year. Now they are facing July and August, which are ordinarily very...
Visiting Theologian | 2021-2022 timeline
The Visiting Theologian is a shared ministry of the congregation supported by the UCUCC Lecture Series, Christian Formation for Adults, and Worship and Music. We are excited to host Rev. Yolanda Norton as our visiting theologian for 2021-2022. Her year with us is...
Upcoming events in July
Visits with Catherine Would you like to spend some time with Pastor Catherine before her retirement? There will be several opportunities this summer to visit the farm, or meet at the church in small groups (all limited to 20 people each), and further events will be...
Celebrating 15 years with Margaret Swanson!
Youth Sunday this year was filled with the inspiring message and leadership of our young people that we’ve come to expect. It also marked 15 years, to the day, that Margaret Irribarra Swanson has been part of the staff of UCUCC. As a child of the congregation, there...
2021 Seabeck All-Church Summer Camp, July 11-16!
It’s not too late to register! Our theme this year is Indigenous and Settler Relationships to Land and Place. The adult program will be led by Professor Dina Gilio-Whitaker, who will also give the sermon on July 11. And Betsy Rose will be back to lead us in song....
Gathering Ground | June events
We're continuing our theme of THRESHOLDS, recognizing this time of transition and transformation: racial, environmental, economic, cultural, spiritual. How to leave behind old ways and enter into new ones? How to be with the uncomfortable space of not-yet, the messy...
Sacred Symbols: Early Summer Worship Series June 20 – July 25
Symbols carry power. They give meaning. Vast ideas are captured within a symbol. They create patterns that reinforce messages. Symbols are the bridge between the human reading them and the essence of what the symbol represents. Sacred imagery helps connect the...
A note from your Pastors | June 18, 2021
Beloved Church, This week Congress passed legislation naming Juneteenth as a federal holiday.?June 19th?is celebrated as the day when enslaved people in Texas received word of the Emancipation Proclamation that had ended slavery in the United States two and a half...
Mwanzo Update
Mwanzo students write letters to you ~ Loyce Ong’udi I want to express my deep gratitude to each and every one of you in ways I cannot fully articulate. Love beyond words is what I feel because of the many ways you have continued to support Mwanzo and me personally....
Visiting Theologian | Christian Formation classes
Visiting Theologian Reverend Yolanda Norton has begun her work with UCUCC as our visiting theologian. Her theological expertise, lived experience, and passion for ministry come together at an important time in the life of our church. Throughout the year she will...
Sacred Earth Matters | more about treaty-reserved fishing rights
Sacred Earth Matters annual planning retreat Please join us on Saturday June 5 for a fun meeting to plan the activities of SEM for the year 2021-2022. This is a time when we brainstorm all of the possibilities for actions that address our mission. If you have ideas,...
A note from your Pastors | June 11, 2021
Dear Beloved Community, Every Sunday in our worship service as we speak our covenant we pledge to “meet hate with reconciling love.” Depending on our social location, we experience these things differently. Our sexuality, gender, race, economic status, educational...
Children, Youth and Family Ministry news and events
Children 5th Grade Celebration & Elementary Game Night Friday, June 11, 6:30 – 7:45 pm As part of our June elementary game night, we will celebrate and honor our 5th graders! It will be a special way to mark that they are moving up to 6th grade! Youth will share...
Juneteenth
While June 19, known as Juneteenth, is not a holiday that we necessarily learned about in the American education system, it is one that is significant to this nation’s history. Originating in Texas, it also observed as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day,...
A note from your Pastors | June 4, 2021
Dear Friends, If you came to last Sunday’s Seabeck Preview with Professor Dina Gilio-Whitaker you heard her talk about Traditional Environmental Knowledge or TEK. This understanding reveals that indigenous peoples had an integrated understanding of culture, medicine,...
Love & Justice Ministry—Land acknowledgement statement
We gather as guests of the Duwamish people on their traditional, unceded land that touches the shared waters of other Coast Salish tribes. We understand that their identity and richness of culture are deeply connected with the mountains, valleys, waterways and...
Tent City 3 Update
Tent City 3 moved into our parking lot on March 15, and have been excellent neighbors, as is our usual experience with them. We are thankful for their careful watchkeeping of our building while they have been here. We’ll send them on their way with blessings on June...
Youth Worship: Strength In Community
Youth worship is a great way for the youth to gain a better understanding of what it means to put a service together and a deeper connection to worship. This year's theme is "Strength In Community", emphasizing how important community is; in particular, Youth Group...
2021 Confirmation Class statement of faith
Written by the 2021 Confirmation class as their joint statement of faith: CONFIRMATION 2021 STATEMENT OF FAITH GOD William: We believe that God is Creator, so God can be known in all of Creation, and all of creation is sacred. Anika: We believe that God is love, so...
A note from your Pastors | May 28, 2021
Beloved Community: “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a This Bible verse was chosen by one of our confirmands as his Confirmation scripture. He learned it by heart and recited it for us in last Sunday’s worship service. When he talked about the choice, he...
June Special Offering
For June’s special offering, Love and Justice ministries invited the UCUCC youth to identify an organization to support beyond our congregation. The Youth Group worked for a few weeks identifying and talking about issues and causes that are important to us—both...
A note from your pastors | April 1, 2021
Dear Beloved Community, The stories and services around Holy Week are a vital part of our Christian journey. It began with Palm Sunday, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd. That moment sets up the confrontation that unfolds in the days that follow....
A note from your Pastors | April 8, 2021
Greetings beloved community, and happy Easter! When we read this blog post from clergy and congregation consultant Laura Stephens-Reed, her words resonated with us-- and we wanted to share her perspective with you. Laura's mission is "helping clergy and congregations...
A note from your Pastors | April 24, 2021
The pastoral letter is typically written collaboratively by UCUCC's three pastors. We intend it for everyone in the congregation as a way of lifting up our values and holding us together in covenantal relationship. In light of this week's verdict in the Derek...