University Baptist Church is a “town and gown” congregation in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our primary task is to bring together students, faculty, staff and residents of the Charlottesville/Albemarle County area into a vital community of faith in Christ. Seeking to be an authentic community of Christians who love and care for each other as a family, University Baptist Church openly welcomes and in
cludes all people regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or background. We believe that all people have important gifts to share in God’s family. Full rights and responsibilities of membership in University Baptist Church are open to all who publicly profess a personal faith in Jesus Christ through Christian baptism. We affirm the leadership of women in all areas of church life, taking pride in our history of ordaining women as deacons and ministers, which we see as a faithful response to God’s calling. We are traditional in our worship and are committed to needs-based ministries that make a difference in our community and beyond. While our membership has Baptist roots, we are ecumenical in that many members bring Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Catholic experiences to enrich our life and work. The University Baptist Church building has been a prominent landmark since 1929 at the intersection of West Main Street and Jefferson Park Avenue. It is located on “The Corner” of the University of Virginia and across from the University of Virginia Hospital. We are denominationally affiliated with the Central Virginia Baptist Association, Baptist General Association of Virginia, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As a church we affirm the following “Four Central Freedoms” which historically have been identified with Baptists:
Bible Freedom — Affirms that the Bible, under the Lordship of Christ, should be central in the life of the individual, and Christians are both free and obligated to study it. Individual Freedom — Often referred to as the “priesthood of the believer,” this Freedom affirms that each person has the freedom and responsibility to deal with God without being interfered with by creed, clergy, or government. Church Freedom — Often referred to as the “autonomy of the local church,” this Freedom affirms that churches are free, under the Lordship of Christ, to determine their membership and leadership, to ordain whom they see fit, to order their worship and work, and to participate in the larger Body of Christ worldwide. Religious Freedom — We affirm freedom OF religion, freedom FOR religion and freedom FROM religion, all of which are accomplished best through the separation of church and state. It is our sincere hope that you will find your place of involvement with us at University Baptist Church through worship, education, music, ministry and fellowship.
