University Congregational UCC

University Congregational UCC Walking together on God’s transformative adventure, following the path of love and justice as revealed to us by Jesus. May God help us and be with us.

This page is not monitored regularly by pastors. Please send prayer requests to [email protected] We are a progressive Christian community with a building on the corner of 45th and 15th in Seattle's University District, and a church family who is connecting, praying, worshiping, and doing justice from our homes during this pandemic time. Our Covenant:
God of Providence and Grace,
i

n a spirit of memory, thanksgiving and hope:
We covenant with You and with one another;
To seek and respond to Your word and will, made known and to be made known;
To worship You in unity and diversity, welcoming everyone;
To live responsibly within Your creation, sharing with gratitude the gifts we are given;
To care for and pray for each other, in trials of the spirit and in times of joy;
To encourage each other in the growth of our minds and spirits;
To promote Your reign of justice and peace, meeting hate with reconciling love; and
To reject the false gods of society, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus. Our Land Acknowledgement:
We gather as guests of the Duwamish people on their traditional 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 shorelines that surround us all. We commit to learning about the Duwamish, other indigenous cultures, and historical and ongoing oppression of indigenous peoples. We strive to nurture our relationship with indigenous peoples, especially our neighbors, by joining their efforts to work for social justice and to care for this land. A land acknowledgement is a gesture of respect and awareness of the land and it’s history. It becomes meaningful when coupled with informed action that builds relationships. To start us on the path toward relationship, we will be reading the above acknowledgment of the land our church occupies during the worship service each Sunday, and suggesting personal actions that our community members can take to live into this commitment.

Israel Palestine Justice Meeting: Hear from a Palestinian ChristianSunday, June 7, 11:30 am-1:30 pm in O-HallCome hear H...
06/03/2026

Israel Palestine Justice Meeting: Hear from a Palestinian Christian
Sunday, June 7, 11:30 am-1:30 pm in O-Hall

Come hear Huda tell her story as a Palestinian Christian. In 1948, with violence close, her family fled to Egypt from their home in Jerusalem, expecting to soon be able to return to Palestine. Snacks to be provided.

Gathering Ground Weeknight Gathering: Love in a Dangerous TimeWednesday, June 3, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, ZoomOur Weeknight Gathe...
06/01/2026

Gathering Ground Weeknight Gathering: Love in a Dangerous Time
Wednesday, June 3, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Zoom

Our Weeknight Gatherings are drop-in friendly Zoom gatherings once a month.

Our theme through this season is Love in a Dangerous Time*: How do we cultivate the strength to move through challenging times with love, instead of getting tangled in our self-defeating attitudes of anger, despair, distraction, or apathy? We are exploring using the Buddhist framework of the Four Immeasurables: love, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. They are not feel-good platitudes, but require a deep reckoning with the nature of reality and of our minds. What do we truly value, and how do we actually live it, through the mundane annoyances and true challenges of life?

Email [email protected] for any questions or access needs and to get the Zoom link.

NEW DATE: UCC Pacific NW Conference Listening SessionSunday June 14, 11:30 am, Chapel & ZoomAs many of you know, our Pac...
05/29/2026

NEW DATE: UCC Pacific NW Conference Listening Session
Sunday June 14, 11:30 am, Chapel & Zoom

As many of you know, our Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ is looking for a new Conference Minister, and as part of our Search Committee’s process for this, they’re hosting a series of listening sessions to hear from members throughout the conference about what they’re looking for and hoping for. Please join Rev. Dee Eisenhauer (member of the UCC-PNC Conference Minister Search Committee) on June 7 after church to offer your feedback. Pacific Northwest Conference, United Church of Christ

Tent City 3 Returns to our Parking Lot C!As approved by Church Council, UCUCC will be hosting Tent City 3 (TC3) in Parki...
05/26/2026

Tent City 3 Returns to our Parking Lot C!

As approved by Church Council, UCUCC will be hosting Tent City 3 (TC3) in Parking Lot C from this May 26 through August 26. TC3 provides a safe, secure, and caring community for people experiencing homelessness.

History: Our church has a long history of supporting tent communities as part of our Love & Justice outreach efforts. Since 2008, we have hosted encampments nine times, with our last encampment ending in December 2024. This next hosting will be our seventh time we have been hosts to Tent City 3, in particular. Our hosting experience has been overwhelmingly positive over the years.

Parking: during the hosting, Lot C on 15th Ave NE will be closed for parking. On Sundays, parking in Lot A and Sortun Court will be prioritized for those with mobility issues or small children. Others are requested to please park in nearby lots. UW parking lots are your best bet, including the Central Place Garage (Red Square) and Lots N5 and N1 (NE 45th and 17th NE, Memorial Way).

Volunteers: please consider signing up to serve as a parking ambassador on Sundays during the hosting.

If you are interested in being a parking ambassador, have questions or want to help in another way, please contact Tim Croll.

We are grateful for our congregation’s continued support of hosting encampments, and we look forward to the day when housing is accessible and there is no longer a need for people to live in tents on parking lots.

AWE (All Women Extraordinary!) monthly dinnerFourth Tuesday each month (next: May 26th), 6:00 pm, ZoomJoin women of the ...
05/22/2026

AWE (All Women Extraordinary!) monthly dinner
Fourth Tuesday each month (next: May 26th), 6:00 pm, Zoom

Join women of the church for a visit over Zoom each month! Everyone is welcome—contact Christina Purdy for the Zoom link and to answer any questions.

Register for Seabeck now for the best room selection!Check your weekly email for the link to register for Seabeck All-Ch...
05/20/2026

Register for Seabeck now for the best room selection!
Check your weekly email for the link to register for Seabeck All-Church Summer Camp.
Questions? Text or call Registrar Susan Everett or see her at the Seabeck Table in Narthex.
For more info about camp life at Seabeck this year, visit the Seabeck Page on our website.

The Seabeck Committee is anticipating a wonderful camp experience with guest speaker, Rev. Fumi Tosu, who’ll share the theme of Mysticism and Resistance in an Age of Empire – Communal Practices for Building a More Beautiful World (more info below).

Mysticism and Resistance in an Age of Empire: communal practices for building a more beautiful world.
Christianity came into being as a spiritual resistance movement against the Roman Empire. We will seek to reclaim that heritage in our present political context as we allow our rich religious heritage to speak to present-day realities of empire, authoritarianism, and unfettered capitalism. We will explore biblical narrative as a story of resistance to empire, seek insight from the Christian mystical tradition, and explore contemporary experiments in creating alternative communities of hope, including the Catholic Worker movement.

About the Seabeck Adult Program speaker:
Rev. Fumi Tosu (he/him) joined the Catholic Worker fifteen years ago, and learned from elders and mentors at the Los Angeles, Redwood City, and San Jose Catholic Worker communities before founding Dandelion House Catholic Worker in Portland, Oregon. He is a second-generation hibakusha (atomic weapon survivor), and long-time nonviolent activist. As a storyteller, community-builder, and peacemaker, he strives to contribute to a world where all beings belong and strive.

Rev. Fumi is heart-broken at the state of the world, often feels lost, but refuses to despair. Instead, he channels his rage into experiments in hopeful living. He loves to cook, host gatherings, hike, and backpack in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He also has the privilege of accompanying others on their spiritual journeys as a spiritual director. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA.

Gathering Ground Community: Summer Solstice Labyrinth WalkSunday, June 21, 7:00 – 9:10 pm, Richmond Beach Saltwater Park...
05/18/2026

Gathering Ground Community: Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk
Sunday, June 21, 7:00 – 9:10 pm, Richmond Beach Saltwater Park

Join a playful outdoor event celebrating the longest day of the year with an ancient practice to reflect and center. It’s our seventh annual Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk on the beach! This family friendly event features multiple labyrinths to walk, a station for crafting your own finger labyrinth to take home, and a solstice bonfire (with marshmallows). The event will be open-house style: drop in when it works for you.

Labyrinths are a simple reflection form that allows the walker to journey inward to their truth, then outward into the world. They are a powerful tool to move through challenges and find intention, clarity, and joy. One traditional use of the labyrinth is as a tool of protection from difficult energies. In a challenging world, let’s connect with ourselves, with community, and with the natural world, and engage in creativity, joy, and contemplation.

*Gathering Ground provides community for people to make and share meaning, through observing earth holidays, deep sharing and listening, and growing together in relationship with the world around us. We are a q***r- and neurodivergent-friendly and justice-seeking group of many beliefs. Our shared identity is earth-centered and DIY making of meaning and fun.

Indigenous Perspectives Book GroupFirst and Third Tuesdays (next: May 19), 7:00 – 8:00 pm, ZoomContact Jessie McAbee to ...
05/15/2026

Indigenous Perspectives Book Group
First and Third Tuesdays (next: May 19), 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Zoom
Contact Jessie McAbee to get on our email list and receive the Zoom link.

The next Indigenous Perspectives Book Group meeting is next Tuesday, May 19th! This is your sign to drop in for community connection and thoughtful discussions.

Gathering Ground Community: Big Tree Gathering: Sacred Time (Hybrid)Saturday, May 16, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, Arboretum (Mo...
05/13/2026

Gathering Ground Community: Big Tree Gathering: Sacred Time (Hybrid)
Saturday, May 16, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, Arboretum (Montlake Tot Lot) & Zoom
Email us for the Zoom link

Gathering Ground provides community for people to make and share meaning, through observing earth holidays, deep sharing and listening, and growing together in relationship with the world around us. We are a q***r- and neurodivergent-friendly and justice-seeking group of many beliefs. Our shared identity is earth-centered and DIY making of meaning and fun. We will gather in our regular grove of trees, where Beth will be leading us in activities and reflection around sacred time. See our website for detailed meetup location information.

Racial Justice Book ClubSecond Thursdays of the month (next: May 14), 12:30 – 2:00 pm, ZoomContact Beth Bartholomew to g...
05/11/2026

Racial Justice Book Club
Second Thursdays of the month (next: May 14), 12:30 – 2:00 pm, Zoom
Contact Beth Bartholomew to get on our email list and receive the Zoom link.

The next Racial Justice Book Club meeting is this Thursday, May 14th! Even if you haven't read the current reading material, drop in for community and thoughtful conversation.

Address

4515 16th Avenue NE
Seattle, WA
98105

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