Why does a church care about j.a.r.s.?
Throughout scripture, history and in our daily lives, we experience God through Justice, Arts, Relationships and Spirituality. Since they're important to God, we, as a church, want everything we do to be defined by these values.
That’s why a church would care about j.a.r.s. (plus, it's kind of catchy).
Justice
"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8
We make decisions and support systems which promote the God-given dignity of humanity. We are involved with the Whizkids tutoring program to invest in local students, we partner with, and regularly visit, a coffee-growing village in Guatemala to support that community, and our Faith and Justice team connects us to important initiatives locally and globally.
Arts
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1
We celebrate the beauty of God's creation, and the talents God gives his people reflected through the Arts.
Our services reflect the creative gifts of our community and we are blessed with many members who work and study in the Arts. In addition, Rohs St Cafe has become a well-known local music and arts venue.
Relationships
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27
We work towards healthy, growing relationships, understanding that God created us for community and we strive to express this value through our investment in our cafe, small groups and international ministry.
Spirituality
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." Psalm 139:7,8
"The obviously well kept secret of the 'ordinary' is that it is made to be a receptacle of the divine, a place where the life of God flows. But the divine is not pushy." Dallas Willard
We walk with God as individuals and as a community, remembering that God is the reason for all we do and the source of all we need in order to do it. Our small groups, Sunday teaching and campus ministry activities work towards this value. We also endeavor to find God's presence in everything we do, every conversation we have, every cup of coffee we brew.
Our mission is simple, to share the love of Jesus in Uptown Cincinnati and to develop lifelong Kingdom leaders.
What We Believe
We believe in the centrality of Jesus Christ as the way to a restored relationship with God through his perfect life, redemptive death, and bodily resurrection. We ascribe to Jesus' words that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and none come to God except through him (John 14:6).
We are very committed to the foundation of the Bible in what we preach, teach, and study. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, and as Paul writes,
"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Regarding the role of the Christ-follower in today's world, we try to be very intentional in helping further God's Kingdom here on earth through evangelism, global missions and through working for Biblical Justice.
Most of what takes place at UCC is a result of the creativity and passion of friends who have decided to make something happen. We recognize that every person in the church has unique gifts, given to them by God to contribute and our goal is to help people develop their skills and passions.
Please join us in the rewarding work of shared ministry.
Children's Ministry
We run creative, interactive children's programs during both Sunday services and that takes people--organizers, head teachers, assistant teachers, nursery workers, musicians, craft people, artists. We have a variety of opportunities for people who want to matter to our children. Whatever your ability, we have a place for you.
To serve in our children's ministry, or call 513.241.2140.
Small Groups
UCC believes that Sunday morning worship is only part of the picture. Mid-week small groups provide an opportunity for deeper relationships and more personal Bible study and are open to everyone. To join a group or to consider hosting one, or call 513.241.2140.
Sunday Hospitality and Worship
It takes approximately 15 volunteers to make Sunday services happen at UCC. We have a team of gifted and dedicated musicians, ushers, tech people, greeters and coffee servers who all do their part to create a welcoming, worshipful atmosphere. To get involved on Sunday mornings, or call 513.241.2140.
Rohs Street Cafe
Our not-for-profit cafe provides a community space for gathering and supports coffee farmers in Guatemala through our connections with La Armonia Hermosa, a coffee co-op. To volunteer to serve coffee or help with marketing, or call 513.381.7647.
Whiz Kids
Whiz Kids is a nationally recognized tutoring and mentoring program which focuses on literacy and relationships. To join our team of volunteer tutors at a local school, call 513.241.2140.
Guatemala Mission
Our church and cafe have a close relationship with coffee farmers in the Guatemalan village of Santa Maria de Jesus. Several graduates from UCC have worked there long-term and we also take a team each June to work with indigenous leaders there. To get involved, or call 513.241.2140.
Community Play Days
Come, interact with other Moms and Dads from the community while the children play. Meets every second Friday of the month at 10 am. To get involved, or call 513.509.9224.
Faith and Justice Team
This team works to help UCC grow as an ambassador of justice locally and globally and connects us to vibrant justice ministries such as AMOS and Sojourners. To get involved, or call 513.241.2140.
International Ministry
This team plans regular fun events with international students, prays for international concerns and finds friendship partners for international students at UC. To get involved, or call 513.646.0510.
Campus Ministry
Students meet to discuss issues of faith every Tuesday night at 7 pm at Rohs St Cafe. Throughout the year we also offer students plenty of opportunities to get involved and meet other students. To learn more, or call 513.241.2140.