Formed through practice.

We believe Christlike formation is a lifelong process that requires faithful practice. Together, we anchor to four core practices that help us deepen our discipleship to Christ and our commitment to one another. 

  • We're committed to saying "yes" to regular fellowship within our church community, and being faithfully present in our university neighborhood. This means being welcoming, kind, and generous to everyone who crosses our path—whether they're longtime members of the community or someone walking through our doors for the first time. We believe there's something beautiful about putting down roots and really showing up for the people God brings around us.

  • We're actively pursuing unity even when (especially when) so many of us come from different backgrounds and perspectives. We honor every person as someone made in God's image, and we stand alongside those who feel lonely, overlooked, or pushed to the margins. It's not always easy work, but we believe it's essential to who we're called to be as followers of Christ.

  • We spend regular time together diving into the Bible and sharing personal stories of how we've experienced God's goodness and love in our lives. We're also finding fresh ways to connect with the rich traditions and practices that have shaped the Church throughout history. There's wisdom in these ancient rhythms that still speaks to us today—so we look for it, talk about it, and try to embody it.

  • We're choosing to embrace the slower, more relational ways of Christ in every part of life. This means setting aside regular time for prayer, fasting, quiet reflection, sabbath rest, and yes—even play! We walk alongside each other in our growth, trusting the process and God's timeline for each person.

Practiced in posture.

We come together around a handful of shared postures—or, "ways of being"—that help keep us anchored to the Jesus way.

  • Practicing presence means trusting that God is alive in you through the Holy Spirit, and that this living light, power, and love desires to shine brightly through you. The more we surrender ourselves to Christ, the more Christ can flow through us and into the lives of others. At UCC, we desire to be people who show up as our whole selves, recognizing that discipleship to Christ is a lifelong journey of becoming more and more of who God created us to be.

  • Maintaining a faithful posture of prayer is paramount to our lives as disciples of Christ, and undergirds everything we do as a church. There is no singular "right" way to pray. Prayer is merely about entering into an ongoing conversation with God, trusting that God hears every word (right along with our wordless groans and sighs) and does not turn away. At UCC, we desire to be people who pray together regularly, making rhythms of prayer—both communal and individual—a regular part of life.

  • Scan the Gospel accounts and notice how frequently Jesus asks questions. Jesus knows how to stir hearts and minds, provoking curiosity and wonder in his hearers. At UCC, we desire to be people who make space for questions (even the ones we may never be able to fully answer), always growing in our capacity to ask the kinds of questions that draw people deeper into possibilities in their walk with Christ.

  • Hospitality is about "making room." This might mean literally making room for someone in our home, or it might be making room for something (or someone) unexpected to "interrupt" our day. Making room for each other often includes complexity, like: extending forgiveness through pain; pursuing acts of justice for the sake of the weak and marginalized; or allowing space for nuance in our theological stances. Making room for each other might also be quite simple, like: giving someone a handshake instead of a hug based on their preferences, or using someone's preferred name and pronouns. At UCC, we desire to be people who make room for everyone to come and have a front-row seat at the table, to encounter Christ and experience His welcome with equal freedom.

  • Jesus touched the unclean. Jesus affirmed women in a patriarchal society. Jesus broke the Sabbath Law so the hungry might be fed. Jesus did not allow sin, social status, or political leanings to create barriers to Him. Instead, Jesus invited "the least of these" to move from the margins of society into beloved community. To sit with him. To commune with Him. At UCC we recognize all people as made in God's image—persons for whom Christ died—and therefore look for ways to engage in sacrificial acts of love and mercy, just as Christ did.

  • Jesus taught about repentance as part of the pathway into God's Kingdom. But repentance is so much more than just feeling sorry for our mistakes—it's a lifelong journey of turning away from the world's way and toward Christ, transforming how we think, act, and see everything. At UCC, we talk about repentance to encourage all of us to orient our lives toward Jesus' way, day by day. It's really about choosing to live differently because we're following Someone who loves us deeply.

  • The New Testament connects repentance with baptism, showing they're deeply linked. Baptism gives us a beautiful picture of a life made new: death, burial, and resurrection. The old self-centered life is gone, and new Christ-centered life begins. While repentance is ongoing, baptism is a one-time event that becomes a significant signpost in your faith journey—announcing your desire to follow God, while helping you remember your choice to surrender to His ways. At UCC, we practice baptism by immersion, though we honor different baptism traditions across the broader church.

  • Communion is the heart of Christian worship. Gathering around the table reminds us of fundamental truths about God and ourselves. At the table, we remember Jesus' betrayal, death, and resurrection. We remember the sacrifice made for sin. We remember that we're all works-in-progress, needing Jesus' mercy and grace. We remember that we're called to make room for everyone to come and discover His love. At UCC, the communion table is open to anyone who chooses to participate. It's the Lord's table, not ours, and His invitation is for everyone who will come.

  • Marriage and celibacy are both beautiful, challenging invitations from God for the good of His people. We believe God can be honored and Christ can be served through both paths—and neither is better than the other. At UCC, all individuals and couples have the freedom to choose whether they believe God is calling them to faithful celibacy or faithful marriage. If our sibling in faith is called to celibacy, we want to honor their choice and walk alongside them to help them live faithfully. Similarly, if a couple is called to marriage, we want to honor their choice and support them in living out their calling.