Faith HistoryA glimpse into who we are as a faith community

Above all else, Jesus taught us to be humble and compassionate. He taught us to care about those marginalized by society, and to give everyone a chance at hope and a purposeful life. He taught us the importance of taking a stand against injustice and abuse of power, even if it involves great sacrifice.

So when some churches claim their theology to be the one and only true path to heaven, and that those who do not share this self-centered interpretation of Christianity will burn in hell for eternity, we respectfully disagree. Christ did not cast people out of the church for their beliefs; he introduced new ways of thinking about the Old Testament through parables and metaphors, and reached out to the outcast. Even now, the true strength of Christianity is our ability to respect one another across denominations and discuss a purposeful, meaningful life from a variety of life’s perspectives. You don’t have to leave your brain at the door to be a Christian. It can actually be enlightening.

Consequently, our church is a proud member of the United Church of Christ (UCC), which has a history of taking important stands on social justice issues. We have a mission of doing exactly that in the Bellevue area, taking a lead to address problems ranging from homelessness to lack of food for low-income people. We live our faith to serve others.

Part of that faith means leaving the world a little better than you found it. This, in essence, is our stewardship perspective, covering not just financial giving but the contributions of time and talents to make a difference in the world.

Finally, we extend an open welcome to anyone who wants to be part of our community, not just anyone who shares the same beliefs. Our commitment to diversity, in all its forms, means that many of our members have come from other churches and denominations where they have felt unwelcome. Like the Pilgrims who escaped persecution and prejudice to form the first congregational churches in the new world, we understand. We’re a congregational church too.

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Listen to our former pastor Donald Schmidt explain what being a UCC church really means.