UCC Seneca Valley is an open and affirming, progressive and inclusive spiritual community that is centered in the belief that we are all beloved children of God. We seek to joyfully share Christ’s message of hope through creative expression, deepening connections between people, advocating for justice, and serving our community.
We are a church with big IDEAS:
Include All
Deepen Connections
Express Yourself
Advocate for Justice
Serve community
Our Core Values
On our best days we are...
Inclusive, Diverse, Intergenerational
- We are a welcoming church that is open, affirming, and inclusive. A place where everyone can belong.
- We celebrate diversity as a reflection of God’s family.
- We value children and youth and the gifts they bring to the community.
Courageous, Innovative, Transformative
- We are spiritually courageous and take risks to support the progressive ideals and values that come from our understanding of Jesus’ teachings.
- We are innovative and open minded because we believe that God is still speaking and we continue to respond.
- We believe in spiritual growth and transformation through worship, education, and reflection.
Caring, Generous, Artistic
- We actively care for, support and serve our community.
- We practice generous hospitality by sharing food together and feeding others.
- We joyfully and creatively express God’s love through art and music.
Advocates for Justice and the Environment
- We actively pursue and advocate for social justice to promote equality and world peace.
- We are active stewards of the environment to preserve God’s creation.
What We Believe
People in our congregation hold a wide variety of beliefs. There is no dogma or doctrine you have to agree to in order be a part of this community. We believe that testimonies about how faith is transforming us are more important than tests of faith we have to pass to be included. In general (1) We take the Bible too seriously to take it literally (historical context is key), (2) We are Trinitarians, meaning we speak about the Holy One by referring to God the Father or Creator, Jesus Christ our Savior and Brother, and the Holy Spirit present in and around us, One God, Mother of us all. (3) We practice two sacraments (meaning ordinary rituals where we particularly feel and celebrate God's grace) - Communion and Baptism. (4) We acknowledge the priesthood of all believers meaning that the spiritual journey and the health and welfare of our congregation is all our responsibility, as individuals and as a community together. (5) We believe in a God that is still speaking, a God that is all-loving and inclusive. We are a church that welcomes and accepts everyone as they are, where your mind is nourished as much as your soul.
An Open and Affirming Congregation
We welcome everyone seeking God's presence to our service of worship and into the full life and leadership of the church. Whatever your background might be – your race, your nationality, your age, your physical or mental ability, your gender identity or expression, your sexual orientation – whoever you are and wherever you come from, we welcome you into our community of faith. As an Open and Affirming congregation, the United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley welcomes people of all sexual orientations and all gender identities and expressions.
Our Denomination
We are part of the United Church of Christ. The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a distinct and diverse community of Christians that come together as one church to join faith and action. With over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the U.S., the UCC serves God in the co-creation of a just and sustainable world. The UCC is a church of firsts, a church of extravagant welcome, and a church where "…they may all be one" (John 17:21). Click here to learn more about the UCC.
Progressive Christians
Donald Schmidt in his bible study series for Progressive Christians defines a progressive Christian as someone who is willing to wonder, explore and learn. It is someone whose faith in the divine is sturdy enough that they can dare to question aspects of it. Progressive Christianity isn't about politics or even beliefs. Rather it is about whether you believe that God is still speaking and if so if you are willing to listen, learn, explore, and open yourself to new ways of looking at things. This is why we define our congregation as a progressive community of faith.
