UNITED CHURCH OF THE VALLEY
OUR TRUE CALLING
There’s a fresh wind blowing in the Murrieta/Temecula Valley. It is the wind of openness and inclusiveness, the fresh breeze of a community built upon an affirmation approach to life which respects the customs and integrity of all persons. This fresh wind is called United Church of the Valley. This church comes from a tradition of calling and gathering God’s people to respond to the world with new eyes and new hearts. It is a church of vision and involvement. We unashamedly work hand in hand with our God to dismantle the fences which have been erected between people. We follow God’s vision of a just world where all will live peacefully, growing in their concern for each other.
Mission Statement
We are an inclusive, accessible and affirming community practicing Jesus' radical love. We follow God's vision of a Just World where all live peacefully and in response we pursue the liberation of all living things from injustice and oppression.
Vision Statement
Just Peace Survey
WHAT IS JUST PEACE? Grounded in UCC polity and covenantal theology, the Just Peace Pronouncement and resulting church movement has at its core a call to alleviate systemic injustice of all kinds using non-violence, challenging us to explore the intersections between peace and justice, offering to the world the prophetic message, grounded in the hope of reconciliation in Jesus, that “Peace is possible!" - Just Peace Church Handbook, published by United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, 2015
How We Minister
United Church of the Valley we don't utilize a full time minister, but rather a rotating group of ministers who are creative thinkers. During the course of a month you might see the Rev. Fred Schaeffer, Rev. Stephanie Toon, Lee Eddy, Sandy Selby or Darcie Dunlop behind the pulpit. We enjoy a different approach as seen through a different pair of eyes each week. Not only does it keep us on our toes, but it keeps our minds fresh and open to new ideas and a new way of seeing that, which we have looked at the same way for years.
October 27th - Rick Hayden (Accessibility 2 All)
A2A: Beyond Stairs and Walls
What exactly is Accessibility 2 All (A2A)? When most of us think of accessibility, they think of ramps and curb cuts, but A2A goes well beyond that. A2A gets all of us to focus on the obvious architectural barriers, but also the less obvious, the attitudinal barriers. Often times it’s the attitudinal barriers that become the largest obstacle to inclusivity and community integration.
So, how do we fix this? Well with physical barriers it’s a matter of dollars and cents. You have a step, you buy a ramp, you have a curb, you get a curb cut (not that we can buy a curb cut), you need a sign in braille for the classroom, you buy a sign in braille that says classroom. But how do you fix attitudes and stereotypes? Through education, patience and persistence. I know, I’ve been self-advocating as well as advocating for the disability community for 48 years. When asked a question, even one that may grate on the nerves, I consider it an opportunity to educate someone, hoping that they will pass the information along to others.
So, with A2A, the goal is complete and total inclusiveness and acceptance. We need to ensure that every person with a disability, hidden or obvious, has a positive experience when they visit the United Church of the Valley, it’s that simple. If you’re unsure how to be a part of that, just ask, I have lots of patience and I want UCV to be that total accessibility oasis in this valley of ours. It’s the right thing to do.
Here is a short excerpt from the UCC disability ministries website. "The purpose of accessibility is to remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their disabilities. Accessible means a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use."
A new service is available every Sunday morning
New Designations Coming in 2024
Just Peace
A couple of years ago, UCV agreed that we wanted to go through the process of being able to be designated as a “Just Peace” church. The process is somewhat similar to that of becoming “Open and Affirming.” There is a time of study and then the congregation votes to proclaim a public identity as a justice-doing, peace-seeking church. This may be the time to rekindle our determination to seek this designation. If you are interested in learning more about or want to participate in this process, talk to Deb Hudson
Accessible 2 All
Accessibility to All (A2A) is about becoming attitudinally welcoming to people with disabilities and mental health issues as well as working to make our buildings physically and programmatically accessible to persons with disability. UCV was recently awarded this designation by the UCC Disabilities Ministry.