WELCOME TO

UNITED CHURCH
of the VALLEY

41685 Date St., ste. 100
Murrieta, CA 92562
951-698-1520
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1312
Murrieta, CA. 92564

Worship with Us every Sunday Live and on Zoom at 10am

Click Here to join our live zoom Sunday Service

Please use password 9516981520

Click here to view the latest Sunday Service video

 

A PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

We stand in solidarity with all of our friends and family members who may be susceptible to the current public health concerns and have elected to modify our Sunday Services meeting in person and on Zoom. You can also view past Sunday services by clicking on the button below.   

Please reach out to the church if you have any concerns or needs by calling 951.698.1520 or emailing admin@ucvchurch.org. For information on our plan for resuming in-person Sunday services, please click here. Thank you and everyone please take care of yourselves.

Beginning Feb. 5th, masks will be optional

UNITED CHURCH OF THE VALLEY

OUR MISSION

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.

UCV's Peaceful Protest

If Christians are honest with themselves about the gospel message of Jesus, they should know that protesting can be a holy act of righteousness..

Protesting is the antithesis of being apathetic, complicit, callous, and passive, and Christians should take comfort in the fact that Jesus — the son of God — was very good at it.

Sometimes Jesus did this quietly, and other times it was inflammatory, provocative, and publicly disruptive. But there’s no doubt that Jesus was a radical, a person who was eventually arrested, beaten, and sacrificed on a cross because of his words and actions.

Here are just a couple examples:

When Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), he rejected the temptation of worldly power and boldly stood against Satan’s temptations — because Jesus was a protester.

Jesus took his message to the masses, speaking and advocating wherever he could, and created a movement based on justice, hope, and love — because Jesus was a protester (Matt. 4:23-25).

20230402_100121

What Does "All Are Welcome" Really Mean?

I have been in discussion over the past week or so with many friends from our little church about the word “welcome.” What do we mean as a church when we say, “All Are Welcome?” It’s a good question because I imagine most churches say, “All Are Welcome,” and they mean it, but I think it might mean different things to different congregations. In our congregation I think the meaning is found in our public covenant of “Open and Affirming (ONA).” This is a designation that we voted on many years ago and re-confirmed just last Sunday. On the UCC website ONA is defined this way:

“Open and Affirming (ONA) is the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the UCC which make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.”

In another article on the UCC website I found this statement which further clarified for me what our welcome means.

‘All Are Welcome’ isn’t enough

“Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of faith often experience emotional and spiritual injury in churches that condemn their capacity to love and seek love. Because they’ve learned that “All Are Welcome” usually doesn’t apply to them, they can’t assume that any church will be safe for them and their families.”

After the many conversations I’ve had with friends throughout this week and especially after hearing Stephanie’s sermon last Sunday, this statement reads loud and clear to me. Interestingly, I (a straight, middle-class, white guy) also feel welcome by our ONA statement. This is a community I want to be part of. This is where I want to be.

When we invite people to participate in our church we should lead with this welcome. We should clarify what we mean by “All Are Welcome.” This way, we are welcoming them honestly and genuinely while also preserving our community as a place where people who are otherwise marginalized know they have a home.

*Taken from Jamie Barnett's article in Moderator Monday

How We Minister

At 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. Sharon Graff, 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.

May 28th - Pentecost

The 28th is Pentecost
Please wear red

A new service is available every Sunday morning

Christian Education

UCV is a family friendly congregation! Children remain in service with parents and often participate in some way. There are quiet activities available near the entrance for children to use in the sanctuary as well as a quiet room where parents can take small children if they desire -  all while still being able to hear the service. Please know that we love to hear the voices of our youngest members and so there is never any pressure to remove them from the service.

After a short break (Usually 5 to 10 minutes) we offer a parent participation children's class. We meet in the classroom for a short lesson in alignment with our progressive and inclusive values and a variety of activities like crafts, games, stories, music, etc. Parents must accompany and be responsible for their own children but don't worry, parents end up having as much fun as the young one!

For more detailed information on our Children's Ministry click on the button below.

Photographs and Memories

Contact Us

P.O, Box 1312
Murrieta, CA 92564
951-698-1520
admin@ucvchurch.org

Venmo Donations: @ucvchurch

Sunday Service

10AM

40685 Date St.
Murrieta, CA. 92562

UCV Worship

UCV Fellowship

Please use password 9516981520 to access the fellowship

Fellowship is on Sundays at 11am

Scroll to Top