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The University
District Ecumenical Parish is a vision of Christian unity, in which unity
is understood not as sameness, but as an unexpected gift emerging from our
diversity.
After decades of cooperating with each other for the good of the neighborhoods surrounding the University of Washington, the churches of the University District are in the process of moving from Cooperation to Commitment, from cooperating with each other to serve human needs to committing to and with each other to share a common future. We can affirm that, where people are opening themselves to new possibilities, our differences as faith traditions look increasingly like treasures to share with each other, rather than reasons for us to remain divided. There is a long and impressive history of cooperation among the U District congregations, especially in serving the needs of the poor and of alienated young people in the U District. Some examples of this cooperation include the University Churches Emergency Fund, the U. District Food Bank, the ROOTS young adult shelter, Sanctuary Art Center and the Teen Feed program. |
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The U. District congregations, along with their respective denominational bodies, have founded and nurtured campus ministries including Crossroads Campus Ministry and Campus Ministry in Higher Education (CMHE) located at Covenant House. Campus ministry has a significant impact at the University, especially as an expression of the churches' commitments to justice and peace, including the importance of university students and faculty doing serious ethical and moral reflection on issues of our society. |
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There is also a long history of the congregations coming together for worship on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Thanksgiving Eve, and other services. There have been positive and collaborative relationships among the clergy for many years. |
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with each other for the good of the community is very valuable, but it
isn't enough in the face of growing disparity between the rich and poor;
growing conflicts in the world, many of which have religious dimensions;
growing animosity within our country over the direction and purpose of our
democracy; the continuing reality of racism; and the lack of civility in
our relationships. The people of our congregations have expressed in a variety of ways their yearning for a deeper sense of community among the congregations. We are becoming more and more aware that in light of all that is pulling our society apart, we have much more in common with each other than we have issues that divide us from each other. We are aware that our specific traditions and insights are gifts that we can and want to share with each other, and that by giving and receiving each other's gifts, we will all be strengthened. By sharing each other's gifts and strengths, we believe that we can make a more powerful contribution to the renewal of the human community of the U District. In the process, we have confidence that our congregations will also be refreshed and will experience renewal. As churches that have inherited the results
of more than fifty years of the modern ecumenical movement, we desire and
see real value in giving more visible witness to the unity of the Church,
which we believe is a gift of God. We believe we are being given the
opportunity to become a visible sign of what God intends for the whole
human family - a community that is characterized by commitments to
justice, compassion, the dignity of every person, and peace in the
world. | |
If you are interested in learning more about this grand adventure or participating in some of the focus groups that are working to bring the vision to life, please contact Rev. Ron Moe-Lobeda, | |
