Located at 415 Westlake Ave N in South Lake Union, just blocks away from Amazon headquarters, the neighborhood around Union’s meeting place is rapidly growing. Rent is steep, but the congregation . . . has found God has provided what they’ve needed to be a part of the neighborhood.
In Marilynne Robinson’s book, _When I Was a Child I Wrote Books_, she thoughtfully states, “Community, at least community larger than the immediate family, consists very largely of imaginative love for people we do not know or whom we know very slightly.”
“When we heard about Lenten small groups and the Love Your Neighborhood projects, we were excited to find exactly what we were looking for—a way to meet people, grow our faith, and serve the community.”
On January 12, 2013, Ray Suarez asked an important question in the course of his PresbyFest talk: Why are you here? When the rest of the country has largely moved on, why do you stick around?
For decades, folks from around UPC have embraced internationals and demonstrated Christ’s love for them in tangible ways.
“I never had a negative reaction from telling someone that I would pray for them. In fact, the only reactions I ever got were ones of graciousness and thanks.”
UPC has a long history of partnering with a variety of nonprofit organizations that meet people where they are and lend a hand where needed. Here’s a snapshot of just three such organizations.
“[Mr.] Bhang is the [kind of] teacher that when I’m having a bad day I can get advice and talk to him. I can trust him with that,” Andre said.
I believe God uses seemingly disparate experiences to thread and thrum our life with meaning, and Ramy’s story is further evidence of his hand.
“We wanted to reach out,” Craig Campbell remembers, “so we asked them what would benefit them.” The answer: “English classes.”
© 2013 University Presbyterian Church, Seattle.
206.524.7300 // info@upc.org // 4540 15th Ave NE Seattle WA 98105
