Serving our community
God’s invitation to love our neighbors as ourselves inspires us to put our faith into practice. With so many needs locally, nationally, and internationally, we focus our mission and outreach in three areas: hunger, housing, and community/family. Through advocacy, service projects, and financial donations, we strive to embody God’s love, mercy, justice, and peace in our wider world.
LOUCC is a tithing church, giving 10% of pledged income and offerings to our local community and beyond. Half of that sum goes to Our Church’s Wider Mission, a global mission of the United Church of Christ. The other half is allocated to non-profit organizations aligned with our mission priorities. Additionally, we contribute to all four UCC special offerings.
We also serve in our community in the following areas:
HUNGER
With growing rates of local, national, and global hunger, we seek to support agencies that provide food to those in need. Each year our youth raise funds for and volunteer at the Oregon Food Bank. We also work with Operation Nightwatch to support their efforts in serving the unhoused both financially and by providing and serving a meal periodically.
Housing
With homelessness and lack of affordable housing as ongoing problems here in Clackamas County, for more than two decades we have partnered with the Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter Ministry (LOTSM) and other organizations to house and support guest families transitioning from homelessness. More about our work with LOTSM is here.
COMMUNITY & FAMILY
LOUCC actively supports organizations and programs that help people live and thrive within their families and communities.
Interfaith Partnership with BEIT HAVERIM
Part of our outreach to our community involves sharing our facilities with individuals and organizations that align with the mission and values of our congregation. Because we recognize and value the importance of interfaith partnerships, we are thrilled to share our facilities with Beit Haverim, an open, inviting Reform Jewish congregation.
Beit Haverim holds it weekly Shabbat services in our sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and offers religious education on Sunday afternoons. For more information, visit their website.
Respond to Racism
Respond to Racism is a neighborhood effort to interrupt racism in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Monthly meetings are held at LOUCC on the first Monday of each month to give concerned citizens the opportunity to come together and discuss how to respond to racism in all its forms—overt, institutional, and systemic.
Additional information can be found here.
Support Groups
A wide variety of support groups hold their meetings at LOUCC. These include:
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Alcoholics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous
Overeaters Anonymous
Weight Watchers