History of SCUCC

Since 1959, SCUCC has been called to take leadership in various social justice issues such as civil rights in the 1960s, becoming one of the first Open and Affirming congregations in the Southwest Conference in the 1990s, and dramatically changing its worship style and use of technology and the arts in the early 2000s in order to speak to those who have not easily found a place in traditional church. In 2006, SCUCC spearheaded CrossWalk America, an endeavor by a team to walk from Phoenix to Washington D.C. promoting progressive Christian values represented in the Phoenix Affirmations. We have a heart for being on the cutting edge of innovation!

We are active and engaged in many outreach projects both as individuals and as a church such as Family Promise (hosting homeless families), supporting East Valley Refugee Center, and various organizations providing support for homeless people. We strongly represent the UCC in its progressive values of justice, extravagant welcome, and continuing testament. We are involved in the support and leadership of the Southwest Conference: tithing to OCWM, being a “5 for 5” church, sponsoring three new congregations in our history. Over the years we have had many of our members active in conference work.

We currently have 86 members, with a post pandemic average worship attendance of about 66. We have a strong youth program. Our worship service currently is a somewhat eclectic blend of some traditional elements and other more experiential, dynamic elements. We offer communion every Sunday, and we take the Bible seriously but not literally. We use different genres of music on different Sundays, including jazz, secular pop music, contemplative, and lively traditional hymns and choral music. Music, the arts, and general creativity are very important to us as spiritual expressions. We host the well-known Sacred Grounds Jazz Coffeehouse every Thursday night, year-round. We also share our space with our mission partner, the Scottsdale Neighborhood Arts Place, a center hosting a variety of music and performing artists, classes, lessons, etc.

We got a grant during COVID and updated our tech equipment so that we now offer an option to use Zoom to join our Sunday worship service. We have 7-10 regular Zoomers. We also got a special camera for small group meetings which enables a Zoom option whereby the camera follows the in-person participant who is speaking so that easy interactions are facilitated. We regularly use that option for various types of meetings.