WELCOME TO i.UCC
an online community sponsored by the United Church of Christ
What's an "online community?" Frankly, we're not quite sure, but we're hoping you can show us.
"Community" is an elusive and often-abused concept: sometimes e-commerce sites on the Internet use the word simply to mean any niche market to which they can sell products and services.
Are seekers for spiritual truth a "niche market?" We don't think so. One dictionary defines "community" as "sharing, participation, fellowship." That works for us. Community is a place where you can find relationships. But it's more than that. It's a place where people can build together, create together, grow together. Community isn’t just a place to talk—though you'll discover soon enough that in the United Church of Christ we love to talk!
No, community is more than that. It's an experience of relationship. So our community, like any other, is incomplete without the participation of its members. As an experiment in online community, i.UCC will grow and change in time as its members build it together. That's why we can't tell you yet exactly what i.UCC will be in the future. That depends partly on you—if you want to walk with us for awhile as you continue your own spiritual journey.
There are no rules for participation in i.UCC (apart from the normal rules of civility): no fees, no tests, no questionnaires. We won't pressure you for contributions, we'll send you no unsolicited emails, and we'll respect your privacy. You're free to read all of the forums and blogs we provide throughout i.UCC. If you want to participate—in an online learning experience, for example, or in a conversation on any subject—we'll ask you to register: but we won't ask for any personal information apart from your name, email address and zip code. Your email address will be used merely to confirm your registration and will not be published online or used without your consent. We also recommend a free subscription to our "Weekly Seeds" opt-in mailing list—but that's entirely your choice.
i.UCC is a Christian community, which must be obvious from the words "of Christ" in the name of our church. We believe that in Jesus Christ, God has come close to us and draws us closer to each other. This is the message of the Bible, which we accept as the testimony of God's loving relationship with humanity. But because we're a very diverse community and we don't impose "tests" of the faith on anyone, there's a diversity of opinion in the UCC about what the Bible says, or how God is speaking to us through scripture, reason, tradition and experience. We believe that God has spoken, and is still speaking.
So give us a try. Explore this site and drop into our learning, conversation and meditation spaces. In time we'll add new experiences, new conversations, new opportunities for spiritual growth. And we'd like to hear from you: tell us what you think about this experiment, what works for you and what doesn't, how we can provide a richer spiritual experience in the future.
Welcome to i.UCC! We hope you'll enjoy your visit, and stay as long as you want.
i.UCC is a project of the Congregational Vitality Initiative, Local Church Ministries, in partnership with the Proclamation, Identity and Communication Team, Office of General Ministries, United Church of Christ.