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Black Mountain United Church of Christ's Journey as an Open & Affirming Congregation

There are a myriad ways in which our faith can be nurtured and deepened beyond the experience of Sunday worship. While gathering in the church is a vital part of our spiritual journey, we believe that the opportunity to grow closer to God is ever-present in our daily lives.

It wasn't easy for my husband and I to find a church home in the North Scottsdale/Cave Creek area that would welcome us as a gay couple, but the second we stepped through the doors at BMUCC, we knew we were home.

As society grapples with divisive narratives and widening gaps, many individuals and families find themselves standing at an intersection. This intersection lies between the personal values they hold dear and the theology of the institutions they participate in.

Surveys show that non-churchgoing people in our North Scottsdale and Cave Creek/Carefree community have some serious doubts about participation in organized religion, and we understand that. There's a lot to be concerned about because of the way that Christianity in the United States has developed over the past few decades. But BMUCC is different!

Our Congregational Profile process aims to guide us in understanding who we are now, who our neighbors are, and crucially, who God is calling us to become.

Children celebrated and honored their mothers at church this Sunday in a beautiful ceremony orchestrated by Joyce and Nelson!

We are a church that celebrates the blessings God has given us, and our young people are some of our greatest blessings! That's why we honored our high school graduate Nelson with joy last Sunday!

Our mission is to be the hands of hearts of God in the world around us. Here is our May report about how we've been doing that.

On Sunday, May 7, we received an important presentation from Holly on the Sonoyta Center of Hope (Centro de Esperanza) for refugees and asylum seekers just across the border from Lukeville, AZ, in Mexico. We learned about the Phoenix East Valley Network and their important work meeting the basic needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ on their journey to hope and safety. Our "Ties To Mexico" project supports this group. For anyone who wishes to contribute individually to this ministry, here is some information about their needs!

Last week, Tina reflected on her ten years as a prison chaplain for the Arizona Department of Corrections. Here is an excerpt from her sermon.

In the United Church of Christ, we celebrate the boundless love of God that knows no boundaries. This love embraces all people, transcending race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, abilities, and social background.

There are many misconceptions about forgiveness. Here are a few things that forgiveness DOESN'T mean.

We are a proud member church of the United Church of Christ. Learn more about our denomination and our history below!