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Everett UCC celebrates 125 years of ministry

For more than 125 years Everett United Church of Christ (formerly First Congregational Church) has been a positive influence in the city of Everett, said Mimi Lane moderator.

Affectionately known as the “Rainbow Church” the church’s mission has been to serve the local community with God’s extravagant welcome.

“Whether it’s the more than 14 groups that utilize our church for community gatherings, or the three churches that also worship in our space we see a still speaking God working in and through us as a faith community,” she said.

Everett UCC hosts the Dinner Bell ministry that serves more than 200 people a week, has a food pantry the last two Mondays of every month, and hosts a drop-in center in collaboration with the Our Common Ground Ministry.

The Everett UCC church also hosts two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, three Narcotics Anonymous meetings, PFLAG meetings, Gender Alliance, three Sex Addicts Anonymous Meetings, Gamblers Anonymous meetings, Everett Rock and Gem Club, Rookie Rock Hounds and Everett Eagles Drill Team.

The church also shares its building with three other churches—the Micronesia Fellowship (Apostolic), Marshall Islands UCC, and the Sanshinji meditation group.

“At Everett, we do not just accept the marginalized. We exist to validate and empower all people who enter,” Mimi said.  “Our worship experience is vibrant, vital and thought-provoking.”

As it celebrates a moment in its history and looks forward, Everett UCC will combine the celebration of its 125th anniversary with the installation of its new pastor, Darrell Goodwin at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 21, at the church, 2624 Rockefeller Ave.

Darrell, who was the founding pastor of Liberation UCC in Seattle, will continue to serve as the pastor there, as well as serving as pastor at Everett UCC.

Bishop Yvette Flunder, the founder and pastor of City of Refuge UCC, “a radically inclusive community embracing a theology of acceptance” in Oakland, Calif., will be guest speaker.  

Yvette is an ordained UCC minister who holds both masters and doctorate degrees in Ministry from the Pacific School of Religion and the San Francisco Theological Seminary, respectively.

In 2003, she was appointed Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, a multi-denominational coalition of over 56 churches and faith-based organizations from all over the world.

For information, call (425) 252-7224, email churchadmin@everettucc.org or visit everettucc.org.

 

Pacific Northwest United Church News © April-May 2018

 

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