University Christian Church gathers on West Centinela Avenue in West Los Angeles, near USC, and has done so since 1910. It is known for a diverse, multigenerational church life in which people from different ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic circumstances come together under the motto Making Disciples Who Love God, Love People, and Love Our City. Sunday worship at 10 a.m. anchors ministries that include children and youth, small groups, creative worship, practical care, a weekly food ministry and mission support across several continents.
A Century of Ministry Near USC
University Christian Church began in 1910 near the USC campus as a place where the Word of God would be spoken and people from every walk of life could worship and know God more. Its long history gives people from multiple generations, ethnic groups and economic backgrounds a common place to gather in unity. The phrase unity in diversity captures that mix without requiring everyone to be alike.
The church's three-part calling shapes both its identity and outward work: love God, love people and love the city. UCC presents faith as a relationship with Jesus Christ expressed through worship, biblical teaching, prayer, communion and baptism. Discipleship is not limited to a classroom. It is lived through small groups, service to people in hardship and support for Christian ministry around the world. Its goal is to form disciples whose faith becomes genuine love for people and tangible care for Los Angeles and communities farther away.
Sunday at Ten: Singing, Communion and a Message
Guests can plan an in-person visit at 5831 W. Centinela Ave. in Los Angeles or join the Sunday livestream, which begins at 10:00 a.m. The gathering includes singing, a message from the pastoral staff, communion together and a short closing encouragement. Afterward, people gather for fellowship and refreshments in the Grand Patio and Missions Cafe. The worship team uses music of varying styles, giving the service a blended musical character while keeping the sequence of worship, teaching and response clear.
A first-time guest is welcomed to identify themselves when arriving, and an online guest is invited to say hello in the chat. The morning follows a comfortable rhythm: gather, sing, hear the message, share communion, receive encouragement and then connect over food and conversation. Children are included in that rhythm rather than treated as an add-on, with most young people beginning in the sanctuary for opening worship.
Children Join Worship, Then Learn in Their Own Rooms
UCC Kids seeks to introduce children to Jesus through worship, interactive activities and the study of God's Word. Nursery and preschool children gather at 10 a.m. downstairs in rooms 122 and 124. Elementary children, kindergarten through fifth grade, begin with the congregation in the sanctuary and then go upstairs to room 203 for activities and engaging curriculum. The move into classes happens during a welcome time, allowing children to take part in the church's opening worship first.
UCC Youth serves middle school and high school students in the same general pattern. They begin in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. and are dismissed to room 215 for fellowship and biblical teaching. On some Sundays, students remain for the whole service with their families. A monthly Friday gathering adds games, fellowship and Bible study to the youth schedule. Families can keep up with UCC Kids and UCC Youth through their dedicated Facebook groups and Instagram accounts. Adults who want to teach or serve with children or youth can volunteer, and every prospective children's or youth volunteer requires a background check.
Discipleship for Every Stage of Life
Before the 10 a.m. service, two Sunday groups create space for study and conversation. Men's Bible Study meets from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Nurturer's Bible Study meets from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. in room 213, welcomes all ages and alternates between Bible study and Christian books that enhance daily life, with prayer requests and praises woven into the gathering.
Two midweek studies continue the rhythm. Wednesday evening Bible study runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and Thursday morning Bible study runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for study, fellowship and prayer. Oikos groups add ten-week communities for friendship, discipleship and deeper discussion of the sermon and the Word. The name Oikos means extended family life, and the groups are open to everyone.
MomCO gathers mothers of school-age children on the first and third Wednesdays for fellowship, growth, prayer, fun and crafting. The church also lists Family Life Ministry and Women's Ministry among its regular ministries. For people who want to understand the church and take a next step, the Bridges class introduces who UCC is, what it is doing and how people can partner together on mission for Jesus. It is intended both for newcomers and for those who have been part of UCC for years.
The Altar and the Creative Worship Team
The Worship Arts and Media ministry aims to make room for creativity, excellence and personal worship through varied music and art forms. Its teams include traditional and worship choirs, seasonal choirs, vocal teams, instrumentalists, creative arts, dance, drama, sign language, stage design, photography, video, sound, lighting, computer slides and special-event production. Experienced singers and beginners are invited to the Thursday worship-team practice at 7 p.m.
The first Thursday of each month adds The Altar, a 7 to 8 p.m. gathering centered on worship, prayer and the presence of God. The invitation is deliberately simple: no agenda, no performance, just presence. The gathering includes Scripture, encouragement and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is an intimate expression of the same creative worship carried by the larger Sunday team.
Monday Food and Toiletries at the Filling Station
The Filling Station is UCC's weekly outreach ministry, open Mondays from 2 to 4 p.m. except on major holidays. It is located on the parking-lot side of the Centinela Avenue campus. All are welcome; the only requirement is to sign in and provide a phone number. The ministry distributes food and toiletries supplied entirely by donations. Bus riders can take route 110 or 217 to Centinela and Green Valley.
Volunteers can serve for the full shift or one hour, and the church lists opportunities such as setup, serving, devotional time and special personal-care service, including manicures and haircuts. Food and resource donations can be dropped off at the front office on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Financial support for the ministry is available through giving to the Filling Station. This weekly rhythm keeps practical care close to the church: neighbors encounter a food and toiletries distribution effort, and members can contribute time, supplies or money.
Care for Hospital Stays, Family Life and Practical Need
UCC's Care Ministry values and supports people through varied seasons of life, with a simple emphasis: the church loves people. After Sunday worship, guests can meet the team at the Welcome Center in the breezeway. The ministry also helps people identify resources for legal, financial, health and elder needs, offers hospital-visitation support and prays for requests submitted to the staff and prayer team.
Biblical counseling addresses premarital, marital and family relationships, communication, parenting, grief and loss, anger, bitterness, personal struggles and spiritual discouragement. The aim is to offer love, acceptance, help, hope and forgiveness while helping people grow in relationship with Jesus Christ. When sustained guidance is appropriate, UCC can refer people to a local Christian counseling center.
The Filling Station adds a direct form of practical care, while local assistance connections introduce people to Westside Food Pantries, the Westside Coalition, the Dream Center, Union Rescue Mission, Fred Jordan Missions, St. Jerome and SOVA. Westside Food Pantries agencies provide groceries, and the Westside Coalition unites 46 organizations, public agencies and faith communities around housing, hunger and health. The Dream Center, Union Rescue Mission and Fred Jordan Missions provide food and other resources for people who are homeless or struggling with poverty. SOVA is a food pantry and resource center in the Pico-Robertson area, and St. Jerome in Westchester serves hot meals.
Mission Support Across Continents
The Missions Ministry reviews missionary efforts each year and chooses which programs to support. Its international work includes:
- Chiredzi Children's Home, which provides housing, care and guidance for children 18 and over in Zimbabwe as they continue their education or serve job apprenticeships.
- Christian Arabic Services, which works to establish a New Testament church in Egypt.
- Commit Ministries, which organizes short-term mission teams to Israel, Romania, mainland China, Kenya, Mexico, The Bahamas and Germany and seeks student sponsors.
- Frontiers, which partners with Greg and Ginette as they minister in Canada and West Africa.
- Hippo Valley Christian Mission, which supports Christian orphanages, schools and AIDS education in Zimbabwe.
- Iberoamerican Ministries, which works through church planting and compassion in Spain, Northern Africa and the Middle East.
- International Conference on Missions, which encourages, equips and enlists workers for the harvest.
- MidIndia Christian Mission Center, which supports Christian media production and training in India.
- New International, which supports James and Marta Khong as they teach God's Word in Myanmar.
- North Burma Christian Mission and the Morse Literature Fund, which combine ministry and outreach efforts with a tribal children's hostel.
- Wycliffe Translation, where Terry and Nancy Sullivan oversee Bible translation in Benin.
Home mission support reaches Southern California and includes Angeles Crest Christian Camp scholarships, military chaplaincy endorsement through the Chaplaincy Endorsement Commission, International Christian Braille Mission, Hope International University scholarships and Stadia's church-planting work. Congregants can participate through prayer, giving, scholarship support, mission trips and service. This is a wide map, but it is held together by the same conviction expressed in the church motto: loving the city is part of a Christian calling that does not stop at the local neighborhood.
Many Ways to Serve at University Christian Church
Service is organized through teams in administration, guest services, tech and media, connections, preschool and elementary ministries, student ministries, care, Sunday services, special events, the Filling Station and operations. Roles include greeting, communion preparation, ushering, parking, security, coffee service, bookstore service, video and slides, choir and drama, children's and youth teaching, hospital visits, prayer, event setup, food preparation, building maintenance and gardening. Background checks are required for children's and youth volunteers.
Bridges offers a simple route into these opportunities for both new and longtime participants. The Serving at UCC teams welcome people with different interests, schedules and levels of experience. At its center, University Christian Church remains a West Los Angeles congregation shaped by worship at 10 a.m., multigenerational discipleship, practical service and a commitment to love God, love people and love the city.