Building Community in 2025

Mar 2025 | Activities

What do you do when the new year starts off with adversity, animosity, and uncertainty?

University Church chose to face this year with as much positivity as possible, creating activities that bring us together, giving us a chance to know each other outside of worship services, and building up and strengthening our community to be a supportive and safe outlet for whatever we’re facing. Members and friends have planned all kinds of activities that are open to all, with at least one special event each month. This page lists all of the community-building activities throughout the year, with a calendar link to each event. We’ll also include photos of events that have already happened.

Find an activity that interests you, or one that maybe pushes you to try something new. We hope you can join us! (Most locations are at University Church unless listed otherwise.)

Lent 2025: “Toward True Light”

Lent 2025: “Toward True Light”

Mar 2025 | Lent

Our Lenten theme…

Between the news, social media, competing views, and even the ideas we hold in our own body, there are many “lights” that want us to follow in their direction. But God is the true “North Star” that our lives should be pointed toward, and in this Lenten season we are willing to turn away (“repent”, literally) from everything else in hopes that God will show us the way. We enter this time of wilderness – just as Jesus did – for 40 days as a way of growing closer and deeper to our faithfulness, and letting that be our compass. Something powerful happens when we move away from these false and temporary lights, and move closer…

“TOWARD TRUE LIGHT”

Lenten Economic Fast…

6 Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;

Isaiah 58:6-8

This year, the fast we choose is an economic fast from all companies that have diminished their DEI policies in recent weeks. The list of companies is on the flyer below, and we will update this page as we learn more. This commitment is in no way meant to be easy, and for some it may be impossible for whatever reason. We won’t judge each other in any way, but we will be turning away from companies that have said it is not valuable to even try and do justice to its employees and customers. On March 2, Pastor Julian gave a sermon about the history and faithfulness of boycotts (click here to view), which may be worth revisiting as you discern your fast for this Lenten season. If not the economic fast, then consider a fast from now until Easter (40 days, excluding Sundays) that represents a faithful turn toward God. Whatever you do, make the time to PRAY EVERY DAY, and try to move away from the many false lights that hold our attention.

 

Join us this season…

Every Sunday – 10:30am CST worship service. In-person + online (“University Church Chicago” on YouTube)

Every Tuesday – “GodTalk” Bible Study – 7:30pm CST via Zoom (link on calendar on uchurchchi.org)

Thursday, April 17, 6pm CST – MAUNDY THURSDAY service

Friday, April 18, 5pm CST – “7 LAST WORDS OF CHRIST” by Théodore Dubois (a musical journey through Good Friday)

Sunday, April 20 – EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE at Promontory Point (~6:30am, in-person only), and EASTER WORSHIP AT UCHURCH (10:30am CST, in-person and online)

*we will update this page regularly throughout Lent, so check back often!