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by Kathie Curtis
a member of the church

Wheat Ridge UCC goes far beyond “Open and Affirming”: Open-minded and seeking to learn more about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and acknowledging, with the UCC denomination, that God is still speaking to us about our relationship with God, with each other, and with the whole earth.

Beyond Affirming, it is a warm, welcoming, loving community of people of all ages who truly care about each other, pray for each other, and embrace every individual’s uniqueness. Fellowship opportunities come after every Sunday worship, at frequent potlucks and other occasions throughout the year.

I find Sunday worship to be magnificent! The Scripture-based sermons are informative, to be sure, but also challenging and assuring at the same time, and there is invariably some humor that we share. Music, too, brings food for thought, along with exquisite classic melodies, more modern tunes, and harmony in the wonderful choir. We welcome and appreciate instrumental music as well, and often we’re blessed to hear the bell choir. We use two hymnals, the newest having more inclusive language.

Communion is part of Sunday worship in alternate months, and is offered immediately after worship for the other months, for all who wish to partake.

After Jesus’ instruction to “let the little children come to me,” they are included in worship until the Children’s Time, which includes a story and lesson from which we all benefit. Occasionally some of our talented members present a puppet show, too! The kids then go to Sunday School for further lessons and crafts. We also have a nursery during the whole of worship.

Like the historical Congregational Church, we value education and reason. Adult Study Hour (ASH) is held each Sunday before worship, and the Pastor’s Class is a mid-day, mid-week class which is somewhat academic in theology and history of the church, and is also lots of fun.

Special worship services commemorate the Christian holidays: Ash Wednesday worship includes a Taizè service of choral music and readings, and other services include Maundy Thursday and a Christmas Eve candlelight service.

Summer brings a variety of themes in our “Think Summer, Think Church” program, including one Sunday of worship and picnic in a nearby park. Other themes in the past have included Short Sunday, when worship is shorter and the attire may also be shorts. Stump the Pastor and Stump the Congregation are self-explanatory. We’ve also appreciated jazz communion on the first Sunday in August.

A favorite fun-and-fundraiser is Java & Jive, a coffee-house atmosphere provided in the downstairs fellowship hall on a weekend evening once per month, May through October. Members and friends of the church bring live music, singing, performance art, and readings, to the delight of all.

We are aware of our social responsibility and stewardship of the earth, and have formed a task force to stay informed of measures we can take in our church and in our daily lives, beginning with Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

The annual Halloween party is fun for all ages, and we also go Christmas caroling and have a caroling party — and every get-together has treats, of course.

When I moved to Wheat Ridge from another state, I scouted other Protestant churches in the area, and came back to Wheat Ridge UCC, for the same reason that I stayed active here when I moved 10 miles east: here I found “Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is Love.” — I Corinthians 13:13

— posted on "Leap Day," February 29, 2012