MISSION STATEMENT
Irvine United Congregational Church is radically inclusive, declaring to neighbors and strangers alike, No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.  We celebrate the Creator's diversity as we worship God and grow in our faith.  Guided by God's unconditional love as taught by Jesus Christ, we see ourselves as children of one God, brothers and sisters of all people.  As servants of God, we take responsibility to act with compassion, to work for peace and justice, and to share the joy of Christian community.

VISION STATEMENT
Irvine United Congregational Church seeks growth in spirit, fellowship, and number by becoming a more culturally diverse congregation; by strengthening our capacity to serve our neighbors and community; by caring for each other as God cares for us; by inviting others to be a part of our community of faith; and by working to transform individual lives and our community through the power of God's love in human action.

Since its beginning in 1979, IUCC has been a uniting church open to persons of every age, race, sexual orientation, and religious background. It operates under a congregational form of government, which means it is a true democracy run by the members. We are a faith community that values diversity and respects the freedom of thought of each individual because we believe that the unique gifts of each of us adds wholeness to our lives and strengthens our oneness.

We are proudly progressive, intentionally inclusive.
Guided by God's unconditional love, we are an open and affirming congregation. We are committed to being progressive and intentionally inclusive, welcoming all people as fellow children of God. Our doors and our hearts are open to all wishing to join us in worship and in our faith journey. We strive to create a vital community of God as we care for one another.

We follow the teachings of the historical Jesus.
We believe the Bible is a history of a people's growing understanding of God. It helps us explore our relationship with God as we follow the teachings of the historical Jesus, whom we recognize as a living spirit of change, renewal and social activism in this world. We take responsibility to act with compassion toward others.

We advocate religious literacy.
We advocate religious literacy--the study and exploration of the Bible, its related historical and religious texts, and new shifts in theological thinking--as an opportunity for the Christian church to reclaim its mission as a vital force in the world. We believe that recent intellectual and scholarly investigations of the Bible and other historical and religious texts present us with an opportunity to better understand our religious heritage.

We are on a faith journey.
This congregation's spiritual values are not wrapped in religious dogma. We believe that no one religious tradition has a monopoly on the truth, and we assume that all faiths have gained some insight into the human condition and our connection with the Creator. We are on a journey toward a faith relationship with God, and each of us is following his/her own pathway. We believe that the wisdom of Jesus' teachings calls us to look inside ourselves, to struggle with the questions of who we are and why we are here, and to create an environment that fosters personal insight. In so doing, we learn to celebrate the divine spark that resides within each of us.

We strive to do justice.
We strive to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. Reaching out to improve the human condition locally and throughout the world is important to us. We believe that God's revelation through the life of Jesus calls us to live peacefully, love fully, and act as faithful stewards of the physical and spiritual universe. We speak out when we see injustice and seek ways to implement the teaching, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

History...

Formed in 1957 from our predecessor denominations-Congregational, Christian, Evangelical, and Reformed--the UCC consists of over 6,000 diverse and unique congregations across America. Though the UCC is a young church, it carries on the rich heritage of justice and compassion found in its ancestral denominations.

IUCC originated as a new church sponsored by the Church Development Commission of the Southern California Conference of the UCC in 1979. 

The Reverends Bill and Jane Moore were the co-founding Pastors who guided our early growth, and facilitated our Sunday worship services at the Culverdale middle school.  With a congregation numbering in the mid 20’s, Bill and Jane set the course for who we are as an organization today.

The Reverend Fred Plumer was called as our pastor in 1984, under his leadership IUCC built our first building in October 1986.  As membership continued to grow, it became necessary to build a larger sanctuary which was completed in September of 1996. Reverend Plumer retired in July of 2004 after 20 years of service to IUCC. His leadership and pastoral skills created a strong foundation on which to build our church's future.

In February of 2006, IUCC called the Reverend Dr. Paul Tellstrom as our new spiritual leader. Paul received his B.S. from Syracuse University and his Masters of Divinity with honors from the Claremont School of Theology, where he also received The Claremont Distinguished Preaching Award.  His Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching was earned at the Chicago Theological Seminary, through the ACTS D. Min. in Preaching program. He continues the strong progressive leadership, and visionary thinking that has made IUCC an Oasis of progressive theology in Orange County.

Relying on God's grace and the support of its members, IUCC is committed to being open and inclusive, welcoming everyone. We have put aside dogmatic doctrine to endorse and encourage a personal spiritual pilgrimage built on a foundation of an affirmative and supportive Christian family. Concerned and progressive, we are committed to improving the human condition both locally and throughout the world. You are invited to continue your faith journey and your ministry of service for others with us at IUCC.