At Bay Shore Community Congregational Church (UCC) in Long Beach, California you can say with so many others:
I found
Welcome to Bay Shore Church in Long Beach, California!
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome here. It doesn’t matter what experiences you’ve had or what questions you have. No matter what beliefs you hold, or who you love, you’re welcome here. Really! Scroll down to find out more about Bay Shore Community Congregational Church (UCC) in Long Beach, CA.
Experience the life-changing presence of God
Bay Shore Church is about providing you with opportunities to experience the life-changing presence of God, connect with encouraging people, and equipping you to make a difference in the world.
We are a people—
We are a people UNITED IN CHRIST.
In a world that divides, we will be different by being defined by what unites us. We are all children of a loving and gracious God.
We are a people FOR ALL PEOPLE.
All means all. We are for people who are like us and those who aren’t. “All people” includes our neighbor. All people includes the LGBTQ community and all people includes the next generation.
We are a people BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY.
We, as Jesus followers, are actively rebuilding, restoring, and renewing the lives of broken people in our community and around the world.
What we are (especially) known for
Bay Shore Church is a safe place to grow: large enough to provide excellent programs and small enough for you to feel like you are at home–right where you belong.
- Inspiring messages for everyday living
- Beautiful music
- Service to the community
- Spiritual growth opportunities
- Friendly groups
- Progressive theology
- LGBTQ inclusive
- Care for our members in need
- Donuts after church!
A beacon to Long Beach and beyond.
Bay Shore Community Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Long Beach, California, is known around the Belmont Shore area as Bay Shore Church. We’ve been a beacon of hope on the shore since 1925 because we elicit vibrant worship, thought-provoking education, and opportunities for fellowship and service. We are a diverse community that cherishes freedom of thought. We respect, therefore, that each person walks a unique spiritual path. So, our goal is to help each other out on our spiritual journeys.
People from all over the region make Bay Shore Church in Long Beach, CA their church home. The church is wherever its people are. Therefore we are a church in Seal Beach and we are a church in Rossmoor and we are a church in Lakewood and we are a church in Whittier, and we are a church in Palos Verdes and a church in Signal Hill. . . and wherever you go in the world!
Faith that makes a difference
One of the hallmarks of Bay Shore Church is a bond of union that gets to the heart of a faith that we aspire to live out in the real world.
Our Bond of Union
Our Bond of Union in this church is a common loyalty to Jesus Christ. We believe that the Lord’s whole requirement is to do justly, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
We cherish for each person the fullest liberty in the interpretation of truth, and we gladly grant others the freedom we claim for ourselves.
We promise, as members of this church, to walk together as Christians, seeking to live according to the spirit and teachings of Jesus, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
In the quest of truth and in the Spirit of Jesus, we unite for the worship of God and the service of humanity.
A Congregational Church
When we offer a welcome to Bay Shore Church in Long Beach, California, you will be excited to know you are being welcomed into a church that controls its own decisions and destiny. The congregation decides its own beliefs, practices, processes, hires its own pastors, and discerns its mission. See our Constitution for a description of how our church operates including a list of the groups of volunteers that make our church a true work of the people.
As an autonomous body, our UCC church in Long Beach, California covenants with the United Church of Christ, a welcoming, justice-minded community of faith. This covenant helps us accomplish more for mission and ministry then we could do on our own. The UCC provides tremendous resources for our congregation such as Pilgrim Pines Camp and inspirational daily devotionals.
Since we are stronger together, we choose to affiliate with 6,300 UCC churches and 1.6 million members across the country who share similar values and beliefs. The United Church of Christ is an LGBTQ friendly, Open and Affirming (ONA) denomination that believes God is still speaking and active in transforming lives today. We are ecumenical in spirit and embody a spirituality:
- Where God is all-loving and inclusive
- Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are
- Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul
- Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary
- Where together we grow a just and peaceful world