It began in 1906 as a Mission Style church. On September 30, 2015, it will celebrate it's 109th birthday at the same location where it began, at the corner of 3900 Cleveland Avenue and Richmond Street.
University Christian Church begins it's next chapter with the installation of a new pastor, The Rev. Caleb Lines. Rev. Lines is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and holds both a Master of Sacred Theology degree with specializations in Urban Ministry and Homelessness, and a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies with a minor in Spanish Proficiency from Missouri State University, from which he graduated Magna Cum Laude in the Honors College.
Rev. Lines comes to University Christian Church after serving as Associate Minister at South Street Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri. He is married to his child-hood sweetheart, Shawnna, a social worker, and they welcomed their first child, Katherine, whom they call “Kit,” on July 18 of this year.
The Pastor Search Committee felt that Caleb was “tuned in” to our ever changing society and has an understanding of the modern day church. In his profile, Caleb wrote, “by building upon our commonalities and accepting our differences, we can truly learn from one another and grow.”
Rev. Lines preached his first sermon at University Christian Church on Sunday, October 4. He will be officially installed as Senior Minister during the worship service on Sunday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. The church is an Open and Affirming congregation and welcomes all persons.