Our church’s name, Bethany, in the original Hebrew language means “house of, for, among and with the Poor. So it is no accident that this community of faith in the south end of Seattle, which is diverse racially, economically and culturally, in seeking to become a Beloved Community, actively participates and advocates for peace and justice in our lives, our neighborhoods, our communities, our city, our country and in God’s world.

Our ministry to those most in need – those made poor, sick, hungry, a stranger and in prison comes out of Jesus’ words “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me … for when you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it for me.”

Though there is always more any community can do, Bethany United Church of Christ seeks to see every human being as beloved. Our ministry in opening doors to immigrants, refugees, children, youth, prisoners and the hungry and to welcoming the stranger into beloved community is a reflection of our theology and our experience of God’s love that, as our pastor shares “All Are Beloved.”

Worship and Faith Formation are important in growing faithful and beloved community. Here at Bethany United Church of Christ, the Sunday morning worship service and the community discussions, reflections and prayers that follow are key to the individual and the whole community’s journey of faith. Even the music, which is different every Sunday, grows out of our love for God in making a joyful noise.

You can experience and see how the Good News of God proclaimed and heard each week is directly interconnected with how we, as God’s Beloved, live our lives every day. From the first five books of the Bible, also known in the Jewish tradition as the Torah, to the major and minor prophets, the wisdom literature including the Psalms and the gospels revealing the love of God through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and the actions of the early church in Paul and the disciples’ epistles/letters, this community actively engages in living out God’s love, God’s generosity, God’s abundance and even God’s forgiveness and God’s grace in solidarity and community with one another and with all of God’s creation.

As in anything worth doing, our journeys of faith through worship and faith formation take practice – daily and weekly practice. We are all learners. We are all given God’s grace.
Welcome!

As a congregation focused on justice and care for all of God’s creation, one of our ministries is a community garden. Our garden is open to anyone who wants to grow food! While there is no fee to become a gardener at Bethany, we ask for about 10 hours of volunteer time throughout the season. We work on the shared space once a month at garden work parties.

Our garden also has a large plot dedicated to growing food for the Beacon Ave. Food Bank, which is also housed on Bethany’s campus (see writeup above). We work together on this plot and donate the produce so that food bank clients have a selection of fresh, organic veggies to take home. If you are interested in working on the Food Bank plot, you don’t also have to have a plot at the garden to do so.

Contact: Bethany Office 206-725-7535; office@bethanyseattle.org

There’s plenty of handicap accessible parking on the Beacon Avenue entrance into our two parking lots, with overflow parking available on the street.

Youth Undoing Institutional Racism (YUIR)

YUIR is a youth-centered, multi-generational vehicle for young people to engage in ongoing anti-racist and anti-oppression education, and to take action in their schools and community to bring forth social change. It is an extension of Freedom School, and is facilitated by and for youth.

Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA)


ReWA is a multi-ethnic, community-based organization that provides comprehensive culturally and linguistically appropriate services to refugee and immigrant communities throughout King and Snohomish Counties. Today, ReWA operates from 10 sites in King and Snohomish Counties, and is comprised of 140 staff members with the capability of speaking 37 different languages and dialects. Many of our staff are refugees or immigrants. They work together to deliver bilingual and bicultural services to help our clients gain English and job-related skills, find employment, maintain stability, and eventually thrive in their adoptive country.

ReWA Provides Services For:

Developmental disabilities
Domestic violence
Early Childhood Education
Education and vocational training
Family support
Licensed behavioral health
Parent education
Senior nutrition and wellness
Youth program

ReWA Early Childhood Education ages 3-5 - Schedule:
Monday-Thursday - Morning class: 8:30am-12pm, 8:45am-12:15pm
       Or
Monday-Thursday - Afternoon class: 1pm-4:30pm, 1:15pm-4:45pm
       Or
Full Day - Monday-Friday: 7:30am-5:30pm
ReWA accepts DSHS and City of Seattle Subsidies.

ReWA preschool offers:

Qualified bilingual and bicultural staff
Small classroom environments for individualized learning
Strong literacy programs
Integrated, dual-language curriculum
Culturally-relevant, home-cooked hot meals
Supportive services through bilingual and bicultural Family Advocates
Free part-day childcare for qualifying families
NACCP Accreditation (National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs)

Contact: Early Childhood Operations Director Susan Lee: 206-721-5294; susan@rewa.org
also 206-723-3304
6230 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98108-3159

Contact ReWA: 206-721-0243; ReWA.org
4008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S., Seattle, WA 98108

Tyree Scott Freedom School


Nationally, the People’s Institute used the civil rights era Freedom School model to provide racial justice education to youth through a number of organizing networks around the country. Locally, the American Friends Service Committee has taken the lead in developing the program which provides an opportunity for 15-21-year-old youth to gain knowledge and skills as community organizers through an intensive process that teaches the history of racism, draws from the histories of local racial and social justice struggles and connects youth to elders in the community. Since 2001, Freedom school has developed significant leadership, and today the school is almost entirely facilitated by former Freedom School Participants.

Watch “Tyree Scott Freedom School” on the Seattle Channel

Seattle Young People’s Project (SYPP)


SYPP is a youth-led social change organization that empowers youth to express themselves and to take action on the issues affecting their lives. We support other youth led projects such as Youth Undoing Racism, Queer Youth Rights, Student Activists for A Multi-Cultural Education, an annual MLK Hip Hop Show, Young Women’s and Young Men’s Conferences. Our organization, and all projects, are led by high school age youth. We also offer paid youth internships to organize projects, as well as do youth organizing, and anti-racism workshops for youth.

End the Prison Industrial Complex (EPIC)


EPIC is a community group working to stop the construction of the proposed new youth jail in King County, Washington. EPIC operates with staff support from American Friends Service Committee and includes members of Youth Undoing Institutional Racism, the People’s Institute Northwest and the community at-large. Currently, while the crime rate has gone down, part of the proposed new Children and Family Justice Center (at 12th and Alder) includes building a 96,000 sq.ft. youth jail with 154 single-occupancy cells.

EPIC Seattle organizes and mobilizes in the Bethany Church annex, also known as “The EPI Center” in the community. EPIC Seattle is led by James Williams and our young leadership. One key ministry to note is our "No New Youth Jail" movement. Education, not jails, for our youth and young people.