Progressive Christian Church, Open and Affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community

One of the most vibrant, LGBTQIA+ friendly progressive Churches in the Portland area.

An inclusive Christian congregation, we welcome and support the LGBTQIA+ community, affirming their full participation in the life of the church. A progressive voice in Beaverton serving the Portland, Oregon area.

Our Mission Statement:

While our Christian faith is 2000 years old, our thinking is not. We worship God, share the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and practice God’s unconditional love for all creation. Celebrating God’s still-speaking voice, we advocate for service, justice, and kindness. We commit to actively dismantling injustice, fostering a White Supremacy-Free Zone, and becoming an anti-racist community. Passionately open and affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community, we support each other’s journey while honoring our roots and embracing a future where all are valued and empowered.

 

What to Expect When Visiting a Church like Bethel UCC, Beaverton

Worship with us Sunday at 10:00 a.m. pt
in person or online VIA Facebook or Zoom

Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ
5150 SW Watson Ave
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 646-1191

Our worship services take place in hybrid form - in person in our Sanctuary, and online, live streamed on Facebook and Zoom.

RECENT WORSHIP VIDEOS

Covid 19 Update: April 2024

Safety of the congregation is our top priority. When worshipping in person, masks are optional. We monitor a variety of community and health statistics when making our decisions. Please continue to check our homepage for the most up to date masking protocols. And If you have symptoms, please continue to be part of our community and join us online.

Our current office hours are:
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

You can reach us by emailing office@bethelbeaverton.org.

Calendar

Check out our upcoming services, programs, and events

Worship

Learn about how and why we worship

Music

Find out about our music ministry

Staff

Committees

Get to know our staff members and committees better!

Beliefs

As progressive Christians, we believe in the Trinity: God the Creator, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit...     More

Contact Us

Want to know more? Desiring prayer? Interested in volunteering? Send us a message.

Why Choose a Progressive Church?

Lots of churches teach Jesus' message of love and radical inclusion. But not all churches practice what they preach when it comes to diversity. Many have beliefs and bylaws that disqualify women from leadership positions. And many more deny membership to LGBTQIA+ people.

As a progressive Christian church, we do not discriminate against women or the LGBTQIA+ community in hiring, leadership, or membership.

We teach children, youth, and adults that love means treating all people as we ourselves want to be treated, regardless of gender, preference, identity, or expression. There are no glass ceilings at Bethel. Our Christian faith is 2000 years old, but our thinking is not.

MINISTRIES

Adult Ministry

In addition to opportunities to be involved in our outreach programs, Bethel offers the adults in our community many opportunities for faith development, community and growth… More

Progressive Christianity

We value and nurture the leadership of women and the LGBTQ+ community at all levels of church life. We celebrate the diversity of cultures, races... More

Children’s Ministry

Currently our Sunday School and Nursery are open every other Sunday for our elementary kids and preschool/infants, and our Youth Group meets once a month… More

Youngish Adult Ministry

The Youngish Adult Group is a wide-ranging group for those who have graduated High School up until retirement age… More

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How Can I Make a Difference?

With all that is going wrong around the world, it is easy to believe that things must be getting worse. Surprisingly, the world is actually getting better. But still, not all people are fed, not all people are sheltered, and not all people are safe. There remains work to be done, around the globe and right here in Beaverton and Portland. You can make a difference here at Bethel. Click any of the links below to find out how.

Global Missions

Global Missions allows us to reach out into the world. Bethel is involved in our greater community in many ways...     More

Social Justice

Recognizing our common humanity and desiring a fair allocation of community resources is a golden thread running through the Bible...     More

Food Security

The Oregon Center for Public Policy found that over the past three years the percentage of Oregon households with low food security rose at the highest rate of any state in the nation...     More

Affordable Housing

Homelessness is a large problem in Beaverton. There are no shelters within the city limits. Rents are climbing and people are losing their homes...     More

ESL - English Language Learners

Bethel partners with the Beaverton Literacy Council to teach English reading, writing, and conversation to adult immigrants...     More

Respond TO RACISm

Help Bethel become an anti-racist Church. More

Beaverton High School Homeless Students

Of the 40,568 Students in the Beaverton School District, 32.8% Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch. At Beaverton High School, 44% qualify for the lunch program...     More

 

What is an LGBTQIA+ Friendly Church?

An Open and Affirming (ONA) Christian church and a member of the Community of Welcoming Congregations, we support full inclusion and equality for transgender, lesbian, bisexual, gay and questioning persons. LGBTQIA+ Affirming Churches and Organizations in Portland OR Metro area. Link

 
A gay couple of grooms at their wedding in tuxes holding a rose

What does the Bible say about Gay Marriage?

Homosexuality is a “hot button” issue for many Christians. Answers to the question depend on your belief about…more

A family: mother, father, boy girl

the bethel community

Bethel has been in Beaverton since 1880, and our community has certainly changed over the years! Now our congregation is a mixture of straight and LGBTQIA+ people of many races, ages, and backgrounds. Come visit this Sunday and see a historic Protestant progressive Christian church in action!

LBBTQ people and allies embracing in support

Where can LGBTQ people And Allies Find Support?

Bethel is one of a number of LGBTQiA+ affirming churches in our local area.

To find out more, visit our affirming churches and organizations page here.