Background

Directions

Background of University Christian Church

Who We Are

Our Vision Statement:

University Christian Church seeks to be

a dynamic, inclusive community living out the love of Jesus the Christ,

through thoughtful worship, compassionate service and spiritual growth.

What Do Disciples Believe?

Open Communion. The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is celebrated in weekly worship and is open to all who believe in Jesus, the Christ.

The Oneness of the Church. All Christians are called to be one in Christ and to seek opportunities for common witness and service.

Freedom of Belief. As Disciples, we are called together around two essentials of faith. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, as our Lord and Savior. We believe that Christians are free to follow their conscience, guided by Bible study, the Holy Spirit, experience, and prayer. We are expected to extend that freedom to others.

Baptism by Immersion. In baptism, the old self-centered life is set aside, washed away, and a new life of trust in God begins. Although Disciples practice baptism by immersion, other baptism traditions are honored.

The Ministry of Believers. Both ordained ministers and lay persons of both genders lead in worship, service and spiritual growth.

Above All. Jesus, the Christ, is the son of the Living God, who offers saving grace to all who seek it.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was founded in the U.S. in 1832. Seeking to move beyond denominational disagreements, the founders envisioned a united church of Jesus, the Christ, modeled on the New Testament. Today, we are over 3,700 congregations strong and still share that vision. The chalice symbol symbolizes our focus on the celebration of Holy Communion.

Early History

University Christian Church in Austin, Texas, held its first official services on November 3, 1946, in the old Texas Bible Chair building at the corner of University Avenue and 21st Street, directly across the street from The University of Texas at Austin campus. The Bible Chair buildings and the property where the church's current building is located were then owned by the Christian Women Board of Missions, part of the United Christian Missionary Society. The Texas Bible Chair already had a long history of teaching Bible Courses for University credit and holding Sunday School classes for students in that location. Church services for students had already been started in September of 1946.

In early 1946, Dr. Paul Wassenich had assumed the directorship of the Texas Bible Chair. Paul Wassenich and his wife, Ruth, an extremely active and generous couple, moved into the Bible Chair residence and created a welcoming environment for students, many of whom were soldiers recently returned from World War II and attending school on the GI bill. Some of these students lived in rooms in the Bible Chair residence or in an old carriage house on the property. Others spent time in the residence between classes and attended meetings there and in the Bible Chair classroom building.

With Dr. Wassenich's encouragement, University Christian Church was established, consisting at first of eleven original members, plus an active group of student members. The church's original members, which included several UT librarians, all had a strong commitment to both education and mission work. Three types of membership were offered:

Local residents could become regular members.
Associate membership was offered to people throughout the state who wanted to contribute to the church's mission.
Student members could join without giving up membership in their home churches.

The large number of returning GIs in the Disciple Student Fellowship group in 1946 contributed to a boisterous and humorous atmosphere, but their wartime experiences had left them also with a strong commitment to spiritual matters and to making a difference in the world. The congregation took as its mission to provide a supportive Christian environment in which students could pursue an education and fulfill those goals. In turn, these dedicated students and their successors have strongly influenced the church's development over the years. For many years, the congregation also supported overseas missionaries, some of whom were former students or members from the church.

During the first year, average church attendance tripled from 50 to 150 and it continued to grow rapidly. In September of 1947, Dr. T. W. Sisterson was hired as the first full-time, paid minister of the church. Construction was begun in May of 1948 to create a temporary sanctuary, which had to be expanded again almost immediately. A "ten-dollar" plan was created, where other Disciples of Christ churches across the state contributed ten dollars to University Christian Church for every student they sent to Austin. Still, it wasn't quite enough.

Dr. Sisterson left in November of 1948, and the congregation, with almost no money left in the treasury, managed to recruit Dr. Lawrence W. Bash to its cause by presenting the church's situation as a challenge to be met. Church board members were so determined to have Dr. Bash as minister that for three months before he and his family moved to Austin, board members doubled their regular pledges so that the church could pay his moving expenses.

By the time that Dr. Bash arrived in March of 1949 and began an aggressive campaign to help the church grow, it was clear that even with the recent construction, a still larger sanctuary would be needed, and another fund drive began. The Wasseniches had already moved to a parsonage so that the Bible Chair residence could be used as an education building.

With state-wide support by a committee of supporters and by other Christian Churches, along with a massive effort by local membership, the necessary funds were raised. Construction began in 1953 on the site of the old carriage house where many of the student GIs had lived. The current sanctuary of white "Austin stone" with the great stained glass window was completed and dedicated on May 31, 1954. Beneath the sanctuary, a student lounge was also added, which became the central location for many activities.

Dr. Bash left in 1959, and the church has been fortunate to have many talented ministers, associate ministers and student ministers since that time. Throughout the years, University Christian Church has provided students with Sunday school classes, church services, a Sunday evening Disciples Student Fellowship (DSF) group, occasional retreats and special events. For many years, a weekly "Soup and Sandwich" group met with invited speakers, frequently people of political, literary, or academic importance.

For several years, the old Bible Chair buildings stood beside the sanctuary, but they were torn down to make room for a new education building, completed in 1961. This brought the church building to its current shape. The sanctuary was renovated in 1991, but retains much of its original character.

Although credit courses in religion are no longer taught in the University Christian Church education building, the Texas Bible Chair office is still housed there. Student weddings are often held in the sanctuary, frequently for members of the "Life Partners" classes taught by Dr. Harold Guess. University Christian Church continues to encourage students in their educational endeavors and to provide them with a church home during their stay in Austin.