Unitarian Christian Church of America
We warmly welcome you to the UCCA. We believe we are a “faith whose time has come, indeed a faith for today.” Our aim is not to impose a specific belief but to unite with others to promote, educate, and improve a “way of living” in harmony and peace with everyone.
The world we live in is not what God intended for it to be. The old ways no longer work, nor are they relevant; it is time for an “awakening.” Our spiritual needs are unmet as we have evolved, creating a growing spiritual and moral void that must be addressed.
We invite you to join us in becoming the revival that awakens humanity into the next century and beyond. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. The time is right, the need is clear, and the answer is waiting.
Our Purpose:
Our Church is centered in our “Universal Principle”, thus, the UCCA declares and proclaims: “There is only one God, creator and sustainer of all existence, giver of life to all that lives. As God’s creation, we are to love and honor our God with every ounce of our being. When we purport to behave in a manner consistent with that belief, it is manifested by the unconditional love we have for, and the compassion we demonstrate to, all humankind and all creation.”
(Ref. Gospel of Mark 12:28-34)
Our Mission:
It is intended that the UCCA will become a common gathering place and a source of information, inspiration, and support for those who are considering or choose to become modern-day Unitarian Christians.
A Message for Today's World
We sincerely hope you'll find a comfortable and welcoming environment and new home here with us. As our Platform may be unfamiliar to you, we invite you to take this opportunity to learn more about who we are and what we believe is genuinely a “faith whose time has come, indeed, a faith for today.” We welcome everyone who chooses to participate in living our Platform.
Those who actively practice our Universal Principle embodied within our Foundational Beliefs and to the best of their abilities, live the faith we share as a way of life, not just a statement made when convenient or appropriate.
When we come together, our goal is not to impose personal faith or judge honest individual differences. Instead, we strive to unite through our love for God and to live in truth, peace, and love for all humankind and
all of God’s creation.
“WHY ISN’T THERE PEACE ON EARTH?”
December 28, 2025
Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
The title of today’s message is a question that many often ask. It is a question addressed by almost every faith and by scholars across academia. If our leaders cared, they would be voicing this concern. There is a universal and straightforward reason. Perhaps it’s because “we would rather have what we want instead of what God wants for us.”
We see this in every walk of life. In our political leaders, in the rich and powerful, in the power of the corporations and institutions that influence our economies and way of life, we see it in the people we work with, go to school with, worship with, and even in those closest to us. Our lives, from those far away to our families, are filled with the selfishness, greed, wantonness, and “lusts of the flesh” that we follow instead of “what God wants for us.” We don’t listen to God, see His direction, or live as examples of His Love, because we are too busy chasing windmills and feeding our admiration and affection for the image in our mirror. There is no peace because we have let go of God’s hand that was leading us to it.
Psalm 34:14, Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Peace among the family, the clan, tribe, village, country, and all the earth has been the hope and purpose of religion from the beginning. We are further from that hope today than ever before. Unity and peace are the door that opens us to endless possibilities that will never be ours until we get those two right and make them the foundation of our lives. Where there is division of God’s children, there is no peace. Where there is blame, discourse, and hate among God’s children, there is no peace. We may all be different individuals, races, creeds, religions, and other aspects that make us who we are. But at the base of it all, we are all of “one species of beings,” and the “Image of God” is within us all and gives us life and being. All of our differences combined will not separate us from that reality. Other species of beings, especially our primate cousins, have all embraced how God created them. And in doing so, they have survived to this day. They also argue, scream, and yell at each other in anger; some even fight and harm one another, but ultimately they come together as one. We, humans, are still misguided on this issue, and don’t seem to mind as long as we get what we want.
Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
There can be no peace where there is no genuine compassion. What is genuine compassion? It is a state of mind, a conscious and subconscious effect on the person that draws them into the life of others. Not just the outward, worldly being of others, but into a connection with them that goes beyond the physical. You are genuinely compassionate when you look at all others, not just a select few, and see them in such a way that their hurt, pain, and suffering become yours, as does their joy and happiness. You are genuinely compassionate when there are no judgments in your mind toward others, when you feel for those who are separated, segregated, rejected, and left alone. You see the needs in others' lives and are compelled to help at all costs. Genuine compassion must be an integral part, perhaps a foundation, of who you are and manifest in all you say and do. You do no harm, violence, aggression, or hurt to anyone in any way, for that will only do the same to you. And you take that compassion and use it to build the peace that will save the world from self-destruction.
Our world lacks genuine compassion. We replace it with quips, platitudes, and mental and physical pleasures we mistake for compassion. When the tears and pain of a total stranger you see from a distance truly touches your heart until you cry too, then you are close to genuine compassion. It isn’t “feeling sorry for someone,” unless your sorrow drives you to do something to help or comfort them. Genuine compassion is missing today in every aspect of society, even among close friends, family members, and anyone who is not just like us. We have walked away from God’s will for our genuine compassion, pushed it aside, and replaced it with the “lusts of our wants.” And we wonder, where is the peace in this world?
John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Now, to answer our question. “Why isn’t there peace on Earth?” It’s because we reject the unity that God created within us, because we lack “genuine compassion,” and because we don’t want to listen to God. Perhaps it’s because we are blinded by the lusts of our lives that feed us with the desire for more and more, even when we already have enough. Indeed, we struggle and live in divisions and rejections because “we would rather have what we want instead of what God wants for us.” Is that you? The first step to solving this issue is accepting your responsibility for it, turning from it (repentance), and walking forward with God (salvation). What better way to end a tough year than to accept your responsibilities, close that part of your life, and open it to a new, better, and blessed way? What will you choose?
Romans 15:33, “May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.”
Unless noted, Bible Quotes are from "New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition" (NRSVUE)
Rev. Dr. Shannon Rogers, DDiv., UCCA
Sr. Pastor and President, Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)
