(714) 420-7424 | Worship every Sunday @ 11 a.m.
(714) 420-7424 | Worship every Sunday @ 11 a.m.
Learn more about our church.
As you explore these pages, we hope you’ll discover something that speaks to your spirit. If you do, we invite you to visit us in worship or join one of our Bible studies to get a fuller sense of who we are.
Cross Wood UCC is a small congregation, about the size of Jesus’ first group of disciples, but with a heart that reaches far beyond our numbers. We stay active in our community, seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus through monthly donations of food and clothing to local organizations.
We welcome all. We are an Open and Affirming congregation; we host several AA groups throughout the week, share our space with a Catholic church, and celebrate an open communion table on the first Sunday of each month. These commitments contribute to our standing as a 5 for 5 church in the United Church of Christ.
We gather every Sunday at 9:45 AM to worship our Creator and Christ, lift our voices in praise, and support one another through fellowship. Come check us out—we’d love to meet you.
Cross Wood United Church of Christ is a small but faithful community committed to Christ’s call in Matthew 22:37-39 — to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We seek to offer God our whole selves: the heart, with its desires and affections; the soul, with its life and spiritual essence; and the mind, with its understanding and reasoning. In all we do, we strive for the love of God through Jesus Christ to permeate every thought, action, and intention, shaping our worship, our service, and our life together.
Cross Wood United Church of Christ has grown from a small seed planted in 1925, when two congregations of different denominations set their sights on Long Beach and began to take root. By the 1950s, both churches were flourishing, rich with active ministries and vibrant membership.
When the United Church of Christ formed through denominational mergers, these two congregations were grafted into a wider field, continuing their work even as attendance later decreased and their facilities were shared with other ministries. At the turn of the century, the two churches joined together, forming what is now Cross Wood, United Church of Christ.
Today, a small, faithful congregation gathers in a small chapel—worshiping, studying, serving, and tending the soil of this community. You might say we are in a pruning season, trusting that careful trimming will make way for new growth.
As a church, we do not require tithing, but we greatly appreciate your generous, intentional giving as part of the Christian life. Your giving, no matter how great or small, helps support the life and work of the church and its ministries. Our belief aligns with the United Church of Christ, which does not have a formal doctrinal statement requiring tithing; instead, it frames giving as a voluntary, Spirit-led response to God’s call to generosity, justice, and care for the community.
This approach is consistent with the UCC’s historical emphasis on discipleship and service rather than legalistic observance of Old Testament laws.
Feeling inspired to give?