COLLEGE MINISTRY

Join us on Tuesday nights at 6:30PM at UPerk (405 20th Avenue, Suite 2, Tuscaloosa, 35401).

Dinner provided!


UKirk (literally meaning University Church) is the Presbyterian (USA) college ministry in Tuscaloosa. We’re actually part of a larger network of PC(USA) campus ministries (called UKirk Ministries) which seeks to reach, teach, and love college students so that they may be lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. Locally, though, we are a ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa.

Fall 2023 Special Dates

  • Every Tuesday - 6:30-8:00PM gathering at UPerk (free dinner included)
  • Every Thursday - Lunch Bunch at the Ferg
  • Every Sunday - Lunch after 11AM
  • More TBD

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

Show up! Join us for worship at FPC on Sunday mornings at 11AM in our Sanctuary or gather with us on Tuesday nights at 6:30PM at UPerk (405 20th Avenue, Suite 2, Tuscaloosa, 35401).  You can contact our UKirk team at bamaukirk@gmail.com, or you can take a look at our Facebook Group or Facebook Page. You can also follow us on Twitter @BamaUKirk or Instagram @ukirkua!


When not in a global pandemic, we also get together for

  • Faith and Film series
  • Local Missions Projects
  • First Week Frenzy in August
  • Fall, Winter, & Spring Retreats
  • College Conference at Montreat
  • Lake/Pool Parties
  • Cookouts
  • Atlanta trip for Six Flags/Braves Game
  • and more!

MEET OUR UKIRK TEAM


We have a fantastic team in place to continue work with local college students after the recent departure of our Associate Pastor for Campus Ministry. Our Campus Ministry Coordinators are Austin & Lauren Howard and Allison Bothwell. All three are Bama UKirk alums & participated heavily in UKirk as undergrads and know what a difference it makes in the lives of college students! They've signed on to help lead our students during this time of transition. All three are grateful for their time in UKirk as students and excited to help lead the group now! You can reach them by email at bamaukirk@gmail.com.

AM I WELCOME?

Because church, Christians, and God really aren't my thing...

Absolutely. We get it. The church, for all that it does well, can be a difficult place. We people are not always good at welcoming strangers or other folks who believe different things than we do. That’s what it means to be broken: sometimes, we’re just not very good at the whole ‘loving one another’ thing. That includes the church. But, at UKirk, we believe in sharing in that brokenness together— no matter what we believe, no matter our background, no matter our politics or opinions or whatever, no matter what. We believe in sharing life together, because that’s what Jesus calls us to do. And so, we, as a community, pledge to live, love, serve, and worship together, believing and hoping that God will redeem us and that we will— somehow— take part in that redemption.

WHAT'S UP WITH THE COFFEE SHOP?


In "normal times" we gather for worship every Tuesday night at 6:30 at UPerk (405 20th Avenue, Suite 2, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401). Worship with us is different than what you may expect. We’re really low key, and intentionally so. Our music is laid-back. Our ‘sermons’ are a conversation. We even eat dinner right in the middle of worship! So, if you’re looking for something different, come give us a shot. We’re just a funky little community downtown who strives to worship God in different ways! Campus ministry has a rich history with a number of congregations in Tuscaloosa, but especially so with one congregation who housed and supported us since the 1960s: University Presbyterian Church (UPC). The Presbyterian Student Center, where we met for a long time, was on their campus in the shadow of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Now, UPC has merged with another congregation in town to create Grace Presbyterian, and they are one of our great partners.

UKIRK MISSIONS

At UKirk, local, domestic, and international missions are an important part of our ministry. Each year, we take a service trip to learn about who we are, whose we are, where we are called, and what we are called to do. As the prophet Isaiah says, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’"


Past Mission Trips include New Orleans, LA; Haiti; Washington, DC,; Nashville, TN; Miami, FL; and Orlando, FL. We also have served in local ministries, including our Habitat for Humanity builds around Tuscaloosa and our work with the University Presbyterian Church Food Pantry. We look forward to experiencing new ways to proclaim God's story to the world, and new places where we can listen to and learn from our sisters and brothers in Christ, wherever they may be! If you're interested in being part of our next mission trip (location & dates TBA), let us know!

SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS

We've got a wonderful group of students here at Bama UKirk, and there are ways you can support us. Whether through prayer or our Adopt-a-Student Program or through financial giving, we appreciate your generous support.


Want to offer financial support? We always need help! Visit FPC's "Giving" page and choose to give to UKirk.

  • Scholarship a student for the College Conference at Montreat
  • Help a student attend our annual domestic/international mission trips to places like Washington, DC, New Orleans, or Haiti
  • Feed free meals to our students at our Tuesday night gatherings
  • and more!