Northwest Christian church

We are a Neighborhood church

Northwest Christian Church is one of the oldest churches in Ballard. In 1896, a group of women and men came together to form an egalitarian Christian community with more freedom of belief and practice than their previous communities allowed. On June 30, 1897, Ballard Christian Church was officially formed. Just two years later, in September 1899, they hired their first female pastor, a Sister C. Wilcox!

We moved from the failing older building to worship in a basement on 60th & 22nd for many years. After WW2, we raised the funds to build a church at the corner of 75th and 18th in 1947. We’ve been doing ministry together out of the “castle church” as Northwest Christian ever since! During the last two decades, we have sought to confront our own failings as Christians, and grow our trust in God as we practice welcome and inclusivity. We still value freedom of belief! We think it’s more important to go forward in love together than it is to believe precisely the same things about baptism or the Bible or whatever else!

For over 125 years, we have tried our best to follow the ways of Jesus Christ by loving his people— all his people.

We are a Disciples of Christ church

We are in covenantal relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.

Founded in the United States in the early 1800’s, the Disciples of Christ have historically stood for Christian unity and increasingly for interfaith ministry. Exceptionally egalitarian, we don’t love hierarchies, nor do we limit what God can do through individuals. Our denominational identity statement is:

We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table, as God has welcomed us.

Northern Lights Region

As part of our covenantal relationship with the denomination, we participate in wider ministries with a regional organizing body of other Disciples churches. We are part of the Northern Lights Region, comprising congregations in Washington, Northern Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

NWCC Members participate in the region and denomination in some of the following ways:

  • Regional Board: Pastor Ellie (nominating committee)

  • Commission on Ministry: Marsha Gresham

  • Faith Formation Team: Leah Stettler-Schug & Ellie

  • Gwinwood Board: Burton Guion

  • Camp Volunteers: Leah Stettler-Schug, Karla & Kierstin Stettler, Ellie

  • Christian Church Foundation: Our previous pastor, Rev. Monica Myers Greenberg, is the CCF Vice President of the Mountain West Zone & Canada Region