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Across several United Church of Christ (UCC) congregations in the United States, ukelele groups are fostering a sense of community through music. These groups bring together church members and local residents, sharing performances both within their churches and out in the broader community.
Bronwyn Edwards, who recently retired as music director at Fauntleroy UCC in Seattle, described the appeal of the instrument: “The beauty of the ukelele is the simplicity of it, the ease of learning an instrument,” she said. “It’s a welcoming little instrument, and anyone can play. It’s not too demanding.”
Edwards has been involved with Fauntleroy’s ukelele group since its start in 2016. She recently handed over leadership to Zachary Fitzgerald, who appreciates the group’s independence. “They’re pretty autonomous,” Fitzgerald said. “What I love is that my job is just to make sure they have the space and means to make their music. It’s about the joy, not about being directed.”
The Fauntleroy band meets weekly and often performs during Sunday services as well as at special events like their summer music series finale on “Blues Sunday.” Their repertoire includes secular songs—such as those by The Beatles—spiritual selections, and more than 30 Christmas carols.
In addition to playing for church events, this group regularly visits retirement homes and plays for individuals facing illness or end-of-life situations. Edwards noted these experiences were deeply meaningful: “We have played to individuals who were struggling with illness or close to their end-of-life. We went into their homes and played and sang to them, and they so greatly appreciated the experience. It was a very moving experience for all of us.”
Associate pastor Karyn Frazier emphasized how integral the band is to church life: “It’s part of the fabric of our community,” she said. “It’s the sort of group that epitomizes the church. You see the porousness that is Fauntleroy with the ukelele band. What happens in the sanctuary and then beyond our walls is a joyous little gathering, a counter narrative to the fractured world and environment we are currently living in.”
Similar efforts are underway across other UCC congregations. In Bristol, New Hampshire, Debbie Doe leads an 11-member band known as "Joyful Noise," founded in 2018 for people aged 60–90 years old.
“We wanted to be open to the community,” Doe explained. “We have some people who are members of the band but not members of the church, but they come every month to play at a service. We not only wanted to bring music to the people of our church but also out in the community. We often play at fairs, and go into assisted living homes, and even in schools and libraries.”
Doe started playing after a trip to Hawaii reignited her interest following an injury that made guitar difficult: “I played the guitar in my youth, and I found it was too heavy after I had suffered a broken wrist. Then I picked up the ukelele and I started playing and I decided to offer the idea to those at church. I was so surprised when about ten others said they’d be interested in playing too!” she recalled.
At Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, Jo Small leads a group called "Uke Kooks." The ensemble includes Dr. Richard Norenberg—who writes original songs—and collaborates with singers during performances.
Small described how participation varies among members: “Half of us played already, and the rest have just picked it up when they joined us,” she said.
“We don’t play at services very often,” Small added. “But we do play for church receptions on special occasions. And we are going into some nursing homes and playing there as well. We do a lot of outreach, people are interested in our group and our church. It’s a nice way to promote the UCC message.”
These ukelele groups illustrate how music can connect individuals within faith communities while reaching beyond church walls into neighborhoods around them.
