A Note from the Ministerial Search Committee
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Dear Prospective Minister,
We know you have a whole congregational record to reference to see where we have been and where we want to go. We hope you'll spend some time on this webpage to learn more about what you can expect from Lincoln. And you can hear directly from people who know us well. We encourage you to take a look at the rest of this website to learn more about our outreach beyond our building and our inreach within our walls. There, you'll meet our talented staff and be introduced to their various ministries. We hope you'll see that we are "care-full" and "thought-full" people who are excited about taking our community to a new level. We can imagine that a minister might be thinking, "Why would I want to relocate to Lincoln, Nebraska?" Well, if you've ever wished to engage in shared ministry with a congregation which is a primary beacon of liberalism in its region, then Lincoln might be the perfect place for you. On this page, we have tried to give you a sense of what Lincoln is like through the eyes of newcomers and long-timers. We hope this will encourage you to delve more deeply into the possibility of partnering with us. We look forward to our first conversation. The Ministerial Search Committee Unitarian Church of Lincoln |
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What's special about lincoln, Nebraska?
This is not a definitive guide to all Lincoln has to offer, but we hope it will give you a glimpse into the vibe, economy, city government, family life, food, shopping, arts & entertainment, nature, and sports in our city.
Our Community Partners
The Unitarian Church of Lincoln (UCL) is a key member of a large web of social justice organizations in our community. With some partners UCL has been there from the beginning, as our church was part of their founding, either recently or 25 years ago. Other partnerships have formed over time, based on shared values of compassion and justice. Several of our partners were kind enough to make a video so you can see our interconnected web for yourself. Our appreciation to Judy Hart and Chrissy (Colleen’s sister) as well as all partners who made the videos possible.
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Vibe
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Lincoln has a vibrant, safe, and walkable downtown with many coffee shops, bars, restaurants, galleries, and entertainment venues. You can park once and enjoy dinner and a movie or hang out for hours at your favorite coffee shop such as the Coffee House or The Mill.
Lincoln is a nonprofit dream town. Many statewide nonprofit organizations are based here to easily access the Unicameral (state legislature) when it is in session among other reasons. The sheer number of nonprofits (nearly 3,200) means lots of volunteer and advocacy opportunities...and a mindset of generosity. Give to Lincoln Day, an annual giving event culminating on May 30th, raised $9,501,701 in 2025. Check out their page to see the range of organizations serving the community. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has approximately 24,000 young people adding their verve to the community. On football game days, you’ll either be exhilarated or exhausted by the influx of visitors as the stadium becomes Nebraska's third largest population center! In addition to the state university, Lincoln is home to Nebraska Wesleyan University and Union Adventist University as well as a robust community college system. Lincoln has a decades-old tradition of welcoming newcomers to our community. It was the first city in Nebraska (and second in the U.S.) to be certified as a Four-Star Welcoming Community "...an honor that reflects a deep, sustained commitment to welcoming immigrants and refugees and fostering a culture of belonging for all residents." Many city communications are now translated into multiple languages other than English; primarily Spanish and also Arabic, Kurdish, Vietnamese and Karen. Additionally, four long-standing cultural centers and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska have formed a joint venture in order to elevate their visibility and build a welcome hub in Lincoln (Cultural Centers of Lincoln Collaborative). First picture: Historic Haymarket Second picture: Centennial Mall leading to the State Capital |
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Economy
Lincoln is an affordable city. The houses pictured here illustrate the types of 4-bedroom, 2-bath home which can be purchased at various price points. You can find more information in the congregational record or check out Zillow.
Lincoln's unemployment rate is 3.00% with job growth predicted at about 0.53% annually. Lincoln’s sales tax rate is 7.25% and state income tax is 6.84%. The median income is $69,991. Since Lincoln is home to a major university and the state Capital there are many jobs related to those two anchors as well as agriculture and manufacturing. There is also a large service sector which includes insurance, finance, and health care.
Lincoln's unemployment rate is 3.00% with job growth predicted at about 0.53% annually. Lincoln’s sales tax rate is 7.25% and state income tax is 6.84%. The median income is $69,991. Since Lincoln is home to a major university and the state Capital there are many jobs related to those two anchors as well as agriculture and manufacturing. There is also a large service sector which includes insurance, finance, and health care.
City Government
The City of Lincoln has a mayor and an officially non-partisan city council (3 of whom identify as LGBTQAI+). Mayor Leiron Gaylor Baird and many of the current council members have led in creating a more Resilient Lincoln, implementing a Climate Action Plan which includes an ambitious goal to reduce Lincoln’s greenhouse gas emissions eighty percent by the year 2050, a Local Food System Plan to strengthen the security of food produced, processed, and consumed in Lincoln, and an Affordable Housing Action Plan to build and/or rehabilitate 5000 affordable housing units in ten years and. Recently, the City opened its first permanent supportive housing facility (24 units), a milestone achievement in addressing the need of chronic homelessness. Overall, city government is more progressive than one might expect in Nebraska.
Family Life
Lincoln is a great town for younger children—it’s very safe, our schools are well rated with high graduation rates, and we’ve got a lot of fun activities for children. Lincoln Public Schools offer a variety of focus programs in the high schools, relatively small class sizes in elementary and middle schools and a grounding principle to serve every child in Lincoln. A variety of parochial and private schools also provide K-12 education.
The Lincoln Children’s Museum features year round interactive educational activities for kids, 18 months to 10 years. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo (pictured) modest-sized, accredited and easily accessible. The zoo offers year-round programming for children, including summer camps and an increasing number of events for adults. The kid-friendly, family-friendly Lincoln Kids publication can help you find things to do.
The Lincoln Children’s Museum features year round interactive educational activities for kids, 18 months to 10 years. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo (pictured) modest-sized, accredited and easily accessible. The zoo offers year-round programming for children, including summer camps and an increasing number of events for adults. The kid-friendly, family-friendly Lincoln Kids publication can help you find things to do.
Food
Nebraskans love our food. Lincoln is no different, and you’re not just looking at meat and potatoes. You’ll find a wide range of locally owned restaurants in Lincoln, including over 30 Chinese, over 25 Mexican, 10 sushi, 8 Indian, 6 Vietnamese, 4 Mediterranean, 4 Thai and/or Burmese, 3 Korean, 14 Middle Eastern, 1 Ethiopian and 4 vegan/vegetarian restaurants as well. Don’t forget the steakhouses! There are at least a dozen locally-owned options—and remember Nebraska beef makes a lovely gift to ship to far away friends who wonder about your new home.
Shopping
Lincoln has the same ubiquitous malls and big box stores you’ll find anywhere—we’re a small city but we do not lack shopping. More interestingly, we have over 15 thrift shops, a vintage clothing boutique, and a couple of antique malls. Funky little shops await you in the historic Haymarket downtown, including offerings at Handspoken Fair Trade, and a store that only sells licorice. More shopping options abound in neighborhood retail blocks around town (College View, Havelock, Uni Place, Piedmont).
We are rich in independent bookstores! A Novel Idea, is a woman-owned used bookstore with resident cats that await your visit. Francie & Finch is another woman-owned independent bookstore that regularly features book launches and readings by local and national authors. Elleinad Books is a dedicated children's bookstore that hosts storytime events with themes like yoga and music, and Bluestem Books trades in used and rare books.
We are rich in independent bookstores! A Novel Idea, is a woman-owned used bookstore with resident cats that await your visit. Francie & Finch is another woman-owned independent bookstore that regularly features book launches and readings by local and national authors. Elleinad Books is a dedicated children's bookstore that hosts storytime events with themes like yoga and music, and Bluestem Books trades in used and rare books.
Arts & Entertainment
The First Friday Art Walk of each month invites wandering through a large network of small galleries across the city and visiting traveling exhibits of modern art at the Sheldon Museum of Art. Public art projects occur with some frequency to benefit local agencies. Indie and foreign films play nightly at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, which also partners to show Metropolitan Opera and National Theatre performances on the big screen.
Choosing a venue for live entertainment can be difficult since there are multiple interesting opportunities nearly every night. Big name acts like Maroon 5, Hozier, and T-Pain have performed at the Pinnacle Bank Arena and you may find Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Joe Bonamassa and Styx at Pinewood Bowl. Blues are on tap at the internationally-famous Zoo Bar all week long. Local musicians can be heard on stage with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and in the park with the Lincoln Municipal Band. For touring and local folk and traditional musicians, check out LAFTA's 2025-26 lineup.
The Lied Center for Performing Arts brings a variety of shows from Broadway to rock to dance troupes such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and classical performers such as the Canadian Brass and Yo-Yo Ma. Alongside touring shows, there is a rich culture of local theater including Lincoln Community Playhouse, TADA! And the Angels Theatre Company.
Choosing a venue for live entertainment can be difficult since there are multiple interesting opportunities nearly every night. Big name acts like Maroon 5, Hozier, and T-Pain have performed at the Pinnacle Bank Arena and you may find Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Joe Bonamassa and Styx at Pinewood Bowl. Blues are on tap at the internationally-famous Zoo Bar all week long. Local musicians can be heard on stage with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and in the park with the Lincoln Municipal Band. For touring and local folk and traditional musicians, check out LAFTA's 2025-26 lineup.
The Lied Center for Performing Arts brings a variety of shows from Broadway to rock to dance troupes such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and classical performers such as the Canadian Brass and Yo-Yo Ma. Alongside touring shows, there is a rich culture of local theater including Lincoln Community Playhouse, TADA! And the Angels Theatre Company.
Nature
The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department works to promote quality life in Lincoln with over 6,000 acres of parks and natural land, 168 parks, 97 playgrounds, 6 recreation centers, 9 public pools, 5 dog runs, and 5 city golf courses. Lincoln is considered one of the top 10 biking cities in the Midwest with nearly 190 miles of trails. Over 2 million people use the trails annually, and 94 percent of Lincoln residents have access to a trail within one mile of their home.
You can visit the 668-acre Pioneers Park Nature Center to walk in solitude, visit the resident bison, or take a class—they offer nature education for everyone from preschoolers to senior citizens. Looking for something bigger? The 850-acre tall grass prairie preserve at Spring Creek Audubon Center may be more to your taste. They offer birdwatching, hikes under the full moon, an annual jazz festival, and poetry gatherings. Make sure to stop and look at the covered wagon ruts still visible from the pioneers who came through on the Oregon Trail. If you need a smaller experience, Holmes Lake is an urban gem of restfulness. The city permits non-motorized boating as walkers and joggers take turns around the lake perimeter.
You can visit the 668-acre Pioneers Park Nature Center to walk in solitude, visit the resident bison, or take a class—they offer nature education for everyone from preschoolers to senior citizens. Looking for something bigger? The 850-acre tall grass prairie preserve at Spring Creek Audubon Center may be more to your taste. They offer birdwatching, hikes under the full moon, an annual jazz festival, and poetry gatherings. Make sure to stop and look at the covered wagon ruts still visible from the pioneers who came through on the Oregon Trail. If you need a smaller experience, Holmes Lake is an urban gem of restfulness. The city permits non-motorized boating as walkers and joggers take turns around the lake perimeter.
Sports
College sports (BIG10 conference) dominate the landscape, primarily the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, but also the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves. The Cornhuskers aren’t just about football (although football remains king). The women's volleyball team is a nationally-recognized powerhouse in the sport, breaking attendance records wherever they play and compiling more wins than any other college program, including 5 NCAA National Championships. The Husker baseball and softball teams are respected programs, with the baseball team making it to 3 College World Series (conveniently held each year in Omaha) and the softball team making it to 8 College World Series (held in Oklahoma City). Both the Nebraska women’s and men’s basketball teams are having an outstanding season.
In addition to college-level sports, Lincoln is chock-full of youth sports opportunities, primarily led by the YMCA, as well as a dozen plus youth athletic clubs in volleyball, soccer, fencing, basketball, softball and baseball. For the past 47 years, the Lincoln Track Club has hosted the Lincoln Marathon - both a full and a half - the first weekend in May. The marathon regularly sells out, turning a significant portion of the city into a race route lined by neighbors and fans cheering on the runners. Lastly, we have our own minor league hockey team, the Lincoln Stars, and baseball team, the Lincoln Saltdogs. If you're wondering, "what the heck is a salt dog," the inspiration comes from the area's salt marshes. These endangered habitats harbor several unique plant, insect and bird species.
In addition to college-level sports, Lincoln is chock-full of youth sports opportunities, primarily led by the YMCA, as well as a dozen plus youth athletic clubs in volleyball, soccer, fencing, basketball, softball and baseball. For the past 47 years, the Lincoln Track Club has hosted the Lincoln Marathon - both a full and a half - the first weekend in May. The marathon regularly sells out, turning a significant portion of the city into a race route lined by neighbors and fans cheering on the runners. Lastly, we have our own minor league hockey team, the Lincoln Stars, and baseball team, the Lincoln Saltdogs. If you're wondering, "what the heck is a salt dog," the inspiration comes from the area's salt marshes. These endangered habitats harbor several unique plant, insect and bird species.
