At a special congregational meeting on November 19, 2017, congregational members voted 53-1 to become a sanctuary host site. Three people at the meeting abstained.

JRUUC is the first East Side congregation to vote to become a sanctuary host. This will require the congregation to raise outside funding to pay for the installation of a shower in one of the bathrooms and to convert part of the large multipurpose room at the back of the church into a guest room where an immigrant might sleep.

The JRUUC Sanctuary Leadership Team has also recruited 38 volunteers to work at three other sanctuary host sites on Madison's West Side.

Outside funding for building improvements will be sought by grants, crowd-source campaigns, community fundraisers, and individual donations (with checks made out to JRUUC) for necessary improvements to the building in order to offer sanctuary to an immigrant contesting their deportation order.