Join us in-person and online on Sundays at 10:30 am. All are welcome! We as Unitarian Universalists look forward to being with you.
COVID Update May 2023: The congregation’s Pandemic Policies and Protocols were adopted specifically in response to the pandemic. Given that the state of emergency has been lifted, they are no longer in effect. Masks are optional, but always acceptable and welcome. If you or someone in your household is not feeling well or have tested positive for COVID, please stay home; you can still join us via our Facebook or YouTube live-stream worship.
Parking at the UCLA parking structure at 1311 16th St. is available to people attending Sunday services. The entrance is from 16th St. between Santa Monica Blvd. and Arizona Ave., on the SE corner of Arizona and 16th; ask the attendant for a UUSM parking permit. For those with a handicap parking tag, several spaces are also available onsite, via the alley west of 18th St., as well at in the UCLA structure.
Worship Online: We livestream our service from the sanctuary. Join us by clicking the WATCH NOW button above where the video is live every week beginning at 10:20 am, or watch on YouTube or Facebook. You don’t need to have a YouTube or Facebook account, or be logged in, to watch the service. You do have to be logged in to comment and chat with other members of the congregation.
Explore past services on our Sermons page, available 24/7. Tune in anytime to catch up and worship with your community. We encourage you to light a chalice or candle at home, mediate, and sing along.
Sunday Worship: Love Is the Spirit of This Church
Sanctuary 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, United StatesRev. Michael Walker, preaching; Johnny Canales, Worship Associate. Many UU churches affirm, "Love is the Spirit of this Church." Looking for wisdom, understanding service as a spiritual practice.
Sunday Worship: Greening Power of Life
Sanctuary 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, United StatesRev. Liz Murphy, preaching; Karen Hsu Patterson, Worship Associate. We'll explore together Hildegard of Bingen’s spiritual teaching of the creative, greening power of truth.
Sunday Worship: Faith In Action
Sanctuary 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, United StatesJames Witker, preaching; Michael McCormack, Worship Associate. Why is social justice work so deeply intertwined with identity and congregational life for Unitarian Universalists, and has it always been so? Let’s reflect on the life and legacy of James Luther Adams, the 20th Century’s most influential Unitarian thinker and theologian. JLA’s thought was informed by war, social upheaval, and a never-ending search for truth and meaning. As a minister, professor, and community activist, he mentored generations of liberal religious leaders and helped UUs see an intimate connection between faith and action.
Sunday Worship: Welcome Rabbi Shira Freidlin
Sanctuary 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, United StatesRabbi Shira Freidlin. the spiritual leader of The Santa Monica Synagogue. is our 2022-2023 Honored Guest Teacher. Each year of developmental ministry, Rev. Jeremiah has brought one teacher from the broader community to lead worship that enhances our multi-religious inclusion and/or anti-racism and counter oppressive efforts.
Sunday Worship: The Merits of Privileging Joy
Sanctuary 1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, United StatesRabbi Shira Freidlin. the spiritual leader of The Santa Monica Synagogue. is our 2022-2023 Honored Guest Teacher. Each year of developmental ministry, Rev. Jeremiah has brought one teacher from the broader community to lead worship that enhances our multi-religious inclusion and/or anti-racism and counter oppressive efforts.
July Generous Congregation Recipient:
Westside Coalition
Our practice here at UUSM is to dedicate half of our non-pledge Sunday offering to support the life of our church and the other 50% to organizations doing work in the world that advances our Unitarian Universalist principles. This month, half of our Sunday Offering will go to the Westside Coalition.
The Westside Coalition is an alliance of 75 organizations, public agencies, and faith communities committed to working collaboratively on issues of housing, hunger and health through service coordination, public education and advocacy. It is a non-profit volunteer organization that currently operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica. Founded in 1982 to serve the Westside of Los Angeles County, it is reportedly the oldest coalition in the county working on behalf of the poor and homeless. Originally called the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition, the group later merged with the Westside Health Coalition. Throughout its history, the Westside Coalition has proven to be an effective tool in providing collaborative, high-quality programs and services for those in need in our community.
Although individual agencies have the ability to provide separate services for people in need, the efforts of the Westside Coalition help coordinate all services on the Westside in order to provide a true continuum of service care for the community. Members work together to provide services that include initial intake and service referrals; showers, food and clothing; on-going case management; emergency, transitional and permanent housing; medical care; mental health treatment; HIV medical and social services; job training and placement; and substance abuse treatment. The coalition has been instrumental in advocating for low income and homeless people at the local, state, and national levels.
Thank you for your generous support of our beloved community and the Westside Coalition. To give $10 right now, text “$10 GCC” (or another amount) to 844-982-0209. (One-time-only credit card registration required.) Or visit uusm.org/donate.
July 2023 Theme: Play
We’ll explore in our worship, small groups, and personal reflection this month’s theme, Play. Ideas to explore might include what we think of child’s play, or playing games of all sorts, fair play, fiddling around, playing hooky or hardball, play music by ear, play a trick, roleplaying, foolishness, play at making art, playmates, play up, just not being so serious, “press play” (as on a device), enjoy a play on words, play with crayons or yarn, or pretend to be someone else. One might recall wistfully an evening that moonlight played on the lake. And many of us think of going to camp as our favorite image of play. Rev. Jeremiah’s summertime ideas on play are included in his column entitled A Summer of Love.
Our service in the world continues.
