Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside - Riverside (CA)

5 /5 Xuxin G: Historical church that has been and still is influential in the city. They open up their doors to everyone. They offer historical tours many times throughout the year.

1 /5 Dave Morris: I drove out to attend an event on their calendar. There was no one there, no note on the door, nothing. I called to find out if such events were still happening, or if I misunderstood something about the address, left a message. Then another. Then another. Over 3 weeks later I got a call back. The events are still going on. They just cancelled the one that I had the temerity to actually try to attend. When I asked how I could know if I ought to do an hour of driving to an event posted on the calendar or not, I was told that they "usually" have the events that are on the calendar. Funny how - despite my pointedly communicating the personal cost of making the drive without knowing whether or not I was on the right side of "usually," and with, obviously, no way to confirm in advance over the phone - the possibility of actually updating the calendar to reflect cancellation of the events posted there never even came up. Which raises the question: what is the calendar for, exactly? This kind of attitude is disturbing. This is why people dont go to churches anymore. The communities themselves are so insular and downright indifferent about accommodating people who arent currently on the inside of their little clique. Well done then. Definitely got the message.

5 /5 Vanessa B: Having grown up in a Baptist church and still navigating the effects of religious trauma, I was initially reluctant to return to church. I explored various congregations but never felt a sense of belonging. Yet, my desire to maintain my spirituality kept me searching. To my surprise, Ive found a home at UUC. I participate in most worship services via Zoom and have truly appreciated the warm and welcoming messages Ive received. I value how this church embraces people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs. While I havent yet gathered the courage to attend an in-person service, I love the freedom to worship in my own way. I affectionately refer to this church as my “hippie” church when talking to my husband, thanks to the free-spirited individuals I see each Sunday. I do hope for a younger audience, but I suspect many may be grappling with their own religious trauma, just like I am. If youre considering attending a service, I wholeheartedly recommend it. I hope you find the same sense of welcome that I have.

5 /5 d. Ray Owens: The inharent worth and dignity of every person. The first of the seven guiding principles. Such a beautiful building. Come check out the wonderful stain glass, one whole wall depicts Jesus and is just stunning with the morning light streaming in. Looking for community and a small church that you can be a part of - welcome home

1 /5 Jacob: I used to attend this church years ago. It was a much older crowd in those days. They were welcoming, loving, caring and kind. Although my ideas were not 100% in line with many of the members there, they still accepted me and remained caring. Most if not all of those individuals are gone now. Jancie Levi, Aric Isom and Diane, Kay and David Mowry, Pat Welniak to name a few. I miss them deeply. I joined the army in 2005, I returned to fewer faces in 2015 and a less than accepting congregation. As the older generation passed a newer less tolerant group has hijacked and usurped the church. Their tolerance for my past and former occupation is nil and if my ideas are not 100% in line with their thinking I am not one of them. One cannot have any ideas that stray from the new crowd. It has truly turned into a totalatarian "theology" wjere one must "toe the line" or be cast out. Maybe one day the UUCR will return to its former glory, or maybe those are all distant memories, meant to be locked away deep within the fathoms of a broken mind and heart.