Accompanist & Choir Section Leaders
Ryan Humphrey (Accompanist)
Jyvonne Haskin
Jyvonne was drawn to music at a very early age. She started the piano at the age of three, and the cello at age ten. But even before that, her first love was singing. Jyvonne's formal musical training began at Indiana University. Since her arrival in L.A., she has continued to add experience to her roster of musical diversity and achievement. Jyvonne has played with L.A.’s historic Southeast Symphony Orchestra, sang with Roger Daltrey of The Who and Ellis Hall of Tower of Power. She has also had the great pleasure to perform for musical legends Jessye Norman and John Williams. Jyvonne is the executive director for Selah Gospel Choir- listed by CBS News as one of the top 10 choirs in Los Angeles. In addition to being an accomplished soloist, Jyvonne is a member of the accapella group DC6 who perform regularly with the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra in Pasadena.
James Hayden
James Hayden, bass, has been trained as a singer, composer, and vocal arranger, excelling in the performance of traditional and avant-garde repertoire. Recent notable performances include the role of Sidney Gottlieb in Anne Lebaron’s LSD: The Opera, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and two concerts with the Rolling Stones on their 50th Anniversary Tour. His voice can be heard on many movie, and video game soundtracks, including Godzilla, Minions, Jurassic World, and League of Legends. James is a 2013 graduate of the University of Southern California and sings with the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
Colleen Keene
Colleen Keene has a Bachelor’s degree from CSU Northridge and a Master’s degree from CSU Long Beach, both in the same concentration: Jazz Voice. In addition to jazz, Colleen has also performed in many musicals and classical choirs. She is a founding member of vocal jazz quintet Down 4 The Count and has run The Other Reindeer Carolers, a Christmas caroling company, since 2009. She has been the soprano section leader for Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica since 2014.
Gabriel Paredes
Southern California born classical lyric tenor/ countertenor Gabriel Paredes began his musical training by attending The Los Angeles county high school for the arts received his B.A in Vocal Performance from Azusa Pacific University. He has performed various lead roles including Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Alfredo in La Traviata, Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutti and Laticia in Old Maid and the Thief. Gabriel has been the tenor section leader at UU Santa Monica for the past 4 years and is co-founder and artistic director of Sunday Opera a state non-profit that is dedicated to bringing classical music to the community.
September, 2016
Works by Jose Ramirez
Los Angeles artist and educator Jose Ramirez received a BFA (1990) and an MFA (1993) in art from UC Berkeley. In 1995, he received a California Teaching Credential from CSULA. In 2001 he received the California Community Foundation Visual Artist Fellowship.
Ramirez has completed commissions for non-profit organizations, hospitals, cities, film and television companies and cultural centers across the country. He has lectured and exhibited his work in museums, universities, galleries, and community centers throughout the United States and in Japan and Mexico. He has painted over ten murals and illustrated over six children’s books.
This year, Ramirez completed commissions for Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Trejos Tacos and Taiko Project. His painting, “Garden Tour,” appeared extensively on the television show, “The Good Wife.”
He has taught in LAUSD for 24 years and is currently teaching third grade at Esperanza Elementary in LA’s Pico-Union neighborhood. Ramirez incorporates art and culture into his daily lessons and inspires his students to visualize themselves as future leaders and creative professionals.
Ramirez grew up in El Sereno and lives in City Terrace. An avid gardener, he maintains a large perennial edible garden in his backyard. He has three daughters: Tonantzin (22), Luna (16), and Sol (10).
For more info: ramirezart.com
Labor Day - Church Office Closed
Date / Time:
Monday, September 5, 2016 - 10:00am - 5:00pm
FIA - Community Police Discussion
Date / Time:
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Room:
Contact Name:
Diana Spears
A Concert for Doctors without Borders - Offsite
Beth Shir Shalom
Sunday, August 28, 2016
1891 California Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Date / Time:
Sunday, August 28, 2016 - 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Room:
Beginning Again
Theme:
Covenant
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur
We'll welcome back our choir and (we hope!) launch our RE programs for the coming year.
When E'er You Make a Promise (Santa Monica)
Theme:
Covenant
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Rev. Kikanza J. Nuri Robins
Worship Associate:
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijr
Our congregant and board member, the Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins, is an organization development consultant.
Ordained by the Presbyterian Church, she is a transtraditional minister who serves pastors, congregations and
spiritual organizations, including metaphysical, atheist, and the national UUA offices. She has studied UU history and culture at Starr King School for Ministry and helped design our Heart and Soul evening services.
Note that while Rev. Nuri-Robins will be preaching in Santa Monica, this is also our church weekend at Camp de Beneville Pines...and there will be a Worship in the Pines service there, led by Camp Dean Jacki Weber.
Memory and Hope
Theme:
Covenant
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur
As religious scholar and theologian Walter Bruggemann counseled on September 12, 2001, in the wake of this act of terrorism, four things were required: that the people might grieve, that the people might be comforted, that the people might confront cosmic evil, and that the people might demand social analysis. Fifteen years later, have we yet done what is required of us to come to terms with September 11?
Bread & Roses: a Buddhist Meditation for Labor Day
Theme:
Covenant
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Rev. James Ford
Our visiting minister, Reverend James Ishmael Ford is a Zen Buddhist priest who has also served as a Unitarian Universalist minister for twenty-five years. Today he will reflect on what Buddhism might bring to our liberal religious concerns for a more just and equitable world.
Rev. Ford is the minister-emeritus of the First Unitarian Church of Providence, in Rhode Island. He was recently invited to affiliate as community minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach, where he and his spouse are members. Reverend James is also a Zen Buddhist priest, and the guiding teacher at the Blue Cliff Zen Sangha, which meets at the Long Beach church. He is the author or co-author of several UU pamphlets, for several years an online columnist for the UU World, and is the author of several books, the most recent "If You're Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life."
Right Relations Task Force Meeting
Date / Time:
Sunday, October 2, 2016 - 12:30pm - 4:30pm
Room:
Contact Name:
Nancy Edmundson