Unitarian Universalist Congregation Open to Freethinkers of All Faiths

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Jersey Shore was founded in 1999 and met in several locations before moving into their new church building in 2008. Located at 75 Pomona Rd., at the corner of Pomona Road and Liebig Street near the north entrance to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, it is the only Unitarian Universalist church serving the southern New Jersey coastal region.

The regular church membership is just over 100, but many visitors travel from the region each Sunday to attend the services. Members and visitors come from Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, lower Ocean and Burlington counties.

Unitarian Universalist churches are self-governed based on the desires and direction of the local congregation, although they receive their charter from the national body headquartered in Boston, MA.

With the Judeo-Christian tradition as their foundation, the church is noncreedal with liberal Christians, liberal Jews, Buddhists, Humanists, Wiccans, atheists and others joining together in the belief that people should think for themselves, and that differences in lifestyles and opinions should be honored by everyone.

The Sunday service features music and words of wisdom by speakers on interesting topics. Barbara Miller is the music director and Sunday service coordinator, and Heidi Jannsen serves as the director of religious education and operations manager. The church is without a pastor at this time.

The church is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees, elected by the congregation, and members serve on various committees within the church.

Sunday services begin at 10 a.m. with programs for children and teens during this time. Various adult programs meet during the week at the church, public buildings and members’ homes. A social coffee hour follows services, beginning at 11 a.m.

The new church building was designed to meet “green” initiatives in its construction and operation. One of the concerns of members is the desire to be as environmentally friendly as possible. To that end, members meet regularly to discuss global warming issues and related information from the scientific community, and other sources relative to the issue.

Visitors enjoy the form and function of the church which emphasizes the need to be aware of nature and human impact on it.

For more information contact the church at 609-965-9400, or visit its website at uucsjs.org