The first retroactive, first review:

September 17, 2006
First United Methodist Church
1008 11th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
http://www.santamonicaumc.org/

I attended this Methodist church's second service at 11:30. The first began at 9:00, which is already a problem, but was also said to be a contemporary service, which tends to mean rock n' roll and doesnt usually flown with me since my middle school days as a church camper.

There is free lot parking across the street and very friendly ushers at the entrance. The building is bright, light wood, and a traditional, but recently built (it seems) sanctuary with stained glass windows and true pews. There were about 80 people of all ages attending the service. About half of the parishoners seemed to be quite elderly, though there were a couple of kids as well. The service began traditionally enough with the entering of acolides, a choir and a cpngregation at its feet singing hymns. The choir was good, professional, but probably not much better than most congregants with well-tuned voices and the Methodist attitude to sing your heart out.

The minister did the scripture reading. While she did indeed read with great drama, giving flow to the story, I found it interesting and a little off-putting that a member of the church would not be called to take on that simple task. There was also not a children's sermon. This is a part of the service that I usually appreciate, even though I do not have children of my own, as it provides the simple lesson with which one should go away. This might have been a special sunday, though, since it was the sunday when they give bibles to the 4th grade children. The sermon was about the stained glass and what it is meant to be a Christian.

At the end of the service they give a flower to all the visitors. Very cute. But I am not sure how I feel about that kind of attention, or really that use of church funds.

They partner with a parish in Nigeria, but I could not tell how much else they did for the community. Overall, though, this was a nice, sweet church.