Central to Rev. Anya's current ministry is the honest confrontation necessary to dismantle white supremacy, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism.
Welcome to the U!
You are welcome to bring your full self here
The congregation is not a place;
IT IS A PEOPLE.
The congregation is not walls built stone upon stone, held together by mortar but rather person, linked with person, linked with person: all ages and genders and abilities— a community built on the foundation of compassion, faith, and love.
– Margaret E. Weiss
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From pathways to membership, care team ministry, and covenant groups we’ll help you feel a part of our community.
Our Ministers
Our congregation was founded in 1897 by a group of women seeking liberal religious education for their children and has a history of long-term settled ministry.
Senior Co-Minister
Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael
A "Religious, Naturalist Mystic," Rev Scott strives to embody service to our holy mission to build Beloved Community, together, in covenant.
Until we meet again, virtually or otherwise, you are in our hearts.
When Humans Didn’t Have Faces
October 31, 2021Paleolithic artists rendered the faces of animals on the cave walls but left the humans faceless. Collective effort was more important to them than individual recognition. How do we capture that sense of collective effort, a prerequisite for Beloved Community and Justice making? Rae Dumont and Jennifer Rittner are our song leaders. Michael Gilch on piano and vox and Glenn Rombough on Elec. Gtr. & vox. Rev Anya Sammler-Michael Preaches, Dan Silver is Liturgist, and Rev Scott prays and plays drums.
The Power of Covenant
October 24, 2021In religious community to guide our time together we rely on Covenants not Contracts. Contracts are made for a limited period of time, involve the specific actions of offer and acceptance, and are intended to protect the interest of the parties. Covenants, however, are open-ended and are intended primarily to protect relationships by establishing processes for the peaceful resolution of differences or conflicts. Covenant manage, maintain and nurture relationships.
Women Mystic Justice Warriors
October 17, 2021Today’s service, “The Beloved Divine: Women Mystic Justice Warriors”, invites us to explore women mystics through the ages, looking closely at what they wrote, what they did, and what people said about them. In this investigation we will discover how even the best work of female mystics was often co-opted by men for agendas that were often less than holy. We will also see that many of these women were warriors for a greater justice, singing songs the people of their age too seldom embraced, despite the championing of truth and service their lives embodied.
Molly, UUCM Religious Education graduate
I am proud to have grown up in this congregation. I learned here to become a compassionate and passionate advocate for social justice on all fronts.
Join us as we counter white supremacy, fight climate change, protect voting rights, witness border injustices, and more.
Share your gifts and help us build Beloved Community.
Whether it is in a classroom, in worship, planting flowers, or on the pledge team, we need your special skills!
Frankie Frances Sherrod McNeil
Wendy McNeil lights this candle for her mother, Frankie Frances Sherrod McNeil, who died on November 25, 2011. “She was raised poor in Jim Crow Alabama. Yet, she ended up attending countless Broadway plays and traveling to five European countries, and working as a registered nurse, caring for cancer patients. “She taught me,” says Wendy, “the power of fighting for the dream you have for yourself. I will die missing this great woman.”
Blogs, Stories, Updates, and More!
“…this was an amazing experience in which I felt accepted and at peace. From the ushers to the small snack at the end of the service, it was truly an amazing day for me to explore a community such as this one. Throughout the service it was interesting to see the many beautiful people who congregated and who listened in to the message of the importance of joy and of the liberation of the whole self. One memory that I will remember would be of the singers and of the whole congregation coming together to sing the beautiful hymns. How good did it felt to be united, liberated, and to feel joy with this community. I want to thank the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Montclair for their open arms and for the chance to speak with the Reverend. It was a great pleasure of mine to share my time with lovely people.”
Rebecca
Visitor
“I love that I get to contribute to the worship services and also serve as a member of the Worship Committee helping to plan the services.”
Ginny
Worship Team
“A hundred years from now no one is going to remember me, but they might remember what we as a congregation DID.””
Malinda
Music Team
“We’ve raised our kids in this wonderful community. WE’VE grownup spiritually in this community.”