A Reconciling Congregation on Palos Verdes Boulevard
Founded in 1956 in Redondo Beach, California, Riviera United Methodist Church has been a presence in the South Bay for nearly seven decades. In 2023, the congregation publicly embraced its identity as a reconciling congregation, openly welcoming LGBTQ+ members and friends as part of its response to Christ's call to love neighbors. The church describes itself as a place where individuals can connect with God and one another, and where everyone is invited to grow in faith through worship, study, outreach, and fellowship.
From its campus on Palos Verdes Boulevard, Riviera reaches into the surrounding neighborhoods - Torrance, San Pedro, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and downtown Los Angeles - through a packed calendar of worship, music, formation, mission, and pastoral care.
Sunday Morning at 10
Worship gathers every Sunday at 10 a.m., both in person and on YouTube, and runs about an hour. The service blends music, prayer, Scripture, and a sermon that aims to connect faith with everyday life. Holy Communion is celebrated monthly, and all are welcome at Christ's table. Greeters are on hand to direct first-time guests to the sanctuary, restrooms, kids' rooms, and the coffee that follows the service.
Parking is free and available at the back of the campus. Visitors are encouraged to come as you are; the dress code is informal and the atmosphere, by design, is relaxed. A Plan Your Visit form on the church's site helps newcomers let staff know they are coming and whether children will be joining them.
Music as a Tradition
Music is one of Riviera's signature gifts. Director of Music Dr. Dawn Brooks and Organist/Accompanist Anthony Lopez blend classical choral and handbell music with contemporary and gospel songs and instrumental music each week. Three ensembles carry that tradition forward:
- Chancel Choir, which leads worship once or twice a month plus special holidays and concerts. Community singers of all ranges are welcome at Tuesday rehearsals at 7 p.m.
- All-Church Choir, an open invitation on selected Sundays. The group rehearses an anthem in the sanctuary at 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. service.
- Chancel Chimes, the handbell ensemble with four and a half octaves of Malmark Bells and three octaves of Malmark Chimes played by twelve ringers. The group rehearses and performs seasonally and welcomes all ages.
Children, the Village, and Faith at Home
Children are always welcome in worship. A Grace Space near the front of the sanctuary on the choir side provides books, puzzles, toys, and chalkboards so wiggly worshipers and their parents can settle in. Most Sundays, Kids Worship is offered for ages 3 through 12: children start in the sanctuary for the first part of the service, hear a brief Moment of Wonder message, then head out for hands-on learning through music, crafts, and play. Nursery care is available every Sunday morning for children under 3, staffed by experienced volunteers. Every volunteer working with children and youth is screened and trained.
Adjacent to the campus, The Village Children's Center operates a developmental preschool for ages 2 to 5. Through play-based learning and local and global service projects, the program partners with parents to raise children who practice empathy and compassion.
Youth Grounded in Relationship
Riviera's ministry with youth in grades 6 through 12 is built around relationships - with one another, with the wider congregation, and with God. Youth regularly help lead worship, sing in music groups, take part in adult discussion groups, and mentor younger children in Kids Worship. Programming is intentionally flexible, shaped by the interests and questions of the teens themselves, so participants have a real voice in what their time at church looks like.
Adults: Bible Study, Yoga, Books, and United Women in Faith
Adult formation at Riviera takes many shapes. Short-term Bible studies run throughout the year at times meant to fit working and retired schedules - weekday mornings, weekend afternoons, and evenings. Yoga classes open to members and the wider community focus on body and breath awareness through asana and pranayama, with options offered for different experience levels. A monthly Book Club treats each reading as an expedition, drawing out threads between literature, faith, and the wider world.
United Women in Faith, an independent organization of the United Methodist Church, anchors women's life at Riviera through the Martha Circle (spiritual study on first Fridays), a Shawl Ministry that knits and crochets on second Sundays, an annual Lenten Study, and a Reading Program. Funds raised support more than 200 United Methodist missions and missionaries, and members engage in advocacy on issues of women's and children's health and hunger.
Outreach Across the South Bay and Beyond
Service is woven into the rhythm of the congregation. Ongoing partnerships include:
- The Torrance Village Homes, a 2021 tiny-house temporary housing program where Riviera provides a special meal, supplies, and holiday gifts for residents.
- Loaves & Fishes, a home-cooked luncheon served on fifth Saturdays to people who are food-insecure or unhoused, with a to-go portion included.
- Earth Sunday, an annual neighborhood beach cleanup with bags and gloves provided.
- Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro, supported through offerings, school supply drives, food pantry work, and holiday toy drives.
- Skid Row Donations, ongoing collections of clothing, shoes, blankets, sleeping bags, camping items, hats, stuffed animals, and toiletries for neighbors in downtown Los Angeles.
- UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), biannual relief-kit events and special programs supporting survivors of natural and human-caused disasters worldwide.
Weddings, Funerals, and Pastoral Care
Riviera hosts weddings in its sanctuary and in a separate ocean-view chapel on campus, with ceremonies crafted by Senior Pastor Rev. Sunyoung Lee and supported by music planning, vendor coordination, and marriage preparation classes. The same pastor works with families to plan funeral services, and grief support and counseling are available through the church's care ministries.
A counseling ministry offers a faith-based approach to personal struggles and relationship difficulties, with referrals to community therapists and mental health professionals when needed. A Prayer Ministry and a broader Care & Support Ministry provide pastoral care and confidential emotional support, including group settings for those facing similar challenges.
Leadership and Campus
Rev. Sunyoung Lee serves as Senior Pastor. The staff team includes Dr. Dawn Brooks (Director of Music), Anthony Lopez (Worship Accompanist), Dena Abramson Babb (Director of Faith Formation & Programs), Kelsie Currie (Coordinator of Faith Formation & Programs), Yuli Mihara (Director of The Village Children's Center), Annie Gomm (Director of Communications), and Bill Fiege (Multimedia Coordinator). The church campus on Palos Verdes Boulevard includes the main sanctuary, additional ceremony spaces, and the preschool, all anchored by free parking out back.