University UMC of Isla Vista

University UMC of Isla Vista We celebrate the diversity of the human family accepting all people unconditionally without reservation. Join us in Gathering with Hope.

Being Connected in love and Serving others with Joy! In God's family, no one gets left behind.

06/05/2026

Greetings!

An important book for me through the years is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Life Together." The opening words of his first chapter state: “It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians.” What a wonderful reminder of the gift: to be in relationship with others. Yes, we may not always agree. But Bonhoeffer reminds us not to take for granted the gift of relationships in community. And Paul implies the same value for the community in Thessalonians, encouraging early followers of Jesus to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to do so more and more.

I take courage from Bonhoeffer’s words and Paul’s words, “Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thess. 4:9) The priority of being followers of Jesus is all about building relationships. We are called to extend and deepen our relationships with God and others. After all, we are a gift to each other now in 2026 and God has empowered us to be connectional. Remain connected by prayer, service, and love.

Ministry Matters:

1) Newlywed Celebration: We welcome you to a special Sunday celebrating Pastor Martin and Eneti’s union of marriage at U.Me.IV this Sunday. This is a special service to welcome Eneti but also to wish them blessings upon this new season in their life and with our church.

2) Contact Cards: As we prepare to update our Church Directory, we ask that you please fill out a Contact Form with your personal information: Name, Address, Birthday, and Graduation Expectancy date (if applicable). Portraits will be taken this Sunday following worship service.

3) United Women in Faith: We invite all women to a special luncheon to learn more about UWF and their mission around the world. You are welcome to attend on June 13 at 12pm. This event will be held at Maravilla. Please reach out to Laura Little for more information.

05/29/2026

Greetings!

As another school year ends, many inevitable changes are on the horizon as summer approaches. Graduations come and go, new job opportunities arise and some ​couples be​ transitioning into newlyweds. That brings many questions about what the next chapter of your life will look like. And while it is good to have a plan, it can be easy to get sucked into the planning and stress yourself out when things don’t go exactly right, or it takes longer to achieve those goals of yours.

Our devotion this week comes from Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” During these times of transitions, it is important to remember who has your life planned out. God has it all under control, and that should bring you peace and comfort when you think about the future. I know from experience that when God shuts a door, there is another, much better one down the road that you aren’t aware of yet. So, keep trusting that God has your best interests in mind and keep Him in your heart as you navigate the journey of life.

Ministry Matters:

1. Go Forth Sunday - U.Me.IV would like to celebrate and recognize what God has accomplished through our graduating and departing students. Join us this Sunday, May 31st at 11:15 AM to bless those who will go forth into the world. Please notify the church if you are planning to graduate or move this summer.

2. Church Family Potluck: Join us this last Sunday of the month for a family potluck meal. Bring your favorite dish or drink to share. All are encouraged to join in celebrating our new friends and the blessings from this month.

3. Social Night: The social outing event for our college students tonight has been postponed. More information will be shared in the days ahead.

05/15/2026

Greetings!

I love graduation season: watching students walk across the stage with the biggest smiles on their face, knowing they earned a degree. I love seeing all the graduation cords and stoles the students wear. There are cords for academic honors and student groups. There are education majors with signed stoles from their students. Nursing graduates wear their nurses pin, international students bear their home countries’ flags and first-generation college graduates celebrate their accomplishment. There are stoles for student athletes and for Greek organizations. Each cord and stole tell a story, revealing the student’s involvement on campus or naming the things which helped them get to the graduation stage.

The prophet Elijah wore a mantle, a cloak which he passed down to his successor, Elisha. And Elisha wore the cloak to remember the spirit of Elijah who carried him through. But the mantle was not what gave Elisha power to continue the work, just like the graduation cords do not make a student walk across the graduation stage. But it is the spirit of God who rests upon us, like a warm blanket. Each of us has the shawl of God’s power on us, which reminds us we can do challenging things even if we are afraid. The mantle of God shows us how to have compassion for others, sometimes literally giving the coat off our back or sharing in our abundance. The invisible coat of God shows up in our willingness to forgive others and seek reconciliation to all. We each need to remember we have the spirit of God living in each of us and carry it forward to the future. Just as I know, even without the graduation stoles or cords, the graduates will hold all they learned and walk with grace each and every day.

Ministry Matters:

1. Study Hall: The Worship Center will be open for students in need of a safe and quiet space to study and prepare for their final exams. We are looking for volunteers to monitor the Study Hall held from Sunday, May 31st through Friday, June 5 (3 PM – 8 PM). Drinks and study snacks will be provided.

2. Contact Cards: As we prepare to update our Church Directory, we ask that you please fill out a Contact Form with your personal information: Name, Address, Birthday, and Graduation Expectancy date (if applicable). Portraits will be taken on May 31st following worship service.

3. C’YA Worship Night: We invite all students and young adults to a night of fellowship, contemporary worship, and free dinner! Worship Night will be held on Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 PM in our Worship Center. Contact Berkeley for more details.

05/08/2026

Greetings!

Every single day, we choose to put our trust in something. It could be something small like trust that our bike will take us to class, our car will have enough gas to make it to work, or trust that our package will be delivered to the right house. However, we also have the choice to put our trust in something bigger, much beyond these small temporary things. We can rely on God and His promises each and every day.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” For some of us, it may be hard to fully put our trust in promises. Fortunately, we can see how God has kept His promises to others. The Bible gives us many stories that show our faith in God’s promises is not misplaced. Know that God will not abandon us or take back His words. He is true to His promises and is by our side through it all.

Ministry Matters

1. Sips of Calm – Are you experiencing climate anxiety? If so, this workshop is perfect for you! This is a chance to openly discuss and express these difficult emotions. With a guided discussion, reflective journaling, and mindful moments shared over warm tea, participants will learn to process difficult situations and find grounding in a community of students who also feel the same. Thursday, May 14 from 5:00-6:00PM

2. Go Forth Sunday - U.Me.IV would like to celebrate and recognize what God has accomplished through our graduating and departing students. Mark your calendars for May 31st at 11:15 AM to bless those who will go forth into the world. Please notify the church if you are planning to graduate or move this summer.

3. Mothering Sunday Celebration – Join us this Sunday as we celebrate all the amazing moms who pour so much love, care, and dedication into their families. Whether you're a mom, grandma, or someone who’s been like a mother to others, we want to honor and celebrate YOU! Bring your family and join us for a special day together with our guest preacher, Rev. Liz.

05/01/2026

May Greetings!

I loved making May Day baskets as a kid. My mom would take us to the local store to pick out goodies and supplies for our baskets. I always selected chocolate and delighted when we got stickers to put on the baskets. Our baskets were simple, but we would fill them up with our goodies and take off to share with friends around the neighborhood. It was such a thrill to run up friends’ houses and place the basket on the doorstep to then run away so they could not catch you. And then there was the joy of returning home to see you also had a May Day basket dangling from the doorknob.

It has been years since I made a May Day basket and I’m not sure if the tradition is as common now, but I think we could all use a May Day basket and instead of filling our baskets with snickers and small plastic toys, we fill our baskets with the fruits of the Spirit. We fill them with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and generosity (Galatians 5:22-23). This might mean we give an hour of our time to a young family, so they can rest and enjoy time to themselves. Maybe, we give a book to a friend and agree to read it together as they recover from surgery. We give our voice, advocating to ensure everyone has enough to eat. We create spaces of peace where people can heal and not have to worry about the violence in our world. And instead of running away from our neighbors, we allow for them to be invited in, creating space for kindness and compassion.

This month, make your own May Day basket. Fill it with all the good things and then go out into the community and share it with all.

Ministry Matters:

1) May U.Me.IV News - Attached to this email is our May Church Newsletter! We are excited to embrace new and different ways of connecting with God and community. Therefore, please get plugged into a ministry or reach out how we can pray and support you. Take some time this month to walk on the beach, through the park, or just around the neighborhood, taking deep breaths today. Pray for a month filled with strength, new hope, and transformative love.

2) Go Forth Sunday - U.Me.IV would like to celebrate and recognize what God has accomplished through our graduating and departing students. Mark your calendars for May 31st at 11:15 to bless those who will go forth into the world. Please notify the church if you are planning to graduate or move this summer.

3) Comfort Cabinet - We are excited to announce a Comfort Cabinet, located in the front restroom. The cabinet is filled with feminine products, hygiene and personal care products. The cabinet is available for free to anyone in need. We are here to help and support, so let us know what we can do to serve you. Donations are gladly accepted towards this cabinet.

23% of students struggle to afford menstrual products. U.Me.IV wants to help give free access to those products and exte...
04/28/2026

23% of students struggle to afford menstrual products. U.Me.IV wants to help give free access to those products and extend care to those in need within our church family and beyond!

We are excited to announce a Comfort Cabinet, located in the front restroom. The cabinet is filled with feminine products, hygiene and personal care products.

The cabinet is available for free to anyone in need. We are here to help and support, so let us know what we can do to serve you. A special thanks to Erika for painting and preparing the cabinet.

This Tuesday Night at 7:00 pm join U.Me.IV for a night of fellowship, community, dinner, and a worship!! Together we wil...
04/28/2026

This Tuesday Night at 7:00 pm join U.Me.IV for a night of fellowship, community, dinner, and a worship!! Together we will learn about what’s in our morning cup of coffee and how God constantly works through us. 🤎
We hope to see you there! ☕️

04/24/2026

Greetings!

While most of us have not herded or taken care of sheep, the words describing a setting that is sheep-friendly make it easy to imagine that scene. The sentences in Psalm 23 exude a sense of calm and of peace, “He makes me lie down in green pastures;”. Reading the verses slowly and aloud can lower blood pressure and pull us into a state of calmness. Better health and increased ability to serve God might be the unintended result of putting oneself into Psalm 23.

Each of us can serve God in our own way, using the gifts and the abilities that God gives us individually. We will serve better if we move through our day at a calm pace. Such a pace might make it easier to sense that God walks with us, gives us protection, and provides sustenance each day. Best of all, it will bring joy and blessing to us and to the world as we become more and more aware of God chasing after us to bestow God’s love and care on us. Shall we go?

Ministry Matters:

1. Church Family Potluck: Join us this last Sunday of the month for a family potluck meal. Bring your favorite dish or drink to share. All are encouraged to join in celebrating our new friends and the blessings from this month.

2. C’YA Worship Night: We invite all students and are invited to a night of fellowship, contemporary worship, and free dinner! Worship Night will be held on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 PM in our Worship Center. Contact Berkeley for more details.

3. Grief Care Circles: The Grief Care Circle is a supportive small-group ministry open to adults of all ages who are walking through seasons of loss and seeking connection, encouragement, and healing. The next circle will meet on April 26 from 5 PM to 6:15 PM and will meet at the former St. Mark UMC campus (3942 La Colina Rd). Contact Pastor Martin if you are needing a carpool.

04/22/2026

LEGAL LITERACY FOR THE COMMUNITY 🌿

“Don’t wait for a surprise, instead prepare now and make sure you are covered the right way.” We are grateful for policy resources provided by

Legal Literacy program will reconvene on September 10. Let us know what legal matters you are most interested about?

04/21/2026

FOR THE PEOPLE ☀️

Such a wonderful Sunday with GOOD vibes and GOOD people creating GOOD memories!

3-FOR-FREE: . CROPS: . SOUND/MUSIC: . COMMUNITY AID: 💚

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892 Camino Del Sur
Goleta, CA
93117

Telephone

+18052806994

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