Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society facts for kids
The Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society is a Unitarian Universalist church. It is located in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California. The church holds services every Sunday at 17622 Chatsworth Street.
Its former home in North Hills is a very special building. It is known as "The Onion." This building was named a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2010. It is Monument #975.
History of the Society
The Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society started a long time ago. It was founded in 1943. Back then, it was called the United Liberal Church of the Valley.
Later, its name changed a few times. It became the People's Church of the San Fernando Valley. Then, in 1956, it was named the Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
Building "The Onion"
In the early 1960s, the church needed a bigger place. They bought a five-acre ranch in North Hills. They chose Frank Ehrenthal to design their new building. He was an architect and a Universalist.
Ehrenthal spent time with the church members. He watched how they interacted. He then designed a round building for them. This design allowed everyone to face each other equally.
The building was finished in 1964. It was nicknamed "The Onion" because of its shape. It is made of special curved wooden beams. These beams go from the ground all the way to the top of the roof. The whole building is covered with shingles.
A Special Event at The Onion
In February 1966, "The Onion" hosted a very famous gathering. It was put on by a group called the Merry Pranksters. The church's minister, Paul Sawyer, had met the group's leader, Ken Kesey.
A member of the Pranksters called Sawyer. He asked if they could hold their event at the church. Sawyer agreed, but he set a rule. He said they could not give out any special substances to the audience.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, fewer people joined the Unitarian church. This led to a big change. In 2021, the church sold "The Onion" building.
The building was bought by El Camino Metro Church. This church is now known as Vida Church. The Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society moved to its current location.
