About Us
Unity of South Sound
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We are an inspiring and inclusive spiritual community, exploring and expressing our highest potential and divine nature.
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Present and centered in Divine Love, we celebrate a peaceful and awakened world.
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Joy
Love
Abundance
Spirit-Guided
Together we embrace our individuality. We celebrate our uniqueness with full acceptance of all people, including every expression of the Divine. We come together with love and compassion to be a light for all. We stand together in Unity.
The ministry of Unity of South Sound and its members, want to acknowledge the land that we are gathering on (today) as the traditional territory of many nations, including the Puyallup and Nisqually Tribes, and on the lands with deep significance to other Coast Salish tribes. Coast Salish people have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial and continue to do so today. We recognize that this land acknowledgment is one small step toward true allyship and we commit to uplifting the voices, experiences, and histories of the Indigenous people of this land and beyond.
Our History
Unity of South Sound has undergone significant transformations over the course of forty years, guided by different names and leaders. Originally established as Unity Church of Christianity in Burien in October 1972, the congregation initially gathered at the Veterans Hall and the YMCA, led by Rev. Michael Murphy. Eventually, they relocated to a spacious house in Federal Way, which was renovated to accommodate their Sunday services.
For two decades, the Federal Way location served as their place of worship until 1996 when it was sold with the intention of constructing a new facility on recently acquired land. During this transition, Rainier View School in Federal Way became their temporary venue, with additional office and classroom spaces rented nearby.
Unfortunately, due to wetland designations and drainage issues, the newly acquired property proved unsuitable for construction in 2000, leading to its sale. In January 2001, Unity found a new home in a large leased space in Edgewood, where they continued their spiritual journey until April 2012.
Throughout these changes, various ministers succeeded Rev. Murphy, including Les McClelland, Dick Everetts, Tom Coates, Carl Stouffer, interim minister Jim Peterson, Steve Colladay, and Stephen Towles.
In August 2010, Rev. Darlene Strickland joined Unity of Edgewood. Subsequently, the church moved once more and rebranded as Unity of South Sound in April 2012, relocating to the picturesque Knutzen Family Theatre in Dumas Bay, Federal Way. Rev. Darlene served the congregation until November 2014, followed by Rev. Michael Moran's two-month tenure as the Interim Minister. During this period, numerous guest speakers and potential minister candidates delivered Sunday services.
Rev. Jeffrey Fowler assumed leadership at Unity of South Sound in September 2015. Within a year, the entire congregation made another transition, settling into The Spire at 710 South Anderson St. in Tacoma in September 2016. Rev. Jeffrey faithfully served the ministry for nearly six years, culminating in his final service on Sunday, June 13th, 2021.
After an extensive search, Rev. Meghan Smith Brooks joined Unity of South Sound in June 2022 as the congregation's new minister. With over 20 years of ministry experience, Rev. Meghan brings a joyful spirit, messages of resilience through grief, and inspiration found in everyday life. Her arrival marks a new chapter in the ongoing evolution of Unity of South Sound.