Our History

In November, 1988, an ad appeared in a local paper announcing the first Sunday Service of Unitarian Universalists in our area. Thirteen people responded to the ad and met at the 4H Center in Abingdon, Virginia. We held services once a month for two years at the 4H Center. From the first service, an area was arranged for children’s religious education. The group continued to hold services once a month for six years. We met two years at The Oaks (an Abingdon professional office building) and two years at Emory and Henry College. During these six years, the Church was literally a “Church In A Box”. Each Sunday, all church materials, equipment and supplies had to be loaded and unloaded from the car trunks of various members. We carried a playpen for the nursery around for six years. We carried pillows and blankets for the toddlers. Thanks goodness for boxes and flexibility. During these first six years, the UU group became recognized by UUA as an official UU Congregation. The UU group was granted an official charter in 1990. In 1994, the UU group was privileged to share space with an AME congregation in Abingdon. For the first time, the UU boxes could be unloaded and church materials and supplies finally stored in a building rather than in someone’s car trunk. Weekly services were held. The UU’s met on Sunday morning and the AME congregation met on Sunday afternoon. The quaint white building provided a good church home. However, there was not enough room in the building for our children’s religious education program. We had fifteen children and solved the space problem by renting a trailer. The town and neighborhood agreed for us to temporarily locate a trailer on the property. For this we were most thankful. In 1995, the UU group of 21 adult members voted to build a church building. Two acres of land were purchased. The UU group had saved enough money to pay for the land. A building layout was posted on the back wall of the AME church. Adults and children listed their ideas and suggestions on the drawing on the wall. From this, a final plan for the building was made. A mortgage was obtained and the building was constructed. In September, 1996, the first service was held in the new building. Today, we have 48 adult members. We continue to grow and we continue to have a great time!