I’m trying to get the lay of the land, respecting new(ish) churches that have joined the Unitarian Universalist Association. I wrote about the batch that were welcomed at General Assembly 2006 — goodness! more than four years ago — and so wanted to know how many more were in.
I was horrified by what I found. In more than four years, there are only eleven new churches. And the largest of these was the previously existing (1944) Ethical Culture Society, here in D.C., so properly it isn’t new nor a part of the Unitarian Universalist new congregation culture. Not encouraging.
Here’s the list, with web link, current membership and date of admission. (Note: I never could find the resolution by which the WellSprings Congregation was admitted, save a reference to them having been admitted in the 2008 General Assembly minutes, thus the inexact date. Does anyone know?)
| Unitarian Universalist Church of Hot Springs | Hot Springs | AR | 04/21/2007 | http://www.uuchurchhotsprings.org/ | 43 |
| Washington Ethical Society | Washington | DC | 04/19/2008 | http://www.ethicalsociety.org/ | 150 |
| Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation | Grayslake | IL | 01/19/2008 | http://www.prairiecircleuuc.org/ | 72 |
| Heartland Unitarian Universalist Church | Indianapolis | IN | 04/17/2010 | http://heartlanduuchurch.org/ | 25 |
| Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Chesapeake | California | MD | 04/19/2008 | http://www.theuucc.org/ | 43 |
| New Hope Congregation | New Hudson | MI | 06/23/2009 | http://www.newhopeuu.org/ | 30 |
| Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tupelo | Tupelo | MS | 07/23/2007 | http://www.uutupelo.org/ | 36 |
| Unitarian Universalist Peace Fellowship | Raleigh | NC | 01/20/2007 | http://www.uupf.org/ | 44 |
| Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Rocky Mount | Rocky Mount | NC | 01/19/2008 | http://www.uurockymount.org/ | 40 |
| WellSprings Congregation | Chester Springs | PA | 2008 | http://www.wellspringsuu.org/ | 143 |
| Foothills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship | Maryville | TN | 01/17/2009 | http://www.foothillsuufellowship.org/ | 72 |
Pretty meager effort.
Yay to the Hot Springs church! After moving to Little Rock from there, I never have been in Hot Springs in time to make it to a service there. I wish I had, though, because they’re sweet folks doing good.
WellSprings is a UUA specially-supported case and I’ve already noted that the Washington Ethical Society is pre-existing, so two here that interest me are the Grayslake, Ill. and and Maryville, Tenn. congregations. They break out of the 25-45 box that the rest are in, for good or bad.
My mother is from Knoxville, Tenn., and so growing up I’ve known of Maryville as the back of beyond; the nice town near the mountain that’s not the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge tourist complex. And far enough from well-developed congregations to meet a need. Not knowing Illinois, I wonder if Grayslike’s in the same state.
Which suggests many more opportunities, especially once the 2010 Census numbers come out.
I found five other congregations within 25 miles of Grayslake and one (a large one) withn 15 miles.
I think a student intern from my Church in Geneva Illinois helped found Grayslake. It’s a growing (or was) growing exurban sort of area and ripe for new Churches. I’ll find out a little more for you.