About Us

A welcoming, diverse congregation valuing spiritual growth and service to the local and world community.

Group Holding Hands

Together We Can… Together We Will!

We are more than a “church”.

We are a community of diversity – in beliefs, skin colors, sexuality and preferences, ages, abilities, education, sizes and nationalities. We are a community that is drawn from a wide variety of traditions and beliefs vs. a traditional “church” with fixed beliefs. We encourage the inward and outward growth of our members. We come together to learn about the beauty and ever-changing variety of life.

We are a “church” as derived from the Greek word ekklesia, which means an assembly of people – a community. Many people hear the word “church” and they think Christian with fixed beliefs. We are a community of many beliefs and are open to change, thus we put church in quotation marks.

Each Sunday brings a new perspective to contemplate and discuss because we have a variety of ministers, speakers and musicians.

Group Photo of Attendees
Playing Music

We practice the Seven Principles of the Unitarian-Universalist Association. Openness, curiosity, discovery and change are sign posts that guide us to developing our humanity. Showing compassion to each other and to those in need in our community and around the world is an important part of who we are. Our commitment is to building a beloved community both within the congregation and in the wider world. Within we strive to support each other in our joys and sorrows. We join together as a community of seekers to develop our total lives. Beyond the congregation, our concerns include the environment, poverty, equality, justice, peace and the ever-evolving needs of our community and beyond. See the Newsletter heading on this web site for our monthly updates.

Our congregation began in 1906, with a group of Central Square, NY residents who met in each other’s homes. In 1908 our current building was erected, thanks in large part to the Goettel family of Central Square. At that time the congregation was part of the Universalist denomination. In 1961, along with other Universalist congregations, we voted to join the merged Unitarian-Universalist Association.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. The UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to Seven Principles that include the worth of each person, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs. Our faith tradition is diverse and inclusive. We grew from the union of two radical Christian groups: the Universalists, who organized in 1793, and the Unitarians, who organized in 1825. They joined to become the UUA in 1961. Both groups trace their roots in North America to the early Massachusetts settlers and the Framers of the Constitution. Across the globe, our legacy reaches back centuries to liberal religious pioneers in England, Poland, and Transylvania. Today, Unitarian Universalists include people of many beliefs who share UU values. Each UU congregation is democratic—congregational leaders set their own priorities and choose their own ministers and staff. Congregations vote for the leaders of the UUA, who oversee the central staff and resources. The UUA supports congregations in their work by training ministers, publishing books and the UU World magazine, providing religious education curricula, offering shared services, coordinating social justice activities, and more.  Explore the UUA web site for complete details.

This poem “The Church Is Not The Building”, written by Rev. Margaret Weis of The First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, captures the true meaning of the word church.

The church is not a place; it is a people.

The church is not only a steeple above the treeline, streets, and cars.
Rather, it is a people proclaiming to the world that
we are here for the work of healing and of justice.

The church is not walls built stone upon stone, held together by mortar
but rather person, linked with person, linked with person:
all ages and genders and abilities—
a community built on the foundation of reason, faith, and love.

The church is not just a set of doors open on Sunday morning,
but the commitment day after day, and moment after moment,
of our hearts creaking open the doors of welcome to the possibility of new experience and radical welcome.

The church is not simply a building, a steeple, a pew.

The church is the gathering together of all the people, and experiences,
and fear, and love, and hope in our resilient hearts;
gathering, however we can, to say to the world:
welcome, come in, lay down your heartache, and pick up hope and love.

For the church is us—each and every one of us—together,
a beacon of hope to this world that so sorely needs it.

Upcoming Services

Every Service has a consistent order, but each is fresh because of the variety of ministers, speakers and musicians.

What to Expect

Visitors are warmly welcomed to a meaningful service of reflection, music, shared community, and connection.

Meetings & Events

See what’s happening next in our community, from services and meetings to special gatherings and events.

Meet our ministers.

Our ministers lead worship, support our community, and help create a welcoming space for spiritual exploration.

Rev. Kurt Hohmann

Rev. Kurt Hohmann

Rev. Andrea Abbott

Rev. Andrea Abbott

Bud Adams

Rev. Bud Adams