Formed in 1958, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens seeks to be a active proponent of liberal religious values in southeastern Ohio.

Our official membership count ranges from 50 - 70 voting members and many more people who consider themselves to be friends of the congregation. You will find that within our congregation, many individual faith paths are represented: Christian, Atheist, Humanist, Agnostic, Pagan, Buddhist and others.

We are regularly named as a Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's Vision of Justice Banner Society, which honors congregations in which 50-90 percent of the membership are UUSC members. The UUSC support social justice projects around the U.S. and the world.

The seven principles of Unitarian Universalism are important to all UU congregations. But each lives those principles out in its own way and with its own particular emphases. At UUFA, we have identified three basic ideas, or “pillars,” as central to our identity as a faith community: religious pluralism, inclusive community, and sustainable living.

Religious pluralism is a commitment to value and affirm all religions as equally valid traditions of wisdom and spiritual expression, and to support each individual in pursuing their unique spiritual path or experience of connection with something larger than the self. We believe there is one light and many paths to it, and we value open, honest, and caring dialogue among the various paths.

Inclusive community means that religion is for everyone. We believe our duty as people of faith is to offer an experience of community that is welcoming to all, of any race or gender or sexual orientation or age or creed or political inclination. And we seek to integrate that diversity into a rich and harmonious community.

Sustainable living means that we understand ourselves as interdependent, with each other and with the community of life on this planet. Therefore, we are called to work for the good of the web of life in which we participate, and to honor each creature’s place in that web as equal in importance to our own. We seek to live in a way that allows all to live well.

These are the principles that guide UUFA’s ministry in its community. These are the yardsticks by which we measure our efforts to live out our faith.

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

by Milton Ploghoft, Lois Whealey & Dru Riley Evarts

The Unitarian Fellowship of Athens was founded on February 9, 1958, when 27 area residents subscribed to its bylaws. Unitarianism began in 1568 in Transylvania, when King Sigismond, urged by ex-priest Francis David, proclaimed religious freedom in the realm, the first such declaration known in history. American Unitarianism was influenced by Congregationalist and Transcendentalist movements in New England. In 1785, King's Chapel in Boston, which formerly had been Episcopalian, ordained Unitarian James Freeman as its first minister. The American Unitarian Association and its publishing arm, Beacon Press, have flourished in Boston to this day.

The purpose of the Fellowship, in keeping with Unitarian traditions and principles, was to stimulate interest in liberal religion, to cultivate an atmosphere for freedom of belief and to provide opportunities for liberal religious thought, action and education. In 1961 the national Unitarian Association merged with the Universalists, and in 2004 the Athens Fellowship followed suit, making its name the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens.

The Athens Fellowship was sparked by Race Street neighbors, Walter Wright and Milton Ploghoft, who had Unitarian roots in other states. UFA was granted a charter on March 5, 1958, by the national headquarters. In its first 47 years, a total of 378 persons have signed the formal membership book and many more have attended services or activities. The Fellowship is a welcoming congregation in which people of all beliefs, races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations are invited to participate to the extent of their interests.

The Fellowship led a nomadic life until 1969, meeting first in the old Hillel House on University Terrace, then moving on, in order, to the old Music Building (now Gordy Hall), a church on the Hocking Street property of members James and Harriet Tong, the old Beacon School when it was on Terrace Drive just off Columbus Road, West Elementary School, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church. By the late '60s, plans were under way to build on the present property. At 184 Longview Heights Road. The first services were held in Fellowship Hall on October 12, 1969, fewer than 8 months after ground was broken for the building.

The Fellowship Building was designed and engineered by artists, engineers, and craftspeople of the Fellowship. The work of brick sculptor John Spofforth is most recognizable in the distinctive exterior and the columbarium in front of the building. Engineers William Beale and Charles Overby oversaw the building's structure as well as the heating and plumbing systems, and artist Cliff McCarthy was most responsible for the interior design. Front doors by artist Robert Borchard greet members and friends. The building was accomplished mainly by the volunteer labor of members, families and friends. It was not unusual for 20-30 workers of all ages to turn out on weekends. The flooring came from the old Women’s Gym at Ohio University and glass from the Fenton Factory was used in the round windows, recycling resources from the region.

The striking Fellowship Hall has hosted many weddings, memorial services, and community events, including meetings, theater, and dance. The grounds also include a Grove for outdoor services, picnics and other activities. The Hall was home to the Hocking Valley Day School for 30 years.

The Fellowship held lay-led services for its first 35 years. Sunday programs often showcased community projects and personalities, as well as guest speakers from Athens and beyond, providing a liberal religious service and discussion welcoming to all. Beginning in 1993, the group began to have quarter-time ministers who presented services once a month and provided other ministerial services. The first such minister was the Rev. John Morgan, who had provided services to small congregations in the Ohio Meadville District. Others have been the Rev.Barbara Cooke of Columbus in 1994, the Rev. Don Rollins of Oak Hill from 1995 to 1998; and native West Virginian, the Rev. Dr. Rose Edington, who lived in Athens during her 2000-02 tenure. All have gone on to retirement or to larger congregations. From Fall 2003 to Spring 2006 the fellowship hosted one of our own, quarter-time student minister and Glouster resident, Evan Young. In the spring of 2006, Evan recieved his Unitarian divinity degree at the Methodist Theological Seminary near Delaware. Currently, Evan has a three year contract to serve as our minister until June 2013.

Our congregation is one of many that make up the Unitarian Universalist Association.

We are also a member of the Ohio-Meadville District.