UUCA History

This chronicles the history of Unitarian and Universalist faiths and serves as a history of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta.

1879-01-01 00:00:00

Rev. W. C. Bowman Organized a small Universalist congregation

Rev. W.C. Bowman organizes a small Atlanta Universalist congregation. Within the year Bowman left Atlanta.

1882-02-19 06:11:10

Rev. George Leonard Chaney

The Rev. George Leonard Chaney established the first Unitarian congregation in Atlanta named the Church of Our Father.

1884-04-23 21:58:48

Church of Our Father

Church of Our Father, the first Unitarian church in Atlanta, was established in 1883 with 26 charter members by George Leonard Chaney. This building was sold to the Carnegie Free Library. Today the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library stands on the church's original property at North Forsyth and Church streets.

1895-02-24 00:00:00

First Universalist Congregation in Atlanta

Rev. Quillen Shin organized First Universalist Church of Atlanta with 12 founding members.

1900-04-01 00:00:00

Clarence A. Langston

Hired as Senior minister. Low pay caused Langston to resign in 1903 but the congregation convinced him of their love for him so he remained until 1905.

1900-07-01 00:00:00

Universalist Church Building

In July 1900, under Rev. W.H. MCGlaughlin the church dedicated their first building at 16 East Harris Street.

1900-11-11 00:00:00

Church at Spring and Cain Streets Dedicated

Although in use as of August 1900, this church building was dedicated by Clarence A. Langston.

1905-01-01 00:00:00

Rev. E. Dean Ellenwood

Rev. E. Dean Ellenwood became minister of the First Universalist Church and led it for the next 8 years.

1908-04-01 16:05:00

Congregations Consider Combining

Due to severe financial limitations, the Unitarian and Universalist Congregations vote on merging. The merger failed by a small margin. The President of the AUA expresses dismay in the lack of merger, mentioning that further funding by the AUA is unlikely.

1915-11-07 00:00:00

Church on W. Peachtree Dedicated

The AUA agreed to finance construction of a new 240 seat church. George Chaney came back to Atlanta from Massachusetts for the dedication.

1918-11-14 00:00:00

Liberal Christian Church

The Atlanta Unitarians and Universalists merged. John W. Rowlett returned to be the first minister of the combined congregation.

1926-01-01 00:00:00

Clinton Lee Scott

During his time as Senior Minister, Scott fought racial injustice. Although Scott was only with the Atlanta congregation for 3 years, he left feeling his goals were fulfilled.

1927-06-10 13:44:44

United Liberal Church

Rev Scott proposed (and had accepted) a new name for the combined Unitarian and Universalist Congregation.

1930-09-01 00:00:00

Rev. Aubrey F. Hess

Senior Minister through the beginning of the Great Depression. By severely reducing expenses and with additional aid from the Universalist General Convention the doors stayed open.

1935-10-01 00:00:00

Church is served by Various Short-Term Ministers

Rev. Frederic Mitchell Tileston 1937-1940 Rev. Roger Dewey Bosworth 1940-1945 Rev. Raymond H. Palmer 1946-1947

1944-01-01 09:22:10

Congregation Severs ties to AUA

After the AUA criticized the congregational policy of segregation the church severed its ties with the AUA

1947-11-01 09:22:10

Rev. Isaiah Jonathan Domas

Congregation calls Rev. Domas. His ministry was marked by controversy over Southern segregation and national political issues. Early in his ministry, Rev. Domas invited an colleague from Atlanta University, Dr. Thomas Baker Jones to attend Sunday services. Dr. Jones was a Unitarian recently transplanted from Ohio who was also Black.

1948-01-01 00:00:00

Church no longer U or UU

Rev. Isaiah Jonathan Domas resigns when the congregation refuses membership of a black Unitarian. The American Unitarian Ministers' Association urged that none of its members take the pastorate. Universalist Church of American took a similar stand.

1948-01-01 00:00:00

Rev. Domas Supports Progressive Party Candidate

Rev. Domas's support the 3rd party Progressive Party's presidential candidate Henry Wallace, former Vice-President in FDR's third administration, Rev. also resulted in Rev. Domas and the church being fused in the public's eye as being part of a left leaning movement that many in the South considered un-American. In an article in the Atlanta papers entitled, “The Unitarians Have Reason to Fret” it was stated as fact that: “. . . the Communist Party has caused the Unitarian Church, because of its liberal policy, to be selected for infiltration purposes and for use in various Communist front purposes.” The accusation was rubbish. But an open public suspicion had been raised against the Unitarian-Universalist church and its minister. In May 1948, a vote was taken on whether or not to accept the resignation of its 38-year-old minister. His resignation was accepted by a vote of 33 to 32.

1951-01-01 00:00:00

AUA sells Church building

The American Unitarian Association (which had originally bought the building for the United Liberal Church) sold the building to the Bible Research Foundation, Inc.

1952-01-01 00:00:00

Rev. Glenn Canfield

Sent by both the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Canfield re-establishes the Liberal Church in Atlanta called the United Liberal Church. Canfield is a Minister-at-Large. By the time Rev. Canfield resigned his ministry the membership had doubled and Unitarianism had been successfully born again in Atlanta

1952-01-01 00:00:00

Congregation meets at Briarcliff Hotel

While services were being held at the Briarcliff Hotel, Rev. Canfield recalled that he had a discussion with the hotel manager regarding people entering the hotel for services. For services, adults entered the meeting room directly from the street, but the children entered through the main lobby. Since services were integrated, Black children were entering the hotel via the main lobby. Although the hotel manager was sympathetic, the manager indicated that the hotel was a public place. Even though there was no law forbidding Black children entering the main lobby, the manage shared that there were social and political pressures that had to be considered. He opined that the hotel could be vulnerable to attack by prejudiced people who were determined to preserve segregation and to “keep the nigger in his place.” The hotel manager feared that if the hotel owner discovered the situation at the hotel that he could lose his job and possibly never find another job in the hotel industry. Rev. Canfield said, “Well, then, it looks like we just can’t have them.” The hotel manager relied, “I would not put it as blunt as that. I will say that I would rather they would not come.” Canfield knowing a truly liberal church would not exclude Blacks from its services determined that it would be necessary to find alternate meeting space.

1954-01-01 00:00:00

New Home for United Liberal Church

Rev. Canfield and others worked diligently to find an alternate meeting space.

1957-03-26 00:00:00

Rev. Ed Cahill

The right person had arrived at the right time for the right causes of human rights, civil rights, and liberal religion.

1960-01-01 00:00:00

Universalists vote not to merge

In 1960 the Universalist Convention of Georgia voted not to participate in the merger with the Unitarians.

1962-01-01 00:00:00

Rev. Eugene Pickett

Rev. Pickett guided the church to full and prosperous maturity. By the end of Pickett's 12 1/2 year ministry, the membership had grown eight-fold.

1962-08-01 18:23:16

Search for a New Building

In August 1962 the congregation was prevented from purchasing land at Lenox & Roxboro because of it's integrated status. In November 1962 the Boulevard church was sold; the congregation moved to temporary quarters in Clark Howell School on Tenth Street and continued to look for an appropriate site.

1965-01-10 18:23:16

Cliff Valley Property

The Cliff Valley Way property was purchased, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new building on January 10, 1965; President Harry C. Adley broke the first ground on a cold, happy day, and those who gathered there sang Finlandia. On February 21, 1965, a new constitution was adopted and the name of the congregation changed for the fourth time to a fifth name, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta. The church was finished by the end of the year at a cost of $449,000 and the first service held on January 2, 1966.

1965-02-21 17:06:23

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta

On February 21, 1965, a new constitution was adopted and the name of the congregation changed for the fourth time to a fifth name, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta.

1967-01-01 00:03:32

First Splinter Congregation

The concept of a Central City group was first discussed in 1965 by those dissatisfied with the new UUCA location on Cliff Valley Way. The group evolved into the Central Unitarian Society, then to a Fellowship, and went out of existence in 1969.

1968-01-01 00:00:00

Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation

The Northwest Unitarian Congregation began as a “third service” of UUCA, with services in the Liberty Guinn School in 1968, and then at a school in Sandy Springs in 1969. In September, 1969, John Burciaga was called as minister for a three-year stay. Robert W. Karnan was named minister in 1974. In February, 1977 the Congregation moved into its present building at 1025 Mt. Vernon Highway, and in 1982 had a membership of 235, including many former members of UUCA.

1975-09-01 06:11:10

Rev. Charles A Reinhardt

1976-01-01 00:00:00

First Existentialist Congregation

This church, which first met in the Decatur living room of the Rev. R. Lanier Clance with eight members, his children, and four cats. Lanier Clance says: “Our congregation began as a dream, in which liberal-progressive concepts of religion and philosophy could be combined with the spirit and energy found in fundamentalistic religious groups.” In 1978 the congregation moved to the Decatur YMCA, and in April, 1980 to a church building at 470 Candler Park Drive in Atlanta, purchased from the Phoenix Unitarian Fellowship. The First Existentialist Church of Atlanta had 450 members in the 1980's and was the second largest Unitarian Universalist congregation in the Atlanta area. As of 2015 the congregation only reported 16 members.

1978-01-01 00:00:00

Southside Fellowship split off

First, Frances West (now an ordained minister) and then the Rev. Lanier Clance served this group, which became an official fellowship in January, 1977, with ten members.

1979-05-01 00:00:00

Rev. David Rankin

1981-05-10 00:00:00

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett

A gathering of UUs living beyond the pale convened on Mother’s Day, 1981 at the Stone Mountain Depot in Stone Mountain Park. Members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta and the Church of the Larger Fellowship who were living east of I-85 received invitations to found a new Unitarian Universalist congregation. One week later, the Northeast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship formed. On May 31, 1981, we held our first service with about 40 adults and almost as many children. In August 1981, we elected a Board of Trustees and made a charter application to the UUA.

1982-05-01 00:00:00

Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation

We were founded on May 1, 1982 and at that first pot luck meeting, we decided on our name. Everyone came prepared to share something from a famous Unitarian; Ralph Waldo Emerson got the most support so Emerson Unitarian Universalist we became. Twenty-five people signed the application for fellowship status, which was approved by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

1983-09-01 00:00:00

Rev. Terry Sweetser

UUCA Senior Minister

1989-09-01 00:00:00

Rev. Dr. Edward Frost

Senior Minister at UUCA

1991-01-13 00:00:00

Unitarian Universalist Metro Area North

On January 13, 1991 UUMAN had its Charter Sunday, with 21 members signing the membership book. Rev. Lauralyn Bellamy was founding minister.

1999-06-01 06:11:10

Pat Kahn Hired as Director of Religious Education

Pat Kahn is hired as the first Director of Religious Education for the congregation. She is with the congregation for 11 years and successfully built the RE program during that time.

2000-05-01 00:00:00

Rev. Marti Keller hired as Assistant Minister

Enter story info here

2007-09-01 00:00:00

Rev. Anthony Makar

Senior Minister at UUCA.

2012-08-01 06:11:10

Mr. Barb Greve hired as Interim Director of Religious Education

Mr. Greve worked with the congregation for two years - working through a tumultuous time with the affiliated preschool closing and through the visioning process for a new playground.

2013-08-01 06:11:10

Rev. Jane Thickstun hired as Interim Associate Minister

Rev. Thickstun joined the congregation as an Interim Associate Minister. In her time at UUCA, she formed the Aesthetics Team and oversaw the re-energization of the Melanie Griffiths Memorial Library.

2014-04-06 00:00:00

Love & Marriage Blessing Ceremony for LGBTQ Couples

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Senior Minister Rev. Anthony Makar and other local religious leaders led a special “Love and Marriage Blessing Ceremony” to celebrate loving committed LGBTQ couples in Georgia who have married out of state or who are planning to marry. Along with their families and friends, LGBTQ couples were invited to attend this special event, which will honor their love, commitment and family while promoting marriage equality in Georgia and other Southern states. The afternoon will include a special ceremony to bless the LGBTQ couples in attendance, along with music, readings and inspirational messages, followed by a reception.

2015-05-15 00:00:00

Congregation voted to approve ARAOMC Resolution

More Information here: http://www.uuca.org/araomc/

2015-07-01 00:00:00

Rev. Jonathan Rogers hired as Associate Minister of Lifelong Learning and Growth

Rev. Jonathan Rogers, originally joined the staff of UUCA as the Youth Programs Coordinator. When Rev. Thickstun left the congregation at the end of her interm period Rev. Rogers moved into the Associate Minister position for one year in an "Acting" capacity. In July 2015, Rev. Rogers joined the congregation as the permanent full time Associate Minister of Lifelong Learning and Growth.

2016-03-26 06:11:10

UUCA Hosts Remembering Selma Event

An evening to honor the 50th anniversary of the Selma Voting Rights Campaign on Wednesday, March 4th at 7:00PM. The event, held at UUCA, will include special guests Rev. Dr. C.T Vivian and family members of slain civil right activist and Unitarian Universalist minister, Reverend James Reeb.

2017-01-21 06:11:10

UUCA Participates in Women's March on Washington

Many congregants rode in a chartered bus or drove to Washington DC to march in this historic moment of activism. Many other congregants participated in the Women's March Atlanta. This video was created by Jay Kiskel of the Northwest UU Congregation.

UUCA History

Launch
Copy this timeline Login to copy this timeline 3d Game mode

Contact us

We'd love to hear from you. Please send questions or feedback to the below email addresses.

Before contacting us, you may wish to visit our FAQs page which has lots of useful info on Tiki-Toki.

We can be contacted by email at: hello@tiki-toki.com.

You can also follow us on twitter at twitter.com/tiki_toki.

If you are having any problems with Tiki-Toki, please contact us as at: help@tiki-toki.com

Close

Edit this timeline

Enter your name and the secret word given to you by the timeline's owner.

3-40 true Name must be at least three characters
3-40 true You need a secret word to edit this timeline

Checking details

Please check details and try again

Go
Close