History Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington

uuca s original building in 1957.

in 1953 religious education wing, designed bailey, added church building, increasing size of auditorium , adding classrooms , offices. following year church building had reached capacity , congregation began holding 2 services on sundays. church school, enrollment of on 500, began holding 2 services on sundays. church purchased adjoining property , in 1958 constructed parsonage,  1 ⁄2-story brick colonial revival building. 1959, there 8 unitarian congregations in washington, d.c. s suburbs, arlington church being largest. congregation began planning new facility , chose charles m. goodman, prominent local architect known modernist work, design church building. church committee wrote confident mr. goodman’s concept of design, wide experience, , original , creative genius promise distinctive building portray in structural form spirit , aspiration of congregation. church leaders invited congregation give suggestions goodman s design included architectural style express inspiring tradition of unitarianism in virginia , free form , no stained glass, [resulting in] building represent our cleavage past. congregation wanted building reflect liberal, progressive beliefs , signify uuca s leadership position within denomination. according 1 uuca minister, charles goodman spent lot of time congregation , incorporating values , theology of congregation design of building. goodman finished design in late 1961 , church began seeking financing shortly thereafter. design included plans main sanctuary , adjoining wing, latter not built @ time due budget concerns. construction of sanctuary carried out martin brothers contracting firm. total cost approximately $300,000, , dedication held on march 22, 1964, sermon dana mclean greeley entitled building faith future. uuca s sanctuary 1 of 3 churches designed goodman , church building in virginia. other 2 church designs bethesda united church of christ in bethesda, maryland, , christ church of washington (now called embassy church) in washington, d.c.

in mid-to-late 1960s, attendance @ church services , enrollment @ church school experienced dramatic decreases. congregation replaced minister , began campaign attract new members. attendance gradually increased on next several years , 1974, membership had reached 724. church continued thrive throughout next decade , late 1980s, church members decided more space needed. congregation held meetings regarding church expansion throughout next several years. finally, in 1993, members approved construction of addition sanctuary. new wing, designed kerns group architects of washington, d.c. , built dustin construction, inc. of gaithersburg, maryland, dedicated on october 2, 1994. addition included classrooms , office space, chapel, , meetings rooms. design of new wing praised architectural critics , kerns group architects received excellence in architecture award american institute of architects s virginia chapter. additional expansion, designed intec group of fairfax, virginia, , built sully construction of sterling, virginia, added in 2013 , includes hall space , multipurpose activity room. uuca s 1964 sanctuary listed on virginia landmarks register in september 2014 , national register of historic places on november 19, 2014, following two-year effort building named historic landmark. 1 of church s leaders said re hoping being put on national registry, people realize physical presence of group in community matters. says world. 900-member congregation led aaron mcemrys, former union representative, , linda olson peebles, artist , musician served on unitarian universalist board of trustees 8 years , officiated first same-sex marriage in virginia in 2014. prominent members, past , present, @ uuca include representative william r. ratchford of connecticut , arlington county board member jay fisette, virginia s first openly gay elected official.

activism

cornerstone of church

like other unitarian congregations, uuca liberal church has been active in social justice causes , interfaith dialogue throughout history. when uuca founded, church leaders wrote our church unitarian churches, dedicated progressive transformation , ennoblement of individual , social life through religion, in accordance advancing knowledge , growing vision of mankind. in 1949, time when local organizations segregated, church operated children s summer camp open races. during 1950s, church 1 of few places in northern virginia black , white individuals met discuss race relations , ways improve society. in 1951, uuca minister ross allen weston founded community council social progress, interracial, interfaith group promoted full development of democratic principles in human relationship . uuca s members active during civil rights movement of 1950s , 1960s, protesting against segregation , other unfair treatments of minorities. uuca minister weston, president of unitarian fellowship social justice, received letter of gratitude martin luther king, jr. following landmark 1954 supreme court decision, bolling v. sharpe, made segregation in washington, d.c. s public schools illegal, virginia governor thomas b. stanley sought input state s citizens. uuca virginia church spoke out in favor of integration.

in october 1958, church received bomb threat morning of sermon rabbi emmet a. frank of temple beth-el. part of larger effort american nazi party, headquartered in arlington, intimidate synagogues , other institutions affiliated or friendly towards judaism. bomb threat condemned area churches , arlington congregation released statement saying not intimidated, harassed, or coerced change way practiced religion. church continued support civil rights causes in 1960s, registering black voters arlington county, , renaming 1949 building (now demolished) reeb hall in honor of james reeb, souls minister killed segregationists while protesting in selma, alabama. since 1970s, church members have continued advocate social justice causes including, not limited to, environmentalism, women s rights, lgbt rights, , affordable housing. 1 of uuca s prominent projects culpepper garden senior center, nonprofit retirement housing community low-income senior citizens, opened in 1975 , has expanded since then. 1990s until demolished in 2011, reeb hall rented out nonprofit groups including northern virginia chapter of habitat humanity , arlington street people s assistance network. since 1990s, kol ami, reconstructionist jewish community, has met @ uuca in library , fellowship rooms.