{"id":12412,"date":"2025-10-06T21:36:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T01:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/?p=12412"},"modified":"2025-11-26T21:25:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T02:25:07","slug":"uu-congregations-with-other-religious-affiliations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/2025\/10\/uu-congregations-with-other-religious-affiliations\/","title":{"rendered":"UU congregations with other religious affiliations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revscottwells.com\/2010\/05\/22\/multi-denominational-congregations-within-the-uua\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Back in 2010, Scott Wells<\/a> came up with a list of congregations that claimed an affiliation with both Unitarian Universalism and some other religious tradition. 15 years later, we&#8217;ve seen many small congregations close, so I decided to revisit Scott&#8217;s list and see how many of the congregations in his post were still in existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is my list, grouped together by U.S. state, and in alphabetical order within each state grouping. Except where noted, I&#8217;ve given religious affiliations as garnered from congregational websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Update, 13 Oct. 2025: Thanks to commenter Gabriele Simion, added several congregations; cleaned up some typos, and fixed names of denominations \/ religious groups. Update, 23 Oct.: Added Free Congregation of Sauk City, thanks to Gabriele again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The list<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The list has all multi-religious congregations I was able to find that are <em>formally affiliated with the UUA<\/em>. I determined formal affiliation based on the congregation&#8217;s appearance in the UUA&#8217;s online directory. (N.B.: I haven&#8217;t included affiliations with the new North American Unitarian Association, because they don&#8217;t publicize a list of their member congregations.) If you know of multi-religious congregations formally affiliated with the UUA that I&#8217;ve missed, please mention them in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key to religious affiliations: ABC = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc-usa.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Baptist Churches USA<\/a>; AEU = <a href=\"https:\/\/aeu.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Ethical Union<\/a>; AHA = <a href=\"https:\/\/americanhumanist.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Humanist Association<\/a>; CUA = <a href=\"https:\/\/christianuniversalist.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Christian Universalist Association<\/a>; DOC = <a href=\"https:\/\/disciples.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)<\/a>; ProgC = <a href=\"https:\/\/progressivechristianity.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Progressive Christianity<\/a>; UCC = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucc.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Church of Christ<\/a>; UMC = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.umc.org\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Methodist Church<\/a>; UUA = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uua.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Unitarian Universalist Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">District of Columbia<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ethicalsociety.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Washington Ethical Society<\/a> \u2014 Washington, DC \u2014 AEU, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.universalist.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Universalist National Memorial Church<\/a> \u2014 Washington, DC \u2014 ProgC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Georgia<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/firstexistentialist.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta<\/a> (website states an affiliation with Existentialism, which is not a formal denomination) \u2014 Atlanta, GA \u2014 Existentialism, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Illinois<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avonfederatedchurch.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Federated Church<\/a> \u2014 Avon, IL \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peopleschurchchicago.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peoples Church of Chicago<\/a> \u2014 Chicago, IL \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fedsycamore.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church<\/a> \u2014 Sycamore, IL \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Massachusetts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fpcberlin.org\/minister\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Parish Church of Berlin<\/a> \u2014 Berlin, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/firstparishofbolton.org\/our-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Parish of Bolton<\/a> \u2014 Bolton, MA \u2014 ABC, UCC, UUA; and &#8220;Quaker roots&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fed-church.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church of Charlton<\/a> (listed on the UUA website as &#8220;First Universalist Society Federated&#8221;) \u2014 Charlton, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstchurchofdeerfield.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Church of Deerfield<\/a> \u2014 Deerfield, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>First Universalist Church of Hardwick Preservation Trust (part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/triparishcommunitychurch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tri-Parish Community Church,<\/a> which meets at First Universalist July-Dec.; affiliations from UCC denominational website, and UUA directory) \u2014 Hardwick, Mass. \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fplincoln.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Parish in Lincoln<\/a> \u2014 Lincoln, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ccnot.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Community Church Of North Orange And Tully<\/a> \u2014 Orange, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fedchurchorleans.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church of Orleans<\/a> \u2014 East Orleans, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theeliotchurch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eliot Church of South Natick<\/a> \u2014 Natick, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcsterling.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Church in Sterling<\/a> \u2014 Sterling, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sturfed.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church of Sturbridge and Fiskdale<\/a> \u2014 Sturbridge, MA \u2014 ABC, UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/1016338838392299\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Church of Templeton<\/a> (website is gone, I&#8217;ve linked to their active Facebook page; UCC affiliation from other online sources) \u2014 Templeton, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstchurchwb.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Church of West Bridgewater<\/a> \u2014 West Bridgewater, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/firstparishwestford.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Parish Church United of Westford<\/a> \u2014 Westford, MA \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Hampshire<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/federatedchurchmarlborough.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church of Marlborough<\/a> \u2014 Marlborough, NH \u2014 UCC, UMC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newfieldscommunitychurch.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Newfields Community Church<\/a> \u2014 Newfields, NH \u2014 UCC, UMC, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UnitedChurchofWinchester\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Church of Winchester<\/a>  (website is gone, I&#8217;ve linked to their active Facebook page; UCC, UMC affiliations from other online sources)\u2014 Winchester, NH \u2014 UCC, UMC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New York<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allsoulsbethlehem.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">All Souls Bethlehem Church<\/a> \u2014 Brooklyn, NY \u2014 DOC, UCC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Michigan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uuflint.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Flint<\/a> \u2014 ProgC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pennslyvania<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstuniversalistnepa.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Universalist Church<\/a> \u2014 Kingsley, PA \u2014 CUA, UUA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/esuuc.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">East Suburban Unitarian Universalist Church<\/a> (per comment by Elizabeth) \u2014 Murrysville, PA \u2014 AHA, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rhode Island<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstuniversalistpvd.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Universalist Church in Providence<\/a> (thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.revscottwells.com\/2025\/11\/25\/first-universalist-providence-has-a-new-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scott<\/a> for this link) \u2014 Providence, RI \u2014 CUA, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vermont<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedchurchofbethel.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Church of Bethel<\/a> \u2014 Bethel, VT \u2014 UCC, UUA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wisconsin<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freecongregation.org\/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Free Congregation of Sauk County<\/a> \u2014 Sauk City, WI \u2014 Free Thought Movement, UUA&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Others<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are other congregations that may have had a Unitarian or Universalist affiliation in the past, but no longer do. Trying to research such congregations seems incredibly difficult, so I haven&#8217;t included them. But here are three examples from Scott&#8217;s 2010 blog post:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pepperellchurch.org\/our-history.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Community Church of Pepperell<\/a>, in Pepperell, MA, is formally affiliated solely with the UCC. On their website they say that they formed as a merger between the Unitarian church and the Congregationalist church in Pepperell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/firstchurchinbelfast.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">First Church in Belfast<\/a>, Maine, was formerly affiliated with the Unitarians and the Congregationalists, but is now solely affiliated with the UCC. (The history section of their website states that &#8220;Congregationalists believed in the complete autonomy of the local church; Unitarians did not&#8221;; this is incorrect, as both Congregationalists and Unitarians share the same polity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/federatedchurch.org\/about-the-church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federated Church of Hyannis<\/a> is an &#8220;independent&#8221; (i.e., nondenominational) congregation that claims both Universalist and Congregationalist roots. It would be interesting to learn more specifics of their history; there were other Universalist churches which left the Universalist General Convention and affiliated with the Congregationalists in the first half of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you know of other multi-religious congregations with a Unitarian or Universalist history, please mention them in the comments. If possible, provide a link to their website or social media presence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Back in 2010, Scott Wells came up with a list of congregations that claimed an affiliation with both Unitarian Universalism and some other religious tradition. 15 years later, we&#8217;ve seen many small congregations close, so I decided to revisit Scott&#8217;s list and see how many of the congregations in his post were still in existence. &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/2025\/10\/uu-congregations-with-other-religious-affiliations\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;UU congregations with other religious affiliations&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[1175,1176],"class_list":["post-12412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-religion-people-places","tag-federated-churches","tag-multireligious"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12412"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12615,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12412\/revisions\/12615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danielharper.org\/yauu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}