History of the Unitarian Church of Greensboro

Origins

The Unitarian-Universalist Church of Greensboro (UUCG) had its origins in an advertisement placed in the Greensboro Daily News on October 6, 1951 which asked, "Are you a Unitarian without knowing it?" It was the inspiration of Roger Walke, a businessman who had recently moved to Greensboro. Within a month, a group of about 25 people began to meet regularly in the public library. The church remained congregation-led "fellowship" until 1976 when its first settled minister was hired. During the early years most Sunday morning services were given by faculty members of local colleges and universities and visiting clergy, in addition to well-informed members of the congregation. When the church grew beyond the space in the library it met in a number of buildings downtown including a room above a seed store. Recognizing its need for a place for children and youth, in 1960 the church purchased a dwelling at 2604 West Market Street. The religious education [RE] program soon occupied half of the building.

The early years were not easy. Talk about money, much less about taking up collection, was taboo because many members had experienced money pressures in denominations they had abandoned and wanted no part of it. Instead, a dish was placed near a door where members could deposit checks and cash -- with a bit of "slight-of-hand" as one of the early leaders put it.

Help from Boston

The Greensboro pioneers were not alone in their efforts in North Carolina or the South. The new Unitarian congregation in Greensboro was part of a larger effort being carried out by the Unitarian Association in Boston to assist Southerners in the creation of new congregations in the early 1950s. In addition to Greensboro, the Association helped to organize congregations in Charlotte, Asheville, and Raleigh. The growth and continuity of the church is a lasting tribute to the interest of Boston, to forward-thinking members of UUCG, and most of all to the sheer determination of those members to keep alive a place for liberal religion in Greensboro. In 1961 the Unitarian Association merged with the Universalists to become the Unitarian Universalist Association, or UUA. (Universalist congregations had first been formed in North Carolina as early as the 1840s, while others had been started in the 1920s.) All of the churches that were organized with Boston’s help continue to serve their communities and to help those who are "Unitarians without knowing it" realize that there is a place for them and their visions and beliefs.

Continuing Growth

By 1969, the church had outgrown the Market Street dwelling and soon acquired a seven-acre tract of land on Monterey Street in southeastern Greensboro. A prize-winning building with spectacular 15-foot high windows -- along with adequate space for RE -- was erected in thick woods along Interstate 40. It was dedicated on December 1, 1970. True to predictions, the new building, with its larger facilities and adequate parking space, brought a larger congregation as well as a solid budget. The impact of the church on the Greensboro community increased as members joined other denominations in opposition to the Vietnam War and in civil rights protests, along with direct philanthropy from the church -- especially members’ long service at Potters House.

 Monterey Street

 1970 Construction was begun by McClean Construction of Kernersville of a building designed by John Mcrae. The amount of $118,848 was borrowed from several foundations, the UUA and a local lender.

A Full-Time Minister

In 1976 the church hired its first full-time minister, Wyman Rousseau. Wyman’s ministry was a time when the church matured from being a "fellowship" into a recognized "church" of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Rousseau led the creation of Hospice at Greensboro, was a member of the Greensboro Ministerial Association, and represented Unitarian-Universalism locally on many occasions.

A New Building

Wyman Rousseau’s ministry continued through the 1980s after which the church had several interim ministers and two settled ministers. One of the interim ministers convinced the congregation to hold "Miracle Sunday," during which the debt on the Monterey Street building was paid off in one day. As the congregation grew and confronted the vast reconstruction of Interstate 40 in the late 1990s it began to search for a larger place that would be more accessible to individuals and families throughout the Triad area. In a lucky moment a member of the congregation spotted a "For Sale" sign on our present location at the corner of Hilltop Road and Guilford College (in Jamestown) and rushed to make a down payment on the property. The current building was dedicated in a joyous celebration on September 19,1999. Other significant and joyful occasions included welcoming our current minister, Alex Richardson, who gave his first sermon in our church on September 9, 2001. With the theme "Celebrating Golden Opportunities," a six-month long celebration of UUCG’s golden anniversary was kicked off on October 14, 2001 and culminated in April with a weekend gala and a formal installation of Alex Richardson on April 22, 2002.

The Continuing Theme

The enduring theme of UUCG is reaching out to those who are "Unitarians without knowing it" -- people who seek the answer to Roger Walke’s questions*. We as a church welcome religious liberals and "like minds" who join together with similar beliefs and concerns. Through the years, we find new opportunities for service to Greensboro (and the larger community), and continue to ask penetrating and vital questions about how to best support and strengthen our community.  

 -- Alex Stoesen, History Professor Emeritus, Guilford College, Member UUCG since 1971  

 *Roger Walke’s questions
Are you a Unitarian without knowing it?
1. Do you believe the Bible to be an inspiring, human document, rather than the literal “word of God?”
2. Do you believe that man is not “condemned by the doctrine of original sin,” but inherently capable of improvement?
3. Do you believe the development of character to be more important than the accepting of religious creeds?
4. Do you believe the purpose of religion is to help us live this life nobly and constructively, rather than to emphasize the preparation for an after-existence?