UUC History

In 1956, seven families applied to the Unitarian Universalist Association for a charter, seeking a liberal spiritual home. The Fellowship was granted a charter and held early meetings in various halls and churches.

Our first Meeting House was completed in December 1967, followed by an expansion in the early 80s to accommodate our increase in membership. We soon outgrew this space, and in 1992, moved into a new building right up the hill from the old one.

We continued attracting new members and again found ourselves lacking needed space, and a large expansion was completed in 2008.

Our beautiful sanctuary has hosted several concerts and gets high praise for both the acoustics — and the view. UUC members are reclaiming the wild flower garden, EarthSpirit Sisters built a labyrinth, members participate in a community garden, and a Memorial Garden and columbarium were recently completed.

We began as the Blacksburg Unitarian Fellowship before changing our name to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the New River Valley following the merger of the Unitarians and Universalists in 1961. In 2003, we voted to recognize that we were no longer a Fellowship but a Congregation, and our name was changed to Unitarian Universalist Congregation. After several years of being lay-led or having part-time ministers, we called our first full-time settled minister in 1999. Today we have over 170 members, a thriving Religious Education Program, a very active Social Action Program, are a Welcoming Congregation and hope soon be recognized as a Green Sanctuary.