An Overview

The roots of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville (UUFG) go back to a meeting of 15 individuals at the Florida Union on the University of Florida campus in the fall of 1952. Most of the persons present were members of the Philosophy or Humanities Departments and their spouses. The group continued to meet at the Florida Union for largely philosophical discussions for the next 10 years. Because of an influx of young parents with children, a religious education program was developed.

The Fellowship began meeting in the old Thomas Hotel in January of 1962. This was not a satisfactory location. Attendance declined somewhat, and the entire Fellowship library was ruined when a summer rain flooded the basement storage area. Fortunately, the Seventh Day Adventist Church agreed to let the Fellowship use their building for Sunday services from 1963 until 1967.

During this period, many members of the Fellowship were active in the civil rights movement. For example, the Social Action Committee picketed a university-area restaurant that refused to desegregate. Also during this period, members of the Fellowship recognized that they needed a building of their own. Fortunately, some far-sighted members had arranged the purchase of the NW 43rd Street site in 1961. A great pine tree standing like an isolated sentinel in the four-plus acres of farmland became a symbol of the Fellowship’s aspirations. In April of 1965 an architect was employed. However, because of difficulty in securing clear title to the property, the building was not completed until September of 1976. The great pine tree survived the construction project to grace the courtyard beyond the sanctuary.

The Fellowship drew strength from its new, permanent home on NW 43rd Street. From the 87 members listed for October 1967, the growth was substantial. Much of the growth followed the calling of Linnea Pearson, who served as minister from November 1976 to June 1979. Jack Donovan began his 17-year ministry in August 1986. In April 1997, the Fellowship once again moved to larger facilities, this time to NW 34th Street to new facilities constructed on 9+ acres of property.

In 2002, the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary. UUA President Bill Sinkford traveled from Boston to attend the celebration. In 2003, the Rev. Donovan retired from parish ministry. After three years of interim ministry, the congregation called as co-ministers the Rev. LoraKim Joyner and the Rev. Meredith Garmon, who began serving the congregation in August 2006.