Our History, Beliefs & Symbols

History
The Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was founded in 1958 and received an official charter from what is now the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in 1970. The fellowship operated informally for many years, meeting in people’s homes and various locations throughout Boone, including the Public Library.

In 1981, the Fellowship purchased the home at 381 E. King Street, and we finally had a place of our own! On November 15, 1981, after many hours of cleaning, painting, papering, wiring, and plumbing, The Founder's House was formally dedicated in a ceremony presided over by Reverend Don Male from the Southern Region of the UUA.

For the first five years, we shared the upstairs space with OASIS, a shelter for battered women and children, and held our services, religious education, and fellowship functions downstairs. In 1989, the Fellowship purchased additional property directly behind the Founder's House.

By June 1991, we had outgrown the Founder's House and broke ground on what is now the Sanctuary, with seating for 120 people.

The Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is an intentionally diverse and inclusive group offering a refuge for spiritual and intellectual growth to people at every intersection of identity, be it past religious histories, personal background, race, ethnicity, or nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or social status. We dedicate our membership, facilities, and staff to be a presence and influence in our community, to make a difference socially, ethically, and spiritually.

Chalice and Covenant

At the opening of Unitarian Universalist services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of our faith. It unites our members and symbolizes the spirit of our work.

We light our chalice each week to signal our coming together as a community and recite our covenant.

We are covenantal rather than a creedal faith; that is, we make commitments to each other about our actions and intentions rather than our theological beliefs.