Congregation History

 

2024

      • Congregation donated to special collection to replace footers, decking and ramps on Summit House porch
      • Rev. Leia Durland-Jones, Minister of Faith Development, takes 6 month sabbatical (February 25 to August 25, 2024)
      • Rev. Susan Karlson Sabbatical becomes halftime Minister for Faith Development
      • UUCville X account (formerly Twitter) closed with Board approval
      • 2024 Connie Cheetham Award Recipients: Burnie Davis and Sandy Brooks (2024)

2023

      • Rev. Tim Temerson contract renewed as Developmental Minister (8/2023)
      • New mission statement at the Congregational Meeting (6/4/23 )
      • 2023 Connie Cheetham Award Recipients: Janice Walker and Stan Walker 
      • Congregation members raise $5,000 to replace the Rugby Road sign. Sign installed on March 9, 2003
      • The pledge drive surpasses the $500,000 goal (April 2023)
      • UUCville Building Use Task Force recommends a mask-optional policy throughout the church building and in Summit House due to low COVID infection levels in our area
      • UUGuys cleaned and painted the handrails and wall along the stairs outside the Lower Hall from the Remembrance Garden.

2022

      • Rev. Tim Temerson hired as Developmental Minister (starts August 2022)
      • Congregation Honors Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles on her Retirement (6/12/22)
      • 2022 Connie Cheetham Award Recipient: Ann Salamini
      • The June 5, 2022 multiplatform congregational meeting (Zoom and in-person) was a huge challenge, but it was successfully met because so many people pitched in their help
      • Sanctuary reopens for in-person Sunday Services on March 20, 2022. Dual-platform services (Zoom & in-person) are available

2021

      • Goodbye Reception for Rev. Alex McGee (9/12/2021)
      • Rev. Alex McGee gives her last Sermon to Congregation “Looking Upstream, Looking Downstream: So We Go” (8/29/21)
      • Congregation amends Bylaws to reflect new name (June 27th)
      • The congregation chooses the name Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville at June 6, 2021 Congregational Meeting.
      •  Interim Lead Minister Rev. Linda Olson Peebles agreed to extend her contract for another year.
      • Rev. Alex McGee takes Sabbatical (Jan-May 2021)

2020

      • Leia Durland-Jones ordained as Reverend and becomes the Minister of Faith Development (October 18th)
      • Congregation votes to change the name from TJMC-UU (September 27th)
      • Congregation votes to ordain Leia Durland-Jones (August 23rd)
      • Interim Minister Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles hired. (August 1st)
      • COVID-19 Pandemic suspends in-person services (March 16th)

2008-2019

      • Interim Minister Morris Hudgins (2008-2010)photo-history-door
      • Ministerial Search process ends without calling a new minister
      • Interim Minister Janet Newman (2010)
      • Bylaws Revision and Policy Manual overhaul
      • UUA Certified Green Sanctuary designation
      • Scott DeVeaux Director of Music (2010)
      • Erik Walker Wikstrom called as settled minister (2011)
      • U House sold (2014)
      • Molly Michie Preschool moves out of Lower Hall (2014)
      • Ordained Alexandra McGee (June 14, 2015)
      • Summit House Renovation completed (July 2015)
      • Lower Hall Renovation completed (Spring 2016)
      • 2016 Connie Cheetham Award Recipient: Margaret Gorman

 

2001-2008

      • Called David Takahashi Morris (2001)
      • Membership grew from 348 to 450
      • Covenant Group ministry established (2002)
      • KaeRenae Mitchell Parker, Music Director (2002-2010)
      • CareNet was established to provide help to church members in need of help during a crisis (2004)
      • With UU Church of Richmond, ordained Leslie Takahashi Morris (February 27, 2005)
      • Called David and Leslie Takahashi Morris as co-ministers (2005)
      • UUA certified Welcoming Congregation (2005)
      • oup Kitchen served lunch to 20-40 participants each Sunday (2005)
      • Social Action outreach becomes central to church community PACEM & IMPACT (2006)
      • Public Witness process: Banner “This Church Supports Marriage Rights” placed on the front of the church building
      • Beginning of Environmental Action/Green Sanctuary, JUUST Change (anti-racism), Peace Conversations etc.
      • Change to Large church model-change in governance structure with 5 councils plus Board (2007)
      • Increasing number of programs creates space issues
      • RE classes so large that classroom spaces are inadequate
      • Sunday 2nd worship service crowded

2000

      • Interim Minister Kim Beach

1984-2000

      • Wayne Arnason called as minister
      • Diane Ober serves as Director of Religious Education (1985-1989)
      • Andy Woods starts Soup Kitchen (1987)
      • Church size results in change to Program Church model
      • Governance structure: Board plus Councils: Administrative & Program councils, & eventually separate Social Action Council
      • Wayne Arnason active in local Coalition for Racial Justice
      • Social Action Committee disintegrated, later reforms
      • Introduction of Worship Associates (1988)
      • Partner Church association with Romanian Unitarian Church
      • Steady growth in membership and religious education participation
      • The Social Action Council included Soup Kitchen, Reproductive Rights, Peace and Justice, Interfaith Action for Homeless Children, UUSC, Welcoming Congregation, Partner Church, Denominational Concerns, Health Care Task Force and the new Environmental Concerns committee (1994)
      • Kathy Mitchell Parker Music Directory (19??-1996)
      • Sally Taylor became the Director of Religious Education (1989)
      • First attempts at becoming a Welcoming Congregation
      • Leia Durland was hired as Director of Religious Education (1992)
      • UUA Loan for purchase of Hogshire property (Summit House) (1992)
      • Judy Wells, Ministerial Intern
      • Capital Campaign to raise money for construction of Social Hall and new church offices, $430,000 raised (1993)
      • Social Hall completed (October 1994)
      • Two full Sunday Morning Worship Services (1995)
      • RE classes move to Summit House (1994)
      • Increasing membership and R.E. participation, all church programs growing
      • The Remembrance Garden was dedicated on May 5, 1996, acknowledging the efforts of its 36 founders
      • Social Action Council includes task forces (Reproductive Choice and Responsibilities, Undoing Heterosexism, Environmental Concerns, Undoing Racism), Programs (Soup Kitchen and Monthly Social Action Collections), and representatives (Interfaith Action for Homeless Children, UU Service Committee, Partner Church, Denominational Concerns) (1996)
      • Scott Williamson, Choir Director (1997-1999)
      • Ed Piper, Ministerial Intern (1997)
      • Pastoral Associate program active
      • Todd Stickland, Ministerial Intern (1997)
      • Two new Social Action Council committees were Adopt a Highway and Food Pantry. 2002 The Food Pantry expanded from once a month to twice a month (1998)
      • Burke Morton, Music Director (1999-2002)
      • Wayne Arnason resigns as minister (2000)

1983

      • Terry Sweetser resigns, Interim Charles Howe
      • Church grows to 221 members
      • Financial stability

1980-1982

      • Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, Unitarian-Universalist
      • Purchased Edward’s property (U House) for $150,000
      • Built parking lot
      • Give to Grow capital campaign
      • Financial shortfalls, borrowing to pay operating expenses
      • Carol Ogburn became the new DRE

1976-1979First Floor Staircase

      • Terry Sweetser called
      • Operating budget tripled
      • Membership increased to 200
      • Corelyn Senn Midelfort became DRE
      • UUA gave the deed to church building

1963- early 1970s

      • Called Walter Royal Jones as minister
      • School desegregation and open housing are important Charlottesville issues and racial issues divide church
      • Sale of Duschak property willed to church on “open market”
      • Unitarian Cooperative Preschool founded as first integrated preschool
      • Involvement of church members in movement to integrate public swimming pools
      • Roy Jones involved with desegregation movement
      • Church struggling financially
      • Roy Jones left and Interim minister Rudolph Gilbert took over (1972)
      • Called Curtis Crawford (1973)
      • Started Memorial Planning Society of the Piedmont
      • Hired first professional Religious Education director, Norma Velimirovic
      • Congregation fired Curtis Crawford (1974-1975)
      • Many left the church
      • Church finances in crisis, no interim minister hired, church without a minister for two years
      • Borrowed more money to repair buildings

1962

      • Henry Cheetham resigned, Interim Minister Lon Ray Call
      • Borrowed from UUA to fix church building

1954-1961

      • Henry Cheetham called to be minister
      • 144 members, 103 pledging units
      • Struggling financially to pay minister
      • Jefferson room constructed & pews installed
      • Parlor, kitchen, office, and minister’s study finished
      • $2500 deficit in operating budget
      • Choir led by Jimmy Simmons
      • Budget $17,000, deficit reduced
      • Refused to participate in white only church basement schools
      • Changed name to Thomas Jefferson Memorial Unitarian Church
      • No deficit, $19,000 budget, 200 members, 99 pledging units
      • Church mortgage paid off
      • Became Unitarian Universalist (UUA merger-1961)
      • Decreased membership to 175, decreased budget

1954photo-history-dedication-plaque

      • Building finished and dedicated

 

 

 

 

1950photo-history-cornerstone

 

 

1946

      • Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church
      • Malcolm Sutherland, full time minister
      • Land purchased for church by American Unitarian Association
      • Sunday school begun by Virginia James

1943

    • Jefferson Unitarian Society (15 charter members)
    • Henry Wilder Foote, part time minister
    • Floyd House, president
    • Carrie Baker founded the Alliance