UUFR Covenant
As members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR), we come together to create a welcoming and inclusive community of diverse individuals seeking spiritual meaning in our lives. We listen deeply to one another, speak our truths with integrity, and honor ideas and beliefs that differ from our own. We take responsibility for our words and actions, striving always to live with compassion and love—for ourselves and for others. We are committed to promoting social justice and serving all members of our wider community.
Our Members
Our Fellowship is home to people from many backgrounds and spiritual paths. All who wish to explore their personal journeys in a spirit of mutual respect for differing beliefs and ways of life are warmly welcomed here.
We are a Welcoming Congregation, dedicated to the full inclusion of every person. All are welcome—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or economic circumstance.
The Seven UU Principles
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock affirms and promotes these Seven Principles:
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth;
- A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process;
- The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
- Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Our Shared Values
Our Unitarian Universalist Shared Values are centered around Love: Equity, Generosity, Interdependence, Justice, Pluralism, and Transformation
- Equity. We respect the inherent worthiness and dignity of every person and build inclusive communities.
- Generosity. We practice gratitude and share our presence and resources;
- Interdependence. We honor, protect, and heal the interdependent web of all existence;
- Justice. We work to dismantle racism and oppression, co-creating a socially just world that works for everyone;
- Pluralism. We celebrate and learn from diverse cultures, theologies, and experiences in our free, responsible search for meaning;
- Transformation. We are open to experience and growth.
Love holds us together
as we constantly
align our actions and values.
Our Principles and Shared Values are the backbone of our UUFR Fellowship.
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Our History
Before 1997, there was no Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Virginia’s Northern Neck. That year, newcomer David Daugherty wondered whether other Unitarian Universalists in the area might be interested in gathering together. Using a list from the Church of the Larger Fellowship, he reached out to local members and soon connected with Susan Fallin, Ina Fuller, and Janet Sutton. In October 1997, the first home-based meetings began, held every other Sunday.
By spring 1998, the group had grown and moved to the Lancaster Community Library. With guidance from Linda Lane-Hamilton and David Hamilton of the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist Church, the group decided to meet weekly, form a formal Fellowship, and adopt a name reflecting their broader regional reach—the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR).
The Fellowship held its first service at the White Stone Woman’s Club in August 1998. On Charter Sunday, May 2, 1999, Roger Comstock, President of the Thomas Jefferson UU District, joined as guest speaker, while Andrew Kelsey, UUFR’s first president, presided. Andy identified “A Home of Our Own” as a key goal for the new Fellowship.
In June 2000, under President Bob Weekley, UUFR began the search for a permanent home. Years of planning led to the groundbreaking ceremony on June 3, 2007. The first service in the not-yet-finished building took place on August 17, 2008, and the building was officially dedicated on November 16, 2008.
Now in a home of our own, UUFR continues to inspire both intellectual and spiritual growth through engaging, thoughtful, and sometimes provocative services and programs led by members and guest speakers alike. Our Fellowship remains deeply involved in community outreach, including the “Kids First” program supporting high-quality pre-K education in local schools. We also nurture spaces for reflection and remembrance, including a butterfly garden, labyrinth, and memorial grove.
UUFR Vision & Mission
- Our vision is to promote a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse community throughout the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.
- Our mission is to be a covenantal community that lives out and advances the Unitarian Universalist principles in our personal lives, our Fellowship, and the wider world.
Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship of the Rappahannock
366 James Wharf Road
White Stone, VA
Mailing Address
PO Box 1266, White Stone VA 22578-1266