UUFR Covenant
As members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock, we come together to create a welcoming community of diverse people who search for spiritual meaning in our lives. We listen to each other, speak our truths, and respect ideas and beliefs that are different from our own. We take responsibility for our words and actions. We strive to be compassionate and loving with ourselves and with others. We promote social justice and serve all in our community.
Our Members ~ What We’re About
UUFR members are from different backgrounds and different spiritual paths. Those who wish to pursue their path with a commitment to mutual respect for other beliefs and lifestyles are welcome.
We are a Welcoming Congregation, committed to the inclusion of every person. All are welcome without regard for race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or economic status.
~ 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 grow.
Love holds us together as we constantly align our actions and values.
The Principles and Shared Values are the backbone of our UUFR Fellowship.
For more information on Unitarian Universalism click here.
Our History
Before 1997, there was no Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in the Northern Neck. A recent arrival, David Daugherty, wondered if there were Unitarian Universalists in the area who might be interested in meeting together. He obtained a list of those who belonged to the Church of the Larger Fellowship and contacted people in the area. As a result, he met with Susan Fallin, Ina Fuller, and Janet Sutton. Beginning in October 1997, home-based meetings were held every other Sunday.
In the spring of 1998, the group began meeting at the Lancaster Community Library. Linda Lane-Hamilton and David Hamilton, from the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist Church, met with the group in several development sessions. After this, they decided to meet every Sunday, to become a Fellowship, and adopt a name indicating a wide territory. Thus, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR) came into being.
The first Sunday of August 1998 was the first meeting of the Fellowship at a new home, the White Stone Woman’s Club. Charter Sunday was May 2, 1999, with Roger Comstock, President of the Thomas Jefferson UU District, as guest speaker. Our first president, Andrew Kelsey, presided. Andy identified “A Home of Our Own” as a future priority. The UUFR was accepted into the Unitarian Universalist Association and continued as a lay-led congregation with guest speakers twice a month and members speaking the other Sundays.
President Bob Weekley initiated a search for a long-term rental or purchase of property for a permanent home for our Fellowship in June 2000. A great deal of planning and activity led to the ground-breaking ceremony on June 3, 2007. The first Sunday service in the not-yet-finished building was on August 17, 2008, and then on November 16, 2008, the building was officially dedicated.
Now, in a home of our own, the mission to inspire intellectual and spiritual growth is reinforced by the informal and provocative services and programs led by the congregation and visitors. The Fellowship continues to be involved in several community programs. Our “Kid’s First” program, to support high-quality pre-K programs in four of our county schools, has been implemented in Lancaster and Middlesex, with talks underway in Matthews and Northumberland. We have a butterfly garden, a labyrinth, and a memorial grove. In June of 2018, we hired our first part-time minister, and the expansion of the building was completed.
In March of 2024, our first minister retired and we will be starting our search for a new minister.
UUFR Vision
Promote a welcoming, inclusive, diverse community in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.
UUFR Mission
Be a “covenantal” community that embraces and promotes the Unitarian Universalist principles in our personal lives, the fellowship, and the world.
Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship of the Rappahannock
366 James Wharf Road
White Stone, VA
Mailing Address
PO Box 1266, White Stone VA 22578-1266