(Click image to view video.)
Become a Member
Anyone who seeks to live in harmony with the Unitarian Universalist principles is warmly invited to join our Fellowship.
You may become a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR) by signing our Membership Book (which is separate from the Visitor Book) and by committing to participate in the life of the Fellowship through your time, talent, or treasure.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about membership, please reach out to our Membership Chair, who will be happy to talk with you about what it means to be part of our UUFR community. email
Hospitality Teams
UUFR Members are assigned to a Hospitality Team, and Friends are encouraged to join a team. Currently, we have three teams. Once a new member signs the Membership Book, a team leader will contact them to welcome them to their team.
Hospitality Teams are a meaningful way to share your time, talents, or treasures while staying connected with the congregation. Teams help care for the Fellowship and ensure our Sunday services are welcoming and well-supported. Team leaders coordinate service responsibilities by asking team members to volunteer as greeters or kitchen crew on a rotating basis.
Greeter Responsibilities
- Welcome everyone with a friendly greeting.
- Distribute the Sunday bulletin with the order of service.
- Help create a warm and inviting atmosphere for all.
Kitchen Crew Responsibilities
- Prepare coffee, water, and simple refreshments.
- Clean up afterward and remove trash.
- Ensure the building is ready to close and secured before leaving.
- Follow the To-Do lists posted in each area to confirm all tasks are completed.
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow man.” — Herman Melville
Membership & Participation Levels
At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR), there are three ways to be involved: Member, Friend, or Visitor. Each level has different roles, responsibilities, and opportunities within the Fellowship.
Member
Becoming a Member of UUFR is a meaningful commitment. Members are fully part of our UU family, helping to guide the direction of the Fellowship and uphold the UUFR covenant.
Members are eligible to:
- Vote on critical congregational matters, including leadership elections, by-law changes, ministerial decisions, and building projects.
- Serve in leadership roles, such as on the Board of Stewards or Board of Trustees.
- Attend the UUA General Assembly.
- Receive a copy of UU World, the magazine of the Unitarian Universalist Assoc. each spring and fall.
UUFR asks that Members contribute their time, talents, and treasures to help the Fellowship thrive. To explore membership, speak with anyone on the Board or contact our Membership Chair, Kelly Maitland, to make it official.
Friend
A Friend of UUFR is warmly welcomed to participate in most Fellowship activities and events, and has access to UUA materials and resources.
Friends may:
- Be listed in the fellowship directory.
- Create a personal MyUUFR login to access the directory.
- Serve on committees and assist with events.
- Share time, talents, and treasures to support UUFR’s mission.
Friends may not:
- Vote at congregational meetings.
- Participate in UUA-sponsored voting activities.
To become a Friend, contact anyone on the Membership Committee.
Visitor
A Visitor is someone who occasionally attends Sunday services or is exploring the possibility of becoming a member at UUFR. Visitors are not expected to share time or talents, though contributions to the Sunday basket are welcome. First-time visitors, however, should allow the collection basket to pass by. Visitors are welcome to attend Fellowship events and may eventually choose to become a Member or Friend of UUFR.
Stories from Members
Hank & Nancy Stupi
I love that UUs believe in the freedom of religious expression. To quote David O. Rankin, “All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theologies, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal.” I have certainly found that to be the case at UUFR.
After years of increasing dissatisfaction with dogma and hypocrisy at a local Methodist church, I followed my husband to UUFR and have found my spiritual home in this little church that looks like a lighthouse, nestled in the woods.
Carolyn Osolinik & Eddie Correia
We have found UUFR to be a place where we can share our ideas and feelings within an open and supportive community. The members of the fellowship are wonderful, loving people who come from many different backgrounds and religious traditions.
Bob & Elaine Weekley
When we retired and moved to the Northern Neck from Arlington, we thought we had discovered the perfect place, except – there was no UU church there. I had previously attended the Arlington church sporadically and wanted to get deeper. Elaine had attended occasionally with her friend in Maryland. But we moved to Lancaster anyway. One day, I saw a little ad in the Rappahannock Record about UUs meeting and to call Lorie Lowery about time and place. We visited once and were immediately attracted to this small group of free-thinking, friendly folks . . . .
We joined and have made it a central part of our lives. We have both contributed our time and money to encourage its growth and see it thrive. While the original few have mostly moved on, it has been a joy to see UUFR grow as newer members join. What I like best is being inspired by a caring group of people who share my values and thoughts about how we should live.
Lois Williams
In 1965, Lois and her late husband joined the Unitarian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. For 50 summers, the family spent a week at the Star Island Family Conference Center at the Isles of Shoals off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 2013, at the urging of their daughter, Jane Elkin of Urbanna, who cited the UUFR as one of the attractions, they moved from Potomac, Maryland, to the Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury and joined UUFR.
With UUFR’s Tom Kinney, Lois published a history of the land on which our building stands, titled The Lees of White Stone. (Amazon)
Tom & Shirley Kinney
In the early 1970s, we were committed to a small Presbyterian church near Detroit. We headed Vision and Planning and chaired Children’s Religious Education. We taught the high school class, emphasizing life skills with a tiny touch of theology. When paving the parking lot became more important than supporting those in need in the community, and a new minister believed dinosaurs and humans coexisted, it was time for a better match with our beliefs and life’s priorities . . . .
A convenient transfer to GM’s Opel in Germany provided the opportunity to break those ties and research alternatives. Upon return, we joined the Birmingham, Michigan, UU church. Our 1989 retirement to the Northern Neck missed the UU connection until 1997, when we began meeting with other UUs in private homes. That allowed us to join with a great group of people on the path to the UUFR of today.
Peny Gallogly
UUFR is home. I walked into the lobby on a Sunday in December, about a year after I moved to the Northern Neck. In this area, the church is where you can meet people and get to know them. That’s why I came. Paula Greenwood greeted me at the door with a lovely, big smile and welcoming words. I had dressed thoughtfully, not knowing how casually or formally folks would be dressed. I saw the full gamut, from shorts & Birkenstocks to tailored outfits. I was very pleased that my relaxed outfit fit in fluidly. Because of the variety of clothing, I understood that conformity was unlikely — my kind of place . . . .
Having drifted away from the Roman Catholicism of my youth, I studied the comparative philosophy of religions in college and practiced Nichirin Soshu Buddhism in my 20s.
I attended a Unity church with an amazing minister in my 30s and 40s and studied energy medicine in my 60s. I was looking for something and someplace I could feel comfortable and unconfined, a group in which I would enjoy being a part. I kept coming back. I made friends.
We sing songs. We support each other in our joys and sorrows. We welcome new ideas and speakers from within and without the Fellowship. We share food and conversation. And, oh yeah, sometimes I get to bring my dogs with me to the service. Now, I am not only a “stay here” Northern Necker, I am a “stay here” UUFR’r. Thank you all for helping me feel so very welcome. I try to do the same for all of you and for those who have yet to find and join us.
Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship of the Rappahannock
366 James Wharf Road
White Stone, VA
Mailing Address
PO Box 1266, White Stone VA 22578-1266