This is an abbreviated history primarily intended to put the Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton in a geographic and historical context. Please visit the Canadian Unitarian Council web pages, the Unitarian Universalist Association web pages or others on our Affiliations Page to obtain more detailed information.
Beginnings
Protestant Reformation began in 1517 when Luther posted his theses at Wittenberg. Fourteen years later, in 1531, Michael Servetus published his first book, critical of the doctrine of the Trinity. This publication initiated the movement that later became known as Unitarianism.
The first distinctly Unitarian denomination in England began with Theophilus Lindsay, a theologian and clergyman, who founded the Essex Street Chapel in London in 1744. In America, Unitarian Henry Ware was appointed Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School in 1805.
His appointment initiated a shift to teaching Unitarian theology. In 1819, in Baltimore, William Ellery Channing delivered a famous address on Unitarian Christianity.
There are presently over one thousand Societies and Congregations in North America affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association with about two hundred thousand adults and children as members.
In Canada
There have been Unitarian churches in Canada for well over a century. In 1957, when lines of communication were opened by the regular publication of The Canadian Unitarian, there were around twenty-five Unitarian Churches and Fellowships. Today, the Canadian Unitarian Council, an umbrella organization representing all Unitarian societies in Canada, includes forty-one member congregations. A virtual Annual General Meeting, open to all Unitarians, is held each Spring, organized by the Canadian Unitarian Council.
Atlantic Provinces
There is one other Unitarian Congregation in Atlantic Canada besides our own, that being The Unitarian Universalist Church of Halifax, situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Fredericton:
Our Fellowship had its beginning when advertisements were placed in the local newspaper and a public meeting held on October 20, 1960. In response to the interest shown, a steering committee was appointed. On October 23, 1960 the Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton was organized, with sixteen members. We are currently 44 members strong.
Early meetings were held in the N.B. Teachers Association building with the children meeting at the old YMCA. Meetings were later moved to the new YM-YWCA building. Membership gradually increased. Unitarian House, a home for our growing Unitarian family was acquired in December 1962. In the Summer of 1988, all outstanding debentures were paid off and clear and full title to the property was held by The Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericton Inc.
In the beginning, Sunday services were lay led, with members taking turns leading services, discussion groups, and workshops. In 1996 we hired the Reverend Nancy Anderson as our full-time minister. Reverend Anderson served as the UFF minister for about six years. Since then, we have been served by visiting ministers and a series of part-time ministers. Currently, we are a lay led congregation.
In 1997 we moved our worship services from our house on Charlotte Street to temporary rental space prior to acquiring our new home at 874 York Street at the close of 1999.
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