The UUCM was founded in January 1950 as the Unitarian Fellowship of Marin. At that time it was a gathering of a few eager families in a private home. One primary purpose of the group then was to provide a liberal religious education for their children, a focus which continues to be strong and vital. They also wanted to build a religious community in which to engage their own liberal faith and spiritual journeys. This continues as a primary direction for UUCM.
In 1961 The Universalist church of America and the American Unitarian Association joined together to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. This was a merger which had been a hope for many Unitarians and Universalists for almost 70 years. A conversation about merger had started back in 1893 at the first Counsel of World Religions in Chicago Ill. where the American Unitarian Association along with the Theosophical Society had organized this ‘first of its kind’ event. But it wasn’t until 1961 that our two denominations were finally able to achieve this long hoped for union.
In the mid 1960’s this church home on the hill was completed and the Unitarian Fellowship became Unitarian Universalist. Liberal religion has continued to flourish here in its rooms and sanctuary. Many names of founding Members of the now Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, or UUCM can be found on plaques on the corner pillars in the sanctuary.
View group photos of UUCM members by decade of joining.
UUCM is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), an association of congregations across the United States. Our denominational headquarters are in Boston at 25 Beacon St. All Unitarian Universalist Congregations are polity governed (self). Our United States roots are in the congregational movement and its protest against ‘the church of state’ (Anglican) of the early 1700’s. Each individual Unitarian Universalist congregation calls it own ministry and elects its own leadership. There are many common values among us and a covenant to which UU congregations, fellowships and churches generally adhere to. We as a liberal religious movement are diverse in many ways and reflect the communities where we are found. Driven by our liberal values each group governs itself and creates its own unique expression within the larger world of our liberal religious communities.
Ours is a energetic and bright liberal religious congregation. We promote growth both spiritually and intellectually for all who join with us, old and young, theist, agnostic or atheist, regardless of sexual orientation, race or previous religious affiliation. Diversity and acceptance are values we strive to embody holding each other in courtesy and respect. Our hearts are open as are our hands to all who would join in the journey. We work both in community and individually to further our spiritual evolution. We are a Welcoming Congregation and a Green Sanctuary congregation having completed our denominational requirements to earn both of these designations. We are proud of our UUCM community efforts in these and many other ways. We covenant together for our environment and social justice, and work to provide a caring and welcoming liberal religious home.
UUCM is a member of the Pacific Central District (PCD). The Pacific Central District is one of 19 districts that make up the Unitarian Universalist Association, our national body. The PCD serves more than 6000 Unitarian Universalists in 39 fellowships, congregations and churches here in northern California, northern Nevada, and Hawaii. The PCD and its staff provide services to UUCM in numbers of ways. Primary in these are sponsoring regional and district-wide training events, consultation on resources and support visits by District staff and visiting UUA staff.
We welcome all people who seek to do no harm and wish to join in our Liberal religious tradition of Unitarian Universalism.
