Our History – On April 6, 1961 a group of like-minded individuals gathered to hear a Mr. Munroe Husbands (pictured), Continental Director of the American Unitarian Association speak in Beckley, WV. Some of the people who attended the presentation (including a Mr. John Hodel) were so inspired that they vowed to establish a Unitarian Fellowship here in Beckley.
The following month on May 15, 1961, the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America merged to become the Unitarian Universalist Association and on the same day, with the guidance and support of Mr. Husbands, the New River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship became one of the first societies admitted to the newly formed Association.
For the next 23 years, John Hodel donated meeting space at the old Raleigh Register Newspaper building to the NRUUF, which then relocated to the Temple Beth El for several years, before a period of time in the 90s when meetings were held just once a month at various locations. Regular meeting spots included the homes of various members and more regularly, the old Pagoda Restaurant (located on Harper Road), the Comfort Inn and occasionally local State Parks where they enjoyed a more natural outdoor setting and usually a picnic.
Finally, on January 19th, 1992 shortly after the ordination ceremony for their long time lay leader, Beverly Kinraide, the NRUUF found it’s own home at 911 South Kanawha Street in Beckley, where we resided until our decision to sell the property near the end of 2021. We are now in the process of collaborating with other WV UUs to create a regular online experience for our congregation, as well as scheduling in-person local meetups. It seems that we are going back to our roots, enjoying picnics in local parks.
The NRUUF has undergone many changes over the decades, but we are still a place where one can find others who need a “different” spiritual experience in our local community, who seek the value of deeds more than words, who support each other during times thick and thin, who are strong, yet adaptable and ever mindful of the need for those who will work to make our world a better place… one person at a time.