UUCC History
A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF CANANDAIGUA.
Three people had a dream one day in the Fall of l991. That dream was to have a Unitarian Universalist Congregation in the city of Canandaigua. The Reverends Carl and Maureen Thitchener (co-ministers of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst near Buffalo, NY, and also serving the Waterloo Fellowship in Waterloo, Canada), spent their summers at their retreat in the Bristol Hills, where they met Shelley Page, a young active Unitarian Universalist in the Rochester Unitarian congregation who had strong talents in areas of programming and growth. A dream of having a congregation in Canandaigua was shared equally. The initial step was to hold public meetings at Wood Library, to see if there was interest in this community. There was, and Shelley went for New Congregation Training at our denomination’s headquarters in Boston.
Things began to happen to make the dream come true; afternoon information meetings were held at what is now the Inn on The Lake in Canandaigua. The attendance was small but among those who came, there was a sense that this dream could come true.
Soon there were regular services held at the Thompson Cooperative on Main Street in Canandaigua at 4:00 p.m. on Sundays. (The Thitcheners were not available on Sunday mornings due to the commitments to the other congregations which they served.)
Ariel Wunrow, a long-time Unitarian Universalist from the New York City area became the first Religious Education Director, and Bill Mehls, music teacher for the Canandaigua elementary schools became the Music Director.
In early 1992 it became quite evident that this congregation would grow, but needed some changes for this to happen. A professional canvass enabled them to call their first Intern Minister, Betsy Spaulding, in the Fall of 1993; the services were changed to mornings, and the congregation was chartered as a full member of the Unitarian Universalist Association on October 3, 1993.
Another Intern, Samuel “Chip” Wright, was hired in the fall of 1994, and was then hired as a part-time minister for another year.
Space became an issue, and the congregation purchased their present home at 3024 Cooley Rd., in Canandaigua, a former Jehovah’s Witness Hall. Members of the congregation became actively involved in planning for the future by building space for their active and growing Religious Education program.
On Easter Sunday, 1997, the new building was officially dedicated.
Rev. Wright took a permanent position in the state of Washington, and the Reverend Thitcheners came as co-ministers in the fall of 1997.
The congregation continues to grow. The Religious Education program continues to thrive and have more space requirements. There is a choir on many Sundays under the Music Director, Bill Mehls.
We welcome everyone to come and see how we continue the dream!