On Sunday, April 27, 2025, history was rejoicefully made as congregation members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro gathered together to celebrate the church's long tenured history.
The congregation gathered to celebrate the fellowship reaching its 40-year anniversary in Statesboro with smiles, laughter, and love, roaming throughout the church to look back on the years leading up to the anniversary.
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro was originally started in 1985 by the late Rev. Frank Anderson of the Savannah Unitarian Universalist Church after compiling a list of locals in the Statesboro area who often visited his church in Savannah.
These members would continue to grow steadily from the Statesboro area through the years by word of mouth, the church's programs, and through the monthly potluck suppers the church offered to anyone willing to come.
The growing number of residents from the Statesboro area would eventually lead to these members gathering together to re-affiliate the group to rejoin the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1990.
This act paved the way for the future of the church, setting in stone the building blocks of what the congregation would grow to become today.
The church began their long awaited celebration service with words from long-tenured church member and City Council Member Shari Barr, and she spoke to all of the members in attendance on the long journey the church has taken to arrive at this pivotal milestone.
She expressed her love for the church and its wonderful impact on her family through the years.
Rev. Dr. Jane Page would then lead the church in service after Barr spoke, bringing everyone together to beautifully sing the church's hymns.
This celebration was a powerful moment to witness for Rev. Dr. Jane Page, as she has been in a minister role with the church for almost 20 years, watching the church develop into what all of Statesboro sees today.
“Everyone is welcome here, no matter whom you love, the color of your skin, your nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, or your religious or philosophical beliefs. All who treat others with respect are invited to our religious home. Our Faith draws on many religious traditions, welcoming people with different beliefs. We are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma,” said Page.
The service united all the church members together, giving everyone in attendance the opportunity to share their love and appreciation for the church as they look back on their journey with the ministry.
As the service wrapped up, officially completing 40 years of service, all of the members in attendance were offered the chance to stay after service to enjoy the church's potluck supper, offering plenty of delicious homemade dishes to everyone.
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro plans to continue building in the years ahead, as they seek to continue offering the individuals a place to center oneself, programs to expand one’s heart and mind, and a supportive community in which to question, celebrate, and work towards justice and peace.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro meets every Sunday at 10:30am at 6762 Cypress Lake Road Statesboro, Georgia.