New River Unitarian Fellowship

We Welcome You!

New River Unitarian Fellowship

**NOTE – Due to Covid restrictions we are not holding “in-person” meetings for the foreseeable future.
We DO schedule occasional meetings via Zoom, outdoor meetings and events.
We also encourage participation in one of our sister congregations, such as the Charleston Unitarian Universalist Church
(located in Charleston, WV)
Be sure to join our Mailing List, and/or follow our Facebook page for updates!**

The hour-long Sunday Service begins at 11:00 am. We begin with our Litany of Welcoming and usually includes music, readings, and a message. Our dress is casual. Coffee and fellowship are offered following each service.

Our services are mostly lay-led so we have a wide variety of messages that are shared each week. We also hold a monthly potluck luncheon and Open Forums.

At the start of each service we light our Chalice, the symbol of our Unitarian Universalist faith.

Although each service is unique, there is an Order of Service for you to follow. We encourage the congregation to keep the Order of Service to pass along to a friend!

Within services, we share as a community:

  • Holidays in the Judeo-Christian church year and reflections on the celebrations of other religious traditions
  • Readings and meditations drawn from sources of wisdom and inspiration from many spiritual traditions and times
  • The expressing of Joys and Concerns and lighting of candles is a living tradition in our congregation. This is a time we set aside for the sharing of our lives. It is a covenant we have made to one another: to sustain, support, encourage and love one another. If you have a joy or concern you would like to share, you are welcome to do so.
  • The ringing of the bowl to honor the joys and sorrows shared during the opening ceremony.
  • Once each month and during July and August our Sunday worship is lay-led. This provides an opportunity for members of the congregation to create their own worship service and share their ideas or passions.

 Where do my children go?Unknown

We do not, currently have an active Children’s program or childcare available. We try to have at least one Message for All Ages “multigenerational” service each month. We do have a quiet space with young children in mind, so caregivers can help their child take a break if necessary. Breastfeeding is welcome in our congregation.  When we do offer RE Classes (Religious Education for Children), Children and youth stay with their families for the first 20 minutes of the service, after which we sing them to their class. We have an RE room for children ages 5 and up.

If you have an interest in a Children’s Program for your child/children – please let us know! The more interest we have, the more we will make an effort to fill this need. 

The Unitarian Universalist Association of which we are a part shares the following:

We gather in worship to find meaning and live more deeply. Worship creates connections within, among, and beyond us, calling us to our better selves, calling us to live with wisdom and compassion.

Our worship styles vary by congregation, and even within congregations. Some congregations’ worship is contemporary and high tech. Some congregations’ worship is traditional and formal. Some features exuberant music, some includes long periods of silent reflection.

Some congregations have special worship services for children or for youth. Some have seasonal evening worship services led by Jewish, Christian, or Pagan members of the congregation. Nearly all of our congregations have a Sunday morning worship.

Elements of a typical Unitarian Universalist Sunday morning worship service include:

  • Words of welcome
  • Lighting a flaming chalice, the symbol of our faith
  • A multigenerational segment, such as a “story for all ages”
  • Music, both instrumental and vocal and in a variety of styles
  • A time for lifting up the joys and concerns of the congregation
  • meditation or prayer
  • Readings—ancient or contemporary
  • A sermon given by a professional minister, a guest speaker, or a member of the congregation
  • An offering, collecting financial donations for the congregation or for justice work in the community.

From time to time, worships incorporate holiday celebrations, multigenerational plays and pageants, longer musical performances, or special ceremonies to commemorate life’s passages. Most congregations offer childcare and faith development programs for children and youth during the Sunday service.