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Forty - Four Years of Fellowship
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A
Brief History of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at
Stony Brook
Fall
1962 – An enthusiastic group gathers at the
home of Joan and Dick Feyk, Stony Brook, and conceive the
idea of forming a Unitarian Fellowship in the Three Village
area.Photo
November 1962 - Organizational charter drawn
up and approved by 17 founding members. Eleven UU families
adopted by-laws of the Unitarian Fellowship of the Three Villages
on November 27, 1962. Charter was issued in Boston on January
11, 1963.
First Ten Years: Spring 1963 The first public
meeting was held at the American Legion Hall, Main Street,
Setauket. Early public meetings and services were held Tuesday
evenings at the Suffolk Museum (now TV Garden Club Exchange).Photo
Spring 1963 Local philanthropist Ward Melville
offers five five-acre sites on Nicolls Road at a the bargain
price of $10,000. Charter members contact the Veatch Committee
in Plandome, which advances funds to secure this property.
Many homes: We rent a small five-room house
on Cedar Street, Stony Brook; adult services are held on Sunday
evenings. With a first enrollment of 31 students Religious
Education classes are held on Sunday mornings. Photo
1965 We grow to 44 members, 26 families.
Space crunch leads to a discussion of needs, costs, and architectural
styles for a building on the Nicolls Road plot. Our architect
prepares two-story building plans which are submitted, as
required by deed, to the Ward Melville Corporation. Unfortunately,
the plans are not approved. Seven modifications later there
is frustration and disagreement and the building plans are
laid aside.
1967 Fifty members, 30 families, no room.
We buy an eight-room house on the corner of Bayview Ave. &
25A, East Setauket. It is our home for 9 years. Photo
We rent space to liberal organizations and Art Barn classes;
Coffee House for college students; annual Holiday Fair begun.
1968 We are up to 75 members.
Second decade:
1973-74 We participate in the “Sharing in Growth”
program which analyzed how our Fellowship could function better
and grow.
1975 We are 106 members and 60 families.
1973 We hire part-time Director of Religious
Education Linda Volkersz. Fall 1973 space needs force us to
rent the Slavic Center theater Photo,
Port Jefferson for Sunday morning adult services; Bayview
space is used for the growing Children’s R.E. activities.
Because the locations are two miles apart we reassemble for
coffee hour. We decide to find roomier quarters.
1974 We decide to build on Nicolls Road property.
We chose Stanmar Associates who use prefab techniques and
design structure. We sell the Bayview house and get substantial
bank mortgage plus an interest-free loan from the Veatch Committee.
1975 The congregation votes to sign contracts.
Construction began in August and was completed in December.
1976 January We move in! Children and adults
participate in a service of songs and smiles.
Photo
1976 February 29 Representatives of local
churches, Unitarian churches and fellowships, LIAC (Long Island
Area Council), and UUA, attend our Service of Dedication.
The unicorn, representing fulfillment of our building dreams,
appears in original plays and becomes a symbol of the Fellowship.
Increased space allows more activities: Person-to-Person (later
to be called In Other Words -- IOW) is started; we host LIAC
& Metro NY District affairs, UUFSB-sponsored monthly art
exhibits and other Fellowship activities. Outside groups begin
to use the facility. We are growing fast!
1980 We add a Parish Assistant, Sue Serie,
to the salaried staff. The congregation is still lay-led and
we continue to grow.
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Recent History
1982-Present
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Decade: In preparation for hiring
full-time minister, we participate in the UUA initiated and
promoted Minister-On-Loan program which brings Fred Muir and
family to us for six weeks, from January - February 1982 The response is enthusiastic and we call Steve Edington
as extension minister in September 1984. We celebrate our 25th
Anniversary. Participants include an active Liberal Religious
Youth group.
1988 After an intensive search, we call the
Rev. Kate Lehman as full-time minister to the renamed Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook. Her vision and spiritual
leadership and enthusiasm foster even more growth
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1989 An idea is conceived to utilize our beautiful
sylvan woods for an 1890’s Summer Fair, which is held
the July 4th weekend. Due to the enthusiastic community response
we decide to offer this family entertainment annually. Members
share in the community effort and we are soon raising money
for the building fund.
1990 After planning with an architect for enlarging
our building, the feasibility study concludes that we do not
have the required number of pledge units to start a building
expansion. We go on double session for Sunday services and rent
a trailer for added R.E. space. Laura Puchalski replaced Sue
Serie as Administrative Assistant
Fourth
Decade:
1992 We
celebrate our 30th Anniversary.
1993 Renters who contract for long-term use
include a private nursery school which rents the building during
the week.
1994 We have 111 pledging units.
1997 We hire Susan Catanzaro to be our new
part-time Administrative Assistant. We hold our first Goods
and Services Auction which annually raises money for building
fund. We celebrate our 35th Anniversary. A Comprehensive Planning
Committee (CPC) is formed to assess space needs.
1998 We hire a UUA development consultant who
spends a weekend leading our members through the steps of a
successful building expansion, from writing our own mission
statement to assessing our financial resources, to raising the
capital. CPC becomes the Dream Team, with financial, capital
campaign, building, exterior and interior components. Chaleff
& Rogers are hired as architects. They design a handsome,
functional building.
1999 Capital Campaign is launched. Kate takes
a half-year sabbatical.
2000 Kate trains Pastoral Assistants. An office
assistant is hired.
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