BAUUC History

The Universalist Church of America was organized in 1785. In 1825 The American Unitarian Association was formed. These two associations were merged in 1961 to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. (UUA)

In the early years after the merger, a staff minister of the UUA, Monroe Husbands, led an effort to organize lay led societies called Fellowships. The BAUUC was formed as part of that effort in 1965. The original name was The Bay Area Unitarian Fellowship. It had ten members. Members met in homes, at a local church and later at the San Jacinto College.

We were later moved to less favorable quarters at the college. We formed a building committee to investigate building our own building. With the help of our District Executive, Rev. Russ Lockwood we obtained loans from the UUA and local foundations to build our first building in Pasadena. We had 25 members. Rev. Russ Lockwood gave the Dedication sermon in Oct. of 1972. Today we have grown to 287 members and an average of 160 active friends and visitors.

Highlights of Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church:

1972 - 1982

• Held their first weddings, baby dedications and memorial services
• Developed organizational skills; began regular Board meetings
• Organized an RE program
• Much District and Association involvement
• Shared in growth with Shreveport Church
• Began participation in first shared minister, Van Vanstrom; 1/4 time program
• Fellowship had 50 members

1982 - 1990

• Van Vanstrom encouraged us to begin long range planning
• Formed a long range planning committee in 1982
• Hired second part-time minister, Stan Aronson (1982-1985)
• Committee studies revealed that our "center of gravity" was the Clear Lake area and the demographics of Pasadena as well as the building sized was limiting our growth potential Committee recommended and the congregation approved a long range plan to sell the Pasadena site and begin the search for space in Clear Lake City
• Purchased land in Clear Lake City in December of 1984
• Began a two-year capital fund drive in January 1985
• Hired part-time minister Byron Miller (1985-1988)
• Put Pasadena site on the market in December 1985
• Conducted conceptual design study during 1986
• Pasadena site sold in August 1987.
• Moved into the high school annex for Sunday meetings
• Stored all the furnishings in member homes and garages
• Architect selected in November 1987
• Moved to the Citizens Exchange News Building in January 1988
• Formed a ministerial search committee for a full-time minister

1990 - 1999

• Called Leonora Montgomery as first full-time minister (1990-1996)
• Fellowship had 85 members
• Received financing for new building
• Hired part-time RE Director, Cheryl Walter
• Began construction on new building in 1991
• Moved into current building in 1992
• Hired Brenda Cockrell as RE Director
• Leonora Montgomery retired in May 1996; Search Committee formed
• Fellowship had 180 members
• Selected Scotty Meek as one-year interim minister (1996-1997)
• Named Leonora Montgomery as Minister Emerita in April 1997
• Changed name to Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church in May 1997
• Called Don Bissett as second full-time minister in April 1997; installed in Nov 97 Expanded RE to temporary building in December 1997; 2100 square feet of new RE space - moved RE into buildings in February 8, 1998
• Don Bissett resigned in February 1998
• Bill Murchison hired as short-term interim in April 1998
• Search committee formed for full-time minister in May 1998
• Selected Diana Heath as interim minister (1998-1999)
• Church had 220 members
• Called-Tom Burdett as full-time minister on April 25, 1999

2000 - 2005

• Church had 240 members in May 2000
• Dedicated Zimmerman Sport Facility-in November 2001
• Tom Burdett resigned in December 2001
• Scotty Meek agreed to be short-term interim in December 2001
• Church had 199 members in January 2002
• Search committee nominated and elected in May 2002
• Selected Rev. Jeanne Melis Mills as interim minister (2002-2003) – 210 members
• Search committee extends another year
• Selected Shirley Ranck as interim minister (2003-2004) - 223 members
• Feb 2004, the search committee recommends Dr. Rev. Matt Tittle, as a candidate to the congregation - 214 members
• March 2004 the congregation voted 140 to 0 to call Rev Tittle
• Rev. Tittle begins ministry in August of 2004.
• On Dec 5th Matt was formally installed as our fourth full time minister. Membership 228
• Congregation adopts new mission and vision statements in Jan 2005
• Congregation adopts two service format Feb 2005 - 233 members