A short history of the Thoreau Congregation
We are a young congregation in a faith whose roots in America date back to colonial times. Our congregational history is just beginning.
The Henry David Thoreau Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Bend County grew out of a desire of our sister congregations, notably Emerson Unitarian Church in west Houston and the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church in Clear Lake, to expand the practice of liberal religious principles westward in the greater Houston area.
After mailing post cards to a target group of families, we had our first informal meeting in a Tex-Mex restaurant late in the year 1994. Over the next few months, we held organizational meetings and informal services in a comedy club, and then in an elementary school. As we moved to each larger space, we experienced a bit of trepidation, but on we went — making leaps of faith, making connections, spreading the good news of Unitarian Universalism, and growing, growing, and growing. Ninety-five people and four local ministers attended our first public meeting, held in the First Colony Conference Center in August of 1995 — less than a year after our first informal gathering.
In January 1996, we moved to the Susanna Dickinson Elementary School in Greatwood. On May 12 of that year, we held our Charter Sunday worship service, during which 69 adults signed our membership book!
During this journey, we received tremendous guidance from our mentoring minister, the Rev. Leonora Montgomery. With help from the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Southwestern UU Conference, and many generous, dedicated individuals, we hired our first Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Rhoda Everett. Shortly afterwards we received funding from the denomination’s New Congregation Ministry Program to hire a full-time minister. In August 1999, the Rev. William Clark ("Rev. Bill") came to us from the northeast to be our first minister under contract for five years. Rev. Bill remained with us through this period, leading us through challenges and celebrations and providing a safe and welcoming space for spiritual and intellectual growth. We moved to our current location on Greenbriar in Stafford shortly after he arrived.
Shortly after our Charter Sunday, our Board of Trustees created a long-range planning committee to recommend a five-year growth plan to our Board and members. As part of this plan, we searched for and bought a little over six acres on Brand Lane in Stafford, not far from our current location, where we plan to build our first permanent home in 2005. Our members responded with enthusiastic generosity to a capital campaign we held in 2003 to raise a portion of the money needed for the land and building.
In May 2004, we had 143 members and more than 60 children enrolled in our Faith Development program. At the end of his five-year contract, June 2004, Rev. Bill left us to return to his home state in the northeast. We hired an interim minister, the Rev. Evan Keely, to serve one year while a Search Committee of seven members, elected by the congregation, undertook the search for a new settled minister. On May 1, 2005, the congregation enthusiastically voted to call the Rev. Paul Beedle as our settled minister; he began his service in August of 2005.We welcome you to be a part of our history.
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OUR COVENANT Love is the doctrine of this church, |