Our History

 

A Brief History of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Key West

 

The seeds for the UUFKW were sown, appropriately enough, on a sailboat when Jen Eversole and Howard and Ellie Crane decided to see if there were other religious liberals in town who would like to join together. They placed in ad in the Key West Citizen. As a result, fifteen people came together on Easter Sunday, March 30, 1986 and signed a simple statement: "We want to become members of a Key West UU Fellowship."

 

Early services were a moving experience! We met at Indigenous Park, at a cistern behind the Chamber of Commerce in Mallory Square (fondly remembered as the Cistern Chapel), and at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. In February 1987, we began to rent space at the Woman’s Club until the president accused us of being "unchristian" and we were evicted without notice.

 

That didn’t prevent progress. In the summer of 1987, we formulated the bylaws and that fall, we became incorporated under state law. By January 1988, we had the required minimum of 20 members and became affiliated with UUA. It was right about then that we began to meet at the 7^th Day Adventist Church on Fifth Street. We were very happy in the spacious facility until a parishioner complained to their board that we were preaching paganism. This time we got 90 days notice.

 

Our next stop was Holy Innocents Episcopal Church on Flagler Ave. We had a harmonious relationship with the congregation that might have lasted forever if the bishop hadn’t disbanded them and put the church up for sale. We wrote to 29 churches in Key West, asking for space to rent or buy. The only answer came from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on North Roosevelt Avenue. We made many good friends there.

 

In the meantime, our building fund investments grew rapidly with the bull market and members generously pledged their support. We began to look for a place of our own. We looked at a lot of properties and were becoming discouraged when there it was! 801 Georgia Street. Formerly a Cuban social club, Los Caballeros de Marti, it was the right space in the right place at a price we could afford. The first service was held in the new building on the first Sunday in March 1998 and the building was dedicated on November 28, 1998.

 

 In March 2006, the UUFKW celebrated its 20^th anniversary.

The Fellowship had always been lay-led by talented and resourceful members and visiting presenters. We began to look toward the day when we could enjoy the services of a full time minister who would bring a professional perspective to worship, pastoral care, and fellowship organization.  Reverend Barbara Jamestone became our first half time minister for 2005-2006. After diligent work, the search committee presented Reverend Dr. Randy Becker as a candidate for the full time minister position. He accepted the position and began February 1st 2007

We welcome you as we approach our third decade of fellowship united by our commitment to the principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association of America and to the unfettered exercise of liberal religion”.

Marilyn Smith Current President