A note to the reader: you are invited to explore the full history of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana Champaign. Go to this link to see an excellent history slide show produced and narrated by Jerry Carden. This history takes you from the beginning of the Unitarian and Universalist Church in Urbana Champaign up to the early twenty-first century. The following highlights important developments that intersect with the congregations’ focus on religious education.

1859: The Universalist Church was founded. Its home would soon be located at the corner of Green and Birch Street in Urbana, IL.

1868: The University of Illinois was founded within a few years of the founding of the Universalist church. The University would influence congregational life for the Unitarian and the Universalist congregations.

1907: The Unitarian Church was founded near the University of Illinois campus. Its proximity to the campus influenced its membership and programming.

1948: Unitarian Vashti McCollum wins the Supreme Court case McCollum vs Board of Education of Champaign, Illinois which fought the dictated teaching of religion and religious ideals in the public schools. The minister, Phillip Shug, helped McCollum with this case.

Late 1940’s: The post-war baby boom brought tremendous growth to the Unitarian church. The church built a basement to add a nursery, kitchen, and large fellowship/meeting space.

1940’s and 1950’s: Both the Unitarian and Universalist congregations used Beacon Press religious education materials.

1954-1957: The minister of the Unitarian church, Arnold Westwood and the minister of the Universalist church, Earl McKinney worked together to bring the two congregations together in a merger. The merger of the Unitarian and Universalist congregations officially occurred in 1957. Carol McMahon is the first religious educator of the newly merged congregation.

1955-6: The Unitarian Church had 200 members, average Sunday morning worship attendance was 180 and 150 children registered for church school with average attendance over 100. There were 2 worship services and 2 sets of religious education classes.

1964: The addition to the original Universalist church on Green St was completed. The upstairs was divided into a fellowship room and a children’s chapel. The downstairs housed religious education classrooms. The church kitchen was located where the YRUU room is now.

1968: Rev. Renford Gaines, later Mwalimu Imara, was ordained and called as the minister of the congregation, one of the first African-American UU ministers to serve a primarily white congregation.

1975-1981: Beth Cobb, UUCUC member, served as the congregation’s religious educator.

1982-1989: Claire Szoke, UUCUC member, served as the congregation’s religious educator. There were 43 children enrolled in religious education when Szoke entered the position. A decline of enrollment and religious education participation in the 1970’s brought the registrations from its high of over 200 children to less than 50 in 1982.

1989-1993: Audrey Brown served as the congregation’s religious educator.

1991: The Urbana Youth Group changed its name to Kaleidoscope. The former Unitarian church building on campus formally splits from UUCUC.

1993-1994: Geeia Brodsky served as the congregation’s religious educator.

1994-1996: Carolyn Sullins served as the congregation’s religious educator.

1996-1999: Colleen Vojak served as the congregation’s religious educator.

1996: The registration fee for children and youth religious education was removed as a requirement for participating families.

1999- 2010: Renee Cogil served as the congregation’s religious educator.

2000: Renee Cogil began the annual Christmas Pageant.

2003-2004: The original kitchen in the church basement became the YRUU room, and the upstairs of the RE wing was reconfigured. A ritual of painting theits walls of the YRUU room (one each year) began.

2010-2011: Karla Peterson, UUCUC member, served as an interim religious educator.

2011-2012: Amy Schneidhorst served as the congregation’s religious educator.

2012-2018: Cindy Wakeland began as an interim DRE, became regular DRE and then full time in 2016 (first time of a full time DRE – before all positions were part time). Resigned in February 2018. Registration of RE was about 100 children and youth. Congregation membership remained steady at about 250 for many years. There are two services with RE at both services for part of this time, before the church returns to one service.

2015-2017: 19-year ministry of Axel and Elaine Gehrmann ends, with them relocating to a church in California, followed by two years of interim ministry.

2017-present: Florence Caplow called to the congregation as settled minister. Growth continues. Congregation is currently 345 members, approximately 100 registered children and youth.

2018: UUCUC enters a 2-year interim religious education discernment period and hires Dr. Michele Townsend Grove as the full-time interim religious educator.

2019: A decision is made to extend the religious education interim process by an additional year in order to do concurrent strategic planning.

2019: Navigators program begins

January 2020: The first OWL program for K-2nd grade

August 2019: Beginning of RE Council model.

January 2020: Beginning of large Adult RE program.

March 2020-present: Church building closes in response to COVID-19. Sunday RE for children suspended. Adult RE continues online. Some multigenerational activities, online, and some activities for families to take home. YRUU continues online and with occasional in-person outdoor activities.

August 2020: Sally Fritsche, Associate Minister for Congregational Life, is hired at a half time position.

July 2021: End of three-year religious education interim process.

August 2021: New DREE arrives!

UNKNOWN: Middle School Our Whole Lives (OWL) and its historical counterpart About Your Sexuality (AYS) have been a part of the congregation’s programming for more than 20 years. It is estimated that it began at least 30 years ago. This is a strong and active program.