Universalists were active in Durham from 1900 until the 1920s and a Unitarian fellowship had been a presence in the Durham/Chapel Hill area since 1949.  We formally organized as the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durham and Chapel Hill in 1966.  Inspired by the memory of the Rev. James Reeb, a group of people who had been active in Unitarian Universalist congregations in other areas of the country came together in April of that year at the Durham Holiday Inn. Forty-five persons signed the membership book of fledgling Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Durham and Chapel Hill.

 

The congregation operated in rental space in an old arts building and a local private school until 1976, then purchased a property with two buildings in north Durham near the Eno River.  In 1978 the name of the congregation was changed to the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. That year there were 134 members. The congregation called its first full time minister in 1983 and we moved to our current Garrett Rd. location in 1986, a move that set off a period of vigorous growth. 

 

By the beginning of 1999 our membership had grown to 737 members and we completed a four year, two phase capital campaign that saw an expanded building for Religious Education and the construction of our main building and sanctuary. It was at this time that ERUUF received the O. Eugene Pickett Award from the Unitarian Universalist Association, a national award presented to a congregation for making an outstanding contribution to the growth of Unitarian Universalism. The presentation of the Pickett Award noted that "To visit this church, especially on Sunday, is to experience a religious quickening of activity that can be modestly described as outstanding excitement. It is this excitement, this enthusiasm, this almost uncontrolled energy force which is pushing the vanguard of liberal religious thought…"

 

Today at the end of the first decade of the 21^st century, we are a thriving congregation that has weathered many changes. We have just completed a total revision of our governance and organizational structures, and the spirit of this Fellowship remains lively and strong. We bring the spirit and values of our former years to our mission of transforming lives through spirit, service, justice and love.