Introduction

The Circle of Congregational Historians and Archivists (the Circle) is a project of the Unitarian Universalist Studies Network (the Network), a new organization created through the 2021 merger of the UU History and Heritage Society and the UU Collegium.

The Network is a mutually supportive collective of academic and independent scholars, lay leaders, religious professionals, and students who aim to cultivate deeper engagement with Unitarian Universalist historical, theological, and ethical knowledge and practices as well as their intersections and interplay.

The Work of the Circle

As Unitarian Universalists, our histories are what often inform our present; we grapple with what to include in the narratives we tell, the records we keep.

The larger hope of the UU Studies Network through the Circle is to foster a renaissance of congregational histories and a renewed commitment to archival work that is deeply attentive both to the historic presence of marginalized communities within Unitarian Universalism and to the complex ways that our movement has both perpetuated and resisted structures of oppression and marginalization.

To achieve this vision, we need as large and diverse a team of truth-tellers as possible, historians and archivists alike. We are building upon the work of Barbara Coeyman, the MidAmerica Region and others, who have been collecting information about congregational histories and archives for the past decade.

Entering the Circle

All of our congregations have histories that have been written and stories that are still waiting to be told. Our Circle is compiling information about both. To learn how to participate, download our Welcome Packet.

For more information, use our Contact Us page to connect with a representative of the Circle project.   We are truly grateful for your interest in learning more about our ever-growing Circle of CongregationalHistorians and Archivists, Unitarian Universalists who are committed to truth-telling.

Please feel free to forward this Welcome Packet to others at your congregation and within your larger circle as the spirit moves you!