Dear friends, 

On Sunday, May 18, 2025 at our Annual Congregational Meeting, the members of this congregation voted to change the name of our congregation to Eliot Unitarian Universalist Chapel to acknowledge who we have become in the years between 1961, when the Unitarian and Universalist conferences merged to become the Unitarian Universalist Association, and today. Both Unitarianism and Universalism have grown beyond what they were 64 years ago, as any religion should, and between them has arisen one unified faith, Unitarian Universalism. 

In 1961, Eliot Unitarian Chapel was a very young congregation focused on establishing itself in Kirkwood. Taking time to question a name was just not a priority. In the intervening years, there have consistently been those who wondered if it was time to change our name to reflect the evolution of our free living tradition and to affirm that both lineages now profoundly influence how we understand and practice Unitarian Universalism in this congregation. While our original roots are Unitarian, Universalism has also become part of our foundation and its lineage is also our lineage. 

I realize that for some of you, this change is not a welcome one. You voted against the motion. Thank you for voting your conscience, and I recognize and empathize with what you might be feeling and how you will experience this congregation as we live into our amended name.

Over the coming months, we will see the new name reflected in all our communications and signage. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me, Debby Lovell (Communications Specialist) or Brian Franklin (Director of Business Administration) if you have any thoughts or questions.

yours in faith and love,

Rev. Krista