Meeting our fellow Unitarians from across the world!

On the afternoon of 5th December 2020, the North Shore Unitarian Church in Chicago organised one of a series of get-togethers for Unitarians across the world. Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians joined alongside our fellow UK Unitarians from Bury and Rosslyn Hill.

Appropriately enough, our current building, the Church of the Divine Unity, bears a striking resemblance to North Shore’s fellow Unitarian congregation in Chicago, the Frank Lloyd Wright- designed Unity Temple.

All congregations present introduced themselves; who they were, their building and minister (if they have either!), their general outlook and the nature of their community, and how they’ve been managing in one of the strangest years on record. We were a wide mix, encompassing Germany, Chicago, Mexico, Switzerland, Chicago, and the UK. All were united by their commitment to their communities and determination to get through this challenge.

One of the unexpected upsides to this year has been the breaking down of geographical barriers between Unitarian fellowships and groups. When we can meet by sitting in our living rooms with a mug of coffee and Zooming, we can experience connections we might never have come across in earlier days. That said, I hope I’ll one day visit North Shore’s remarkable new building – and they are welcome to visit us too!