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Our congregation was founded in 1989, when Joan and Tom Patterson and Winnie and Pete Bennis decided to start a Unitarian Universalist congregation that would fill the need for a liberal religious voice in southern Rhode Island. Twelve people attended the first meeting at the Pattersons’ home in Richmond.

With financial support from our denomination, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the congregation became a nonprofit corporation on July 1, 1991 and elected its first board of directors, with Cindy Cole Berry as president. Regular Sunday services led by guest ministers began in September of 1991. On January 17, 1993, Charter Sunday, thirty-one people signed the membership book.

Our first gatherings were at members’ homes. When our numbers grew, we began to meet at a local library, and later moved to St. Augustine’s Church, on URI’s Kingston campus, where we held Sunday afternoon services for several years. Our next meeting place was American Legion Post 39, on Kingstown Road between Peace Dale and Kingston. During that time we rented office space in Wakefield, increasing our visibility in the community.  In August of 2008, after an ambitious capital campaign, we bought our current home at Lily Pads Professional Center in Peace Dale. In February of 2009, after extensive renovations, we moved in.

Vicki LePree was our first music director. At the American Legion hall, Cynthia Burke led us in singing, drumming and dancing. Michael Galib has been our music director since 2009.

Sally Barney, Debbie Hedison, and Pam Santos have served as Directors of Religious Education (DRE).  Our DREs provide creative educational leadership for the children during regular worship services and guidance to our high school youth group at flexible times.  Bethany Vaccaro was our DRE from 2016-2020.  We hired Lee Cowan in the middle of the Pandemic of 2020 and is presently serving in the DRE position.

Between 1995 and 2004, a series of part-time interim ministers served the congregation. In May of 2004 we reached a major milestone when Rev. Betty Kornitzer answered our call to become our first settled minister. Betty’s enthusiasm and warmth drew many new members, and we soon outgrew our rented space.  Rev. Kornitzer retired in June of 2013, and we began a period of exciting transition. Rev. Dr. Judith Smith-Valley served as our interim minister from August 2013 to June 2014, followed by Rev. Jan Knost, who served a two-year term as our interim minister from September 2014 to June 2016.  From June 2016 to June 2021, Rev. DL Helfer served as our second settled minister.  Rev. Denis Paul joined us as contract Minister in Late 2021.

Social action has always been an important part of our mission. The UUA recognizes us as a Welcoming Congregation, one that has taken intentional steps to welcome to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Many members participate in Siding With Love , a public advocacy campaign sponsored by the UUA that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression of all kinds. We also are accredited by the UUA as a Green Sanctuary community committed to living in harmony with the Earth and creating sustainable lifestyles.