Mission Statement

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta is committed to building a community of acceptance and love, where all people may strive for intellectual, moral and spiritual enlightenment. We offer a place to celebrate life’s passages and to join in social action on behalf of local and global communities.

I believe every inch of America is shared,  from sea to shining sea.

I believe we make it holy by who we welcome and by how we relate to each other.

— Eboo Patel

Contact us by e-mail:  uuvaldosta@yahoo.com  

  

Betty Derrick Memorial Lecture – and Discussion!

The first Betty Derrick Memorial Lecture and Discussion was held on Friday, November 18, 7:00 p.m. at the UU Church!   Dr. Leslie Sandra Jones, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Valdosta State University, was the first guest lecturer and facilitator.  Her topic was “Untangling Biological Diversity from the Social Construction of Race.”

The second guest lecture held on March 3, 2017, was a panel of political scientists, who discussed “Election 2016.”  The panel included Dr. Dick Saeger, Dr. James LaPlant, and Dr. Bernard Tamas, all from the VSU Political Science Department.

The speaker for the 3rd Betty Derrick Memorial Lecture and Discussion was Dr. Dennis Marks and his title was “The Unity of the Universe.”   Dr. Marks is a long-time friend of Betty Derrick and is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Geosciences, Valdosta State University.  Dr. Marks is also chair of the Literacy program for the Rotary Club of Valdosta and chair of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library project, which is sponsored locally by the Valdosta Rotary Clubs.

Betty Derrick, who passed away in March, 2016, was the coordinator of our book group, among other activities here at the church.   In honor of her life devoted to science, learning, and social justice, we plan to start this lecture series at the church.     These evenings will be patterned after the book group discussions, but rather than reading a book ahead of time, we will have a guest speaker briefly present a topic and then facilitate a discussion in an informal setting.  Watch this space or our Facebook page for announcements of future lectures.

Obituary for Betty Derrick

50th Anniversary Celebration!

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta has been involved in the life of the Valdosta community for 50 years!   On March 20th, 2015, we celebrated this milestone with a special service.   Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf, a founding member of UU Valdosta was our guest minister.  Maggie Lovins, Southern Region Congregational Life staff, brought greetings from the UUA.  About 50 people gathered afterwards for dinner, a short program, and cake!

For a full history of the church, please go here.

Living the Welcoming Congregation

UU Valdosta has been named a Welcoming Congregation!

“Living the Welcoming Congregation” is a voluntary program for UUA congregations to deepen their commitment to inclusive practices, ensuring that all people are welcomed through our doors. In 2014-2015, we completed a series of educational sessions and continuing community outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community.  We were notified of our Welcoming Congregation status in the spring of 2016.    Please join us in our efforts to create a community welcoming to all!   For questions, send an e-mail to uuvaldosta@yahoo.com