Here are ways for you to get involved in congregational life:
Please reach out to us by completing this form if you have any further questions!
- Read our weekly email (Around the Meetinghouse) and announcements (sign up here)
- Be sure to check out our current events page.
- Sing in choir; rehearsals are 9 a.m. most Sundays.
- Volunteer to be a Sunday morning greeter
- Join the hospitality team in serving coffee and snacks
- Join a team or committee
- Teach a Youth Faith Formation class
- Participate in a Soul Matters group (our Adult Faith Formation small group ministry)
- Follow us on Facebook
Social Groups
Several social groups exist for members to build community and have fun:
- Sisters Over Sixty-Five – A group of women over 65 who get together and have wide-ranging discussions. They meet the 2nd Thursday of each month. Contact Sharon Gustin for more information.
- Sisters in Good Company – A group for women of all ages who gather together to enjoy one another’s company. We have potlucks, movies and outdoor activities about once a month. Contact Cathie Rowand for more information.
- qUUeer — An LGBTQIA+ group, meets from 1pm-3pm on the 4th Sunday of each month in an available classroom at the Meetinghouse. This group is a safe space for members of the queer community to discuss issues, seek and give comfort and understanding, and work together toward shared goals within our UU framework.
While we appreciate our many allies, this particular setting is open only to those who identify as LGBTQIA+
For more information, please send an email to quueer@uufortwayne.org or contact the minister.
HUUmanists in Action Group
This group celebrates and encourages the philosophy of Humanism within Unitarian Universalism. Members of the group work to nurture our connection with FreeThought Fort Wayne, the local chapter of the American Humanist Association. We regularly schedule after-service meetings to explore the history of Humanism and its application to contemporary social and community issues. Looking to learn more about this group? Contact John Moore.
We have been designated by the UUHA as Freethinker Friendly; we provide a welcoming community for people with all spiritual beliefs, including beliefs that do not include a god or higher power.
Social Justice work at UUCFW
UUCFW members and friends have a variety of social justice issues of concern. To allow for many issues to be explored, we invite members to form Groups of Five for short-term projects, actions or studies. Information to propose new Group of Five projects can be found here: “The Steps to Starting a Group” before filling out the Group of Five form. A member may choose an issue to work together with at least four others to pursue their project.
Racial Justice work at UUCFW
Motivated by GA and current events, the Advocates for Racial Justice group meets regularly to do the personal work of understanding white privilege, the community work of understanding and dismantling systemic racism, and the broader work of developing relationships with minoritized communities in our area. Past projects and areas of interest include taking trips to learn more about Black history and the African-American community, supporting local organizations with fundraisers and personal participation, working on voter registration and getting out the vote among under-represented populations, and working with a grant from the UUA for a social media campaign to encourage young Black voters. Advocates are currently working on developing a joint outreach with the Fort Wayne A. Philip Randolph Institute called Friends First. Advocates for Racial Justice meets the first Sunday of the month at noon, and the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Rebecca Reeder.
Advocates for Environmental Justice
With a focus on raising awareness of environmental and climate justice issues, the Advocates for Environmental Justice (AEJ) plan events and activities which we believe will make a difference in our community and the world. We meet after the service on the third Sunday of most months. If you are interested in joining our group, or in finding out more about what we are currently doing, contact us at environmentaljustice@uufortwayne.org. Co-chairing this group are Jan Boeglin and Jim Reeder.
Happening now with the Advocates for Environmental Justice:
Green Sanctuary 2030 … We are currently on the path to achieving accreditation in the UUA Green Sanctuary 2030 Program. Learn more here. Our participation in the Climate Justice Revival is one of the steps along the way. We are excited about this opportunity to grow as a congregation in our commitment to environmental justice!
Adopt-A-Greenway … To expand our community outreach, we have recently become part of the Adopt-A-Greenway program, managed by Fort Wayne Trails. We have made a two-year commitment to pick-up litter along a section of the Bass Road greenway, from Buckner Park to Hillegas Rd. We will be doing this three times a year, so please watch for notifications of our clean-up dates.
The natural areas within our grounds are now registered and “On the Map” with Homegrown National Park, a collective effort of individual homeowners, property owners, farmers and anyone with some soil to plant in. HNP’s mission is to encourage new habitats of native plants and removal of most invasive plants. We are excited to be part of this movement, which is the largest cooperative conservation project ever conceived or attempted!
Helpful information:
Local Recycling Guidelines … click here for Allen County and the City of Ft. Wayne recycling guidelines, as well as recycling drop-off sites.
- Household Hazardous Waste drop-off site.
- Yard Waste drop off site.
- Plastic bags, film, bubble wrap, etc. are not accepted in Ft. Wayne and Allen County curbside programs or recycling drop-off locations. As many of you know, there are several local retailers – Kroger, Meijer, Walmart, Target, Lowes, Kohl’s and more – who accept these items through collection bins inside their stores. If you are wondering whether the plastics you drop-off at these stores are actually recycled, rest assured that they are! Click here for a very informative article on the guidelines and benefits to recycling these types of plastic films.
Wellspring Interfaith Social Services
Our congregation is one of 16 congregations that actively support Wellspring Interfaith Social Services through collection of food items weekly during our offering. We also periodically donate clothing to its Shoppe and funding for its summer camp.
Sunday Share the Plate
Our congregation also provides funds to local and national non-profits to support critical programming for those most in need through our Third Sunday Share the Plate each month. In 2024 we are supporting:
January – Street Reach for the Homeless
February – A. Philip Randolph Institute – Charles Redd Scholarship
March – YWCA of Fort Wayne
April – Fox Island Alliance
May – Wellspring Summer Camp
June – Worthy Now Prison Ministry
July – Fort Wayne Pride
August – Carriage House
September – Planned Parenthood of Indiana
October – ACLU Indiana
November – Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry
December – Kira Downey Memorial Rider Fund at CTN
A. Philip Randolph Institute
We are hosting the monthly meeting of the A. Philip Randolph Institute on the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m..
