Our History

The story of RVUUF starts in the early 1950s with a Southern Oregon College professor, Arthur Kreisman, and his wife Evelyn Kreisman. The Kreismans placed ads explaining Unitarianism in the Ashland Daily Tidings, attracting members from as far away as Grants Pass and Klamath Falls. The group became the “Unitarian Fellowship of Ashland.” In 1962 when the Unitarians and Universalists in North America merged, the congregation expanded to today’s name: Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

The Fellowship was formally organized on Nov. 15, 1953. History buffs can click here to see the application to join the American Unitarian Association and the original bylaws.

When the first black student entered Southern Oregon College in 1955, a cross was burned on the lawn. And when a black family’s car broke down, the police told them they could not stay in town overnight. These two events compelled Evelyn Kreisman and Louise Hamilton, also in the Fellowship, to attend a meeting of the United Church Women to persuade the religious community to address racial discrimination and create the Ashland Human Rights Council. Social justice has always been one of our core values.

At first the members met in private homes and later rented space in various facilities throughout Rogue Valley. Then in June 1990 the Fellowship  purchased the Nazarene Church, located at 87 Fourth St. in Ashland. The Congregation celebrated the move to our new home with a grand procession through the middle of downtown Ashland. The parade marched from the old pink church, now the home of Oregon Cabaret Theatre, all the way to our new church home in the railroad district. It was a grand and festive celebration. The whole congregation marched, carrying before them the symbol of our UU faith — the flaming Chalice.

After being lay-led for many years, the congregation called its first minister in 1986 and since then various ministers have served. On Aug. 12, 2017, the RVUUF Board met and unanimously approved the Search Committee’s decision to hire Rev. Sean Parker Dennison as RVUUF’s Developmental Minister. Then, on Sunday, February 16, 2020 Rev. Sean Parker Dennison was called by the congregation to be our settled minister.

Music has always been important to the Fellowship. In its early days, the Fellowship only had recorded classical music during their services. Mamie Kreisman recalls how she and Eileen Adee found an old hymnal and “forced” music on the group. After the congregation moved to a rental space in 1986, Dave Marston was hired to lead the choir. Subsequently several different Music Directors have served. Julie Crooks joined the RVUUF team as our Musical Director.

We are proud of our heritage and ongoing actions to become a strong community that sends a beacon of liberal faith out to the larger community.

Our Window

Pictured left to right seated: Charlotte Abernathy, Jeff Platt, Jannie Ledard. Standing: Walter Ensign, Donna Swanson, Annette Lewis Carola Lacey, Mort Smith, Michael Latourneau, Andy Tillinghast, Harriet Berman. Back row:  Shelby Platt, Gill Anderson.

“Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”

Members and friends of the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 87 Fourth St. celebrated the unveiling of our beautiful stained glass window in 2014. The design symbolizes the seventh principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” A chalice, symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith, is central to the window – with a tree, rainbow, mountains, stream and night sky framing it.

A generous donation to begin construction of the window was made by member Meg Thomas right before she passed away in late 2011. Several designs sketches by artist Charlotte Abernathy were presented to the membership for their vote. Jeff Platt, a stained glass artist and member of the fellowship, offered to construct the window. Several other crafts persons assisted Jeff in the assembling of the stained glass panels. The three-year-long project culminated in the installation of the 8-foot-by 12-foot back-lit window in the chancel of the Fellowship.