See our 100th anniversary souvenirs, including books by Charles Selinske, CUC Historian!

The Community Unitarian Church at White Plains is celebrating two major anniversaries in 2009. The first is our building’s 50th anniversary. The building we occupy now on Rosedale Avenue was completed in May 1959.

Also in 2009, we celebrate our centennial as a congregation. A group of people were “freely united” in religious faith in White Plains in April 1909. The following month, the founders issued a prospectus that welcomed “anyone of whatever faith, who heartily agrees with the spirit and aim of this union.”

We are planning a year-long anniversary celebration that will give us an opportunity for increased fellowship and sharing, help us measure the extent to which our congregation’s heritage has been achieved, and further define our ministry in our community and the world.

Our activities leading up to the April 2009 celebration weekend include:

• publication of a multi-chapter history of CUC since 1959
• re-publication of a church history from 1909-1959
• meze maze planting project
• roundtable discussions on CUC history, a decade at a time
• Powerpoint presentation of hundreds of photos from the church archives
• all-church writing/drawing/oral history project on What CUC Means to Me
• displays of memorabilia
• burying a time capsule
• sales of anniversary souvenir items such as pendants and crystal chalices

Celebration Weekend

Celebration Weekend occurs on April 25 and April 26, 2009. On Saturday, April 25, we will be hosting an afternoon seminar on the UU community church movement, followed by an international dinner in our sanctuary. On Sunday, we will have a special service that includes the debut of music commissioned for the occasion. Following services and our coffee hour, an anniversary program will take place that includes dedication of a new chalice, opening of a new membership book, reading of a mayoral proclamation, presentation of a certificate from the White Plains Historical Society, and a ceremonious groundbreaking on our building renovation.

For our out-of-town guests who wish to attend Celebration Weekend, we will have a Home Hospitality program to allow them to stay at the homes of CUC members.

For additional information or to make a reservation, please contact either Rev. Carol Huston or the Anniversary Committee Chairperson, Elaine Mancini, at 914.948.4264, or you may email her at mancini@toast.net, or the committee at CUC2009@gmail.com.