Welcome to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Stillwater

We invite you to look around and get a feel for our church. We are a Welcoming Congregation. You will not be pressured into conversation or membership. We welcome you just as you are. Our members, friends, and guests include Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans, humanists, atheists, agnostics, skeptics, seekers, singles, couples, families, heterosexuals, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people, of different races, ethnic backgrounds, national origins and socio-economic circumstances.

If you're not currently a member of our church - we'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to one of our weekly services and/or covenant groups.

President’s Message October 2024

“We are a diverse religious community, seeking spiritual experience and all forms of knowledge in an atmosphere of acceptance, love and respect. Our Mission is to protect and perpetuate religious freedom, tolerance and knowledge; to challenge injustice; and to nurture and serve one another and the wider community.”  These words express our vision and mission, which we will explore in our Congregational Retreat, October 26th at St Francis of the Woods. We will discuss our strengths and weaknesses and how they affect our vision, mission, and spiritual growth. What makes our church special? And where do want to go? The planning committee is putting together a wonderful day with a mix of discussion, activities, and music. Watch for more information and plan to attend.

We finally had our first Bocce game. Six people joined Marci and learned the game and played a little tournament, all in about one hour on the church lawn. Hidden skills emerged in the most unanticipated places. I look forward to more games like this including croquet and maybe corn hole and badminton. I’ve also heard a few people asking about bridge. Perhaps we can get a bridge group together. We could even have bridge lessons if there is enough interest.

Sunday Service 

Sunday services begin at 10:30 and generally conclude before noon. Services are followed by socializing and a smorgasbord of different foods, arranged with minimal planning. If you prefer to watch the service online, we share it by Facebook Live at  https://www.facebook.com/uuchstillwater . From Facebook, you will not be able to see the Trail Markers portion of the service or interact with others, but everything else is the same.

Sunday, October 6, 2024 - Rev. Donna Compton - Treading on Holy Ground 

Empathy is supposed to be a good thing- and it is, until we make assumptions that are unhelpful and sometimes harmful. Let’s talk!

Reverend Donna Compton, M. Div. is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Ecumenism and Interfaith advocacy have been important themes in her ministry. She preaches for us every other first Sunday. 

Sunday, October 13, 2024 - Rev. Catherine Shearer - Quiet

Reverend Shearer is an ordained Disciples of Christ minister and a psychotherapist in Oklahoma City. She speaks in our pulpit on the second Sunday of each month. 

Sunday, October 20, 2024 - Rev. Susan Ross 

What are lostness and foundness about? 

Reverend Ross, ordained as a United Methodist minister, is our pastoral care minister and speaks on the third and fifth Sundays of the month. She also works for the Stillwater Public Library. 

Sunday, October 27, 2024 - Rev. Mark Christian - The Times Ahead

We are coming up into a time of Holidays and celebrations. What does our Unitarian hive-mind have to say about these times ahead? 

Reverend Christian is a third generation Unitarian Universalist and speaks to us on the fourth Sundays and alternate first Sundays. He has served congregations in OKC and in Las Cruces NM, prior to moving to Stillwater. Before his career in ministry he had a career in radio broadcasting. 

Announcements & Events

Information about upcoming special events can be found under the "What's Happening" section. See Upcoming Events. 

Board Meeting - October 8, 2024

Upcoming Covenant Groups

Information about each of our covenant groups can be found in "Our Gatherings" section.

Pastoral Care

Struggling? Need help? Or maybe you know someone who does? No question about it--it's a difficult time right now. Our Care Committee and Rev. Susan Ross, our Pastoral Care Minister, are still available to help you with whatever difficulties you're facing. We're only a phone call away! And if you are having trouble attending the Zoom services or Zoom meetings, we can try to help you get connected. Please contact us: Rev. Susan Ross: or 405-714-0064 or Susan Bullard (co-chair with Mia Owens): or 405-742-6529.

There are times when people aren’t sure if it is appropriate to contact the Pastoral Minister, or they are concerned that they may be interrupting something. Please know that the needs and concerns of the members and friends of this congregation are important to me. That is what the Pastoral Care Minister’s work is all about! The following is a list of occasions when it might be appropriate to contact me:

1) When you don’t know her but would like to.

2) When you have problems you’d like to discuss, job, children, marriage or anything else where a sympathetic ear might be of help.

3) When you are going into the hospital, or when someone close to you is going in, or when you know of someone else in the church going in.

4) When someone close to you has died or is critically ill.

5) When you are planning on getting married.

6) When you would like to have your child or children dedicated.

7) When you would like to know more about Unitarian Universalism.

8) When you are considering joining the church.

9) When you would like to help in committee work or join a covenant group.

10) When it is the middle of the night, and you are in some sort of trouble and you don’t know who else to call.”

Some of these are a little different for me (like numbers 7 & 8), since my background and training is United Methodist rather than UU. But I know who to ask about those, or who to refer you to! And, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected how I am able to respond to the other concerns. I do, however, still want to respond: we could talk on the phone, Facetime, communicate by email, or do a Zoom talk. And there are needs that will no doubt come up at this time that aren't on this list: when you are needing a break from only talking to yourself or your pets, or a break from talking to your family; when you are struggling with fears or doubts about the situation we are in, when you need help with something, when you know of needs that the Pastor's Emergency Fund might help meet.

Also, if you are interested in trying to be a part of, or at least listen to, the services we are now trying to make happen on Sunday mornings, and can't figure out how to do that, let me know and I will do my best to help. You can be a part of that service, or listen to it, by phone (audio only), by smart phone with audio and visual, by computer, and by tablet. And I think we are trying to have a recorded version of it available afterwards as well.