First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn is a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Brooklyn, NY. The Society was established in 1833 and has been worshiping in its historic Gothic Revival Sanctuary since 1844. The Sanctuary is adorned with stained glass windows and a Louis C. Tiffany angel mosaic. It is one of the earliest Unitarian congregations in the United States, established just 8 years after the American Unitarian Association was formed in 1825. The Congregation holds weekly services on Sundays at 11am in its Brooklyn Heights sanctuary, at the corner of Pierrepont Street and Monroe Place. The current Senior Minister is Rev. Ana Levy-Lyons. Rev. Levy-Lyons sermons are posted weekly on the congregation's website. First Unitarian has a thriving multi-generational community and offers religious education and numerous social justice programs and initiatives. Children's programs include sexuality program, Coming of Age, and a high school youth group. First Unitarian's worship services include a highly regarded music program, that includes performed music as well as congregational singing from many traditions including, jazz, world music, classical, and standard liturgical pieces. The liturgical calendar includes a Christmas Eve Candlelight service, Palm Sunday music service and Easter jazz service. Today, the church is a declared Peace Site as well as a Welcoming Congregation, affirming its support for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender people.
History
Tired of the ferry ride to Unitarian services in Manhattan, and weary of being rebuffed by other Brooklyn churches, the founders held the first Unitarian worship and Sunday school in August, 1833. After meeting in rented halls and buying a building on Adams Street, the members purchased the current site and secured Minard Lafever as architect. His design marks the beginning of the Gothic Revival in Brooklyn. The building was dedicated in 1844. Over the years, three other Unitarian societies were formed, flourished and eventually rejoined the First Church. Samuel Longfellow, brother of the poet Henry and himself a noted poet, served the Second Unitarian Church. That church also ordained the first woman to the Unitarian ministry, Celia Burleigh. Prominent in the history of the First Unitarian Church is a tradition of social ministry that includes youth work, a settlement house for immigrants, support for the Civil Rights Movement and opposition to the Indo-China war.
