Celebrating 100 Years
1922-2022
Unity Village Chapel operates in collaboration with Unity Worldwide Headquarters and proudly serves as the spiritual community on grounds at Unity Village and as the Flagship ministry of the Unity Movement.
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Unity Village Chapel began as a small group that met informally at the Pool Clubhouse in the fall of 1922. Mrs. Rickert Fillmore (Harriet) was among the founders of the group. The group, led by E.V. Ingram, began formal Sunday meetings in December. From 1924 through 1930, adult Sunday School was held in the mornings; Sunday service was held in the evenings with speakers including Charles Fillmore & Myrtle Fillmore, George Carpenter, Lowell Fillmore, Candace Hickson, Ella Pomeroy, Betty Simmons and Ralph Tackett.
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In 1929 the meetings were moved to the original Silent Unity Building, now the Education Building, and the group was known as the Unity Community Society. In December 1931, the group was formally organized as the Jackson County Unity Center and Unity Licensed Teacher, Nora Lee Stevenson served as the leader with an average attendance of 100-150 through 1942. Nora was followed by Donald O'Connor, Nettie Wyatt and Francie Gable serving as leaders.
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During the period of 1949 through 1975, services were held in the Administration Building's Village Hall and the name of the group was officially changed to Unity Village Chapel after the incorporation of Unity Village as a city. Ralph Rhea served as minister followed by J. Sig and Jane Paulson.
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Under the leadership of the Paulsons, the Activities Center Building, with a capacity of over 1,100 seats, was dedicated at the Minister's Conference in June 1975. In 1978, Frank and Martha Giudici were hired as Chapel ministers. With the retirement of the Giudicis in 1987, Christopher Chenoweth joined the Chapel as senior minister. Marianne Jones served for 20 years from 1997-2017 becoming the longest serving Associate minister to the Chapel community.
From the days of Christopher Chenoweth to 2011, senior ministers included Harriet Valliere, Sharon Connors and Robert Robinson. Historically UVC operated as a department of Unity School. In 2006, Unity Village Chapel individuated as far as governance and incorporating as an independent 501c3 with a full Board of Trustees including a sitting member from UWH. |
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Erin McCabe as Senior Minister became the senior minister in 2011 and has delighted in serving Unity Village Chapel for over 10 years. She was the first female recipient of the Unity Village Chapel's Men of Unity scholarship when she was as a ministerial student of Unity Institute from 2003-2005 so her return was a sweet homecoming.
Renowned speakers who have graced the stage include Peter & Emilie Cady, James Dillet Freeman, Eric Butterworth, Ed Rabel, Rocco Errico, John Shelby Spong, Greg Braden, Neal Donald Walsh, Deepak Chopra, Don Miguel Ruiz, Eckhart Tolle, Jean Houston, Johnnie Colemon, Maria Nemeth, Caroline Myss, Joan Borysenko, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Kenn Gordon and more. |
For the full history of the Unity movement and Unity Village, visit
https://www.unity.org/article/unity-village-video-tour-and-history
https://www.unity.org/article/unity-village-video-tour-and-history
