International Unitarian Universalism

Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists Around the World

The UUA is grateful to be in relationship with U/U groups around the globe. In our faith tradition we do not have a central religious authority which governs these groups. We are all equals in our own histories, our ways of organizing, and our expressions of faith.

Important Notes

First, please note that the UUA does not arrange international visits. While we try to gather the publicly available information below, we do not directly facilitate contact. And please see our travel advice before you plan a visit.

Second, if you live outside the United States and are interested in starting your own U/U group, please contact the Leadership & Design Team for International U/U Collaboration.

Argentina

Tierre del Fuego: Paz y Armonia (Peace and Harmony)

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association (ANZUUA)

ANZUUA is a collective of the U/UU churches and fellowships from Australia and New Zealand, promoting co-operation, sharing, training, communication and joint social justice initiatives. ANZUUA's goals include supporting the founding and growth of congregations and fellowships in Australia and New Zealand, and raising awareness and public identity of our presence in the region.

Contact: info@anzuua.org

Belgium

Fellowship of Uniterian Universalists in Brussels (BUUF)

BUUF is a small but steady lay-led UU fellowship, internationally mixed, using English as a common language. Their monthly services are hybrid (on-site as well as online). Often followed by a potluck dinner, they are led by one of the members, taking turns to choose a topic and lead the discussion. Topics may range from ethical over political, spiritual and philosophical.

BUUF meets the second Sunday of each month at Quaker House Brussels.

Contact: brusselsuufellowship@gmail.com

You are welcome to call Rivers at +32 486 333 055 to ask for more information.

Bolivia

Comunidad Unitaria Universalista Boliviana, La Paz

The Bolivian Unitarian Universalist Community brings together all people who wish to profess a free spirituality, seek the meaning of life inspired by different religious traditions and who wish to congregate to cultivate their spirituality and honor life in its different manifestations.

Contact: librespirituu@gmail.com

Address: Olga Flores Bedregal, Av. H.Siles No. 5593 La Paz Bolivia

Phone: 591-69766692

Burundi

Bujumbura: Assemblée des Chrétiens Unitariens du Burundi (ACUB)

Canada

Canadian Unitarian Council/Conseil Unitarien du Canada (CUC)
The CUC (1961) is the national association of Unitarian and Universalist societies in Canada. The CUC is an organization of Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist member congregations and individual members acting to enhance, nurture, and promote Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist religion in Canada. The CUC provides tangible support for religious exploration, spiritual growth, and social responsibility. It represents our faith in the larger social and religious environments. The CUC is affiliated with the UUA, the British General Assembly, and the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF).

Contact: info@cuc.ca

CUC Headquarters
344 DuPont St., Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario M5R 1V9
Canada
Phone: (416) 489-4121

Congo

Assemblée des Chrétiens Unitariens du Congo (ACUC)
A Unitarian Church meeting in Congo (Brazzaville).

Contact: Alain. P. Yengué, President, yengapat@yahoo.fr

Cuba

Unitarian Universalists are re-organizing in Cuba. No public information is available as of now.

Czech Republic

The Religious Society of Czech Unitarians
The RSCU was founded on June 30, 1930 and recognized by the government on the same day. The founder and first minister, Rev. Norber F. Capek, died as a martyr in a Nazi concentration camp in 1942. Dr. Capek, writer, lecturer, and composer of over 200 Unitarian hymns, may also be known to many Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist Churches all over the world. The flaming chalice is also of Czech Unitarian origin. The RSCU is a member of the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF), was a founding member of the International Council of Unitarians, Universalists & Free Christian Churches (ICUU), and has a long-standing relationship with the UUA. Previous to the Second World War, the Prague congregation was the largest Unitarian congregation in the world. Currently the Prague congregation has about 450 members. Brno, Plzen and Liberec also have Unitarian congregations.

Contact: Kristyna Ledererova Kolajova, unitaria@unitaria.cz

The Religious Society of Czech Unitarians
Karlova 8
110 00 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Phone: 420-222 221 049

Denmark

Unitarisk Kirkesamfund
Unitarisk Kirkesamfund is the Danish Unitarian Church founded by Rev Uffe Birkedal in 1900. Since 1966 the organization has operated as a fellowship with lay leadership for a congregation that currently claims 45 members. The church was a founding member of both the International Council of Unitarians, Universalists & Free Christian Churches (ICUU) and the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF). Being the only Unitarian church in Denmark, the theology is as broad as possible. Celebrations include solstices, equinoxes, and Christmas Eve. "Unitaren" is a bi-monthly periodical published by the church.

Contact: post@unitarerne.dk

Unitarisk Kirkesamfund
Tara Gregers, Vice President
Dag Hammarskjölds Allé 30
DK - 2100 Copenhagen Ø
Phone: +45 35 26 17 71

Europe

European Unitarian Universalists (EUU)

The European Unitarian Universalists (EUU), founded in 1981, is a support network and community for English-speaking Unitarian Universalists in Europe. About half of EUU’s members belong to local fellowships, mostly lay led, which share resources and programs, including religious education.

Fellowships are located in Amsterdam (the Netherlands); Basel and Bern (Switzerland); Brussels (Belgium); Paris (France); Prague (the Czech Republic); and the Rhein-Main area (Germany).

(Note: More information on the fellowships above may be found under their specific country entry on this page.)

EUU’s “At-Large” group brings together UUs in Europe who don’t live near one of the fellowships. The EUU supports its members, the fellowships and the at-large group and sponsors twice yearly retreats in various locations within western Europe. The Paris Fellowship is a member congregation of the UUA. The EUU was a founding member of the International Council of Unitarians, Universalists & Free Christian Churches (ICUU).

Contact: Contact@europeanuu.org

Finland

Unitarian Society of Finland

Unitaarit Suomessa – Unitarians in Finland (private Facebook group)

France

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Paris
Meeting at La Maison Verte
127-129 Marcadet, 75018 Paris

Contact: contact@uuparis.com

Germany

Unitarier - Religionsgemeinschaft freien Glaubens K.d.ö.R, (Unitarians - Religious Community of Free Faith) 

Lay-led, democratically-organised organisation with communities spread over Germany.

Bundesgeschäftsstelle
Helene-Lange-Weg 13
25436 Uetersen
Germany

Contact: infourfg@unitarier.de

Phone: 0049 41 22 40 84 17 7

Unitarischen Freien Religionsgemeinde K.d.ö.R (Frankfurt area)

An independent Unitarian congregation in Frankfurt-am-Main, affiliated with the IARF.

Contact: info@unitarier.net

Berlin Unitarian/Free Religious Church
An independent Unitarian Church in Berlin, Germany, affiliated with the IARF.

Unitarian Universalists Rhein-Main
UURM is a liberal religious community in the Rhein-Main region (Frankfurt | Offenbach | Wiesbaden | Mainz | Aschaffenburg | Darmstadt). We gather for services, discussion, and special events related to Unitarian Universalism. Most are in English, though many of us speak German as well. All are welcome!

UURM doesn't have a physical address per se. Their services are held in a room they are renting; the address is Fischerfeldstraße 16, 60311 Frankfurt am Main.

Contact: uurm.fellowship@gmail.com

Great Britain

General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (UK)
There are c. 150 member congregations of the General Assembly in Great Britain. A sister church, the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland, has c. 30 congregations, mainly in Northern Ireland. Total members of Unitarian congregations in Great Britain is roughly 3,000. The GA is affiliated with the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF).

Contact: ga@unitarian.org.uk

Liz Slade, Chief Officer
Essex Hall, 1-6 Essex Street
London WC2R 3HY
United Kingdom
Phone: 44 20 7240 2384

Hong Kong

Unitarian Universalists Hong Kong
Unitarian Universalists Hong Kong is the first Unitarian Universalist society in Hong Kong. They are translating UU materials into Chinese language and they meet biweekly on Fridays.

Contact: Alex Szeto, uuhongkong@gmail.com

India

The Unitarian Union of North Eastern India (UUNEI), Jowai & Shillong

The Unitarian Union of North Eastern India (UUNEI) is located in the Khasi Hills of Northeast India. It started on the 18th September 1887 at Jowai; and this day is celebrated as the "Unitarian Anniversary Day," and a local holiday is declared by the government in all districts where there are Unitarian churches.

UUNEI has 37 churches and 5 fellowships. It has a membership of around 10,000 spread across all the churches and fellowships. There are 32 schools run by the Unitarian churches in different villages and towns. The union also runs two orphanages—one for girls and one for boys. It helps the different villages set up their self help resource groups for economic stability. And it runs a charitable clinic in Kharang that the Rev. Annie Margaret Barr started.

The Women's wing of the church is very active in educating women and empowering them to be leaders in their life and in the church.

The Youth wing is also active in different programs involving the youth.

Contact: Rev. Darihun Khriam, General Secretary UUNEI, darihun_khriam@yahoo.co.in

Unitarian Church Campus, Iawmusiang
Jowai - West Jaintia Hills 793150
Meghalaya
India

Phone contacts:

Rev. Darihun Khriam: 91-89745 66366
Mr. Marki Passah (UUNEI President): 91-94361 06340
Mr. Teihok Ranee (UUNEI Finance Secretary): 91-94025 07538

Unitarian Christian Church of Madras
The Madras (Chennai) Unitarian Church was founded in 1795 by William Robert, who had been taken from India to England as a slave. While in England, Roberts learned about the Unitarian faith. Upon the death of his master, Roberts returned to Madras to start a new church which continues to this day. The church provides education and religious services to a devoted community. The congregation's membership is composed of 220 adults and 80 children. Services are held at Puraswalkam, Madras-600 007, and convene from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sundays with Sunday classes offered 11 a.m. to noon. The congregation is affiliated with the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF).

Contact: Rev. G. Harrison Kingsley, kingslyprabhu@yahoo.com

No. 16, Azizmulk 4th Street
Thousand Lights
Madras 600006, Chennai
India
Phone: 044-28293661

Indonesia

Unitarian Christian Church of Indonesia, Semarang, Central Java as Headquarter

The Unitarian Christian Church of Indonesia was founded on May, 30, 1998 and formally acknowledged as a church organization by the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia in July 2000. Currently there are about 300 members across 5 congregations (Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Pasuruan).

Contact: gerejajagi@gmail.com

Italy

The Comunione Unitariana Italiana's membership includes approximately 25 adults and young people served by two local groups and 3 religious leaders.

Contact: Ian James McCarthy, ianmcca@alice.it

Japan

Dojin Christian Church—(Universalist)
A Japanese Universalist Church in Tokyo.

Hiroshi Kokado, Chair
Rev. Kiyohiko Tsuchida, Minister
3-10-9 Mejirodai, Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo 166-0012
Phone: 81 3 3943 1879

Japan Free Christian Church—(Universalist)
A Japanese Universalist Church in Tokyo.

5-14-10 Kitazawa
Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 155-0031
Phone: 81 3 3466 8366

Unitarian Fellowship of Tokyo
An English-speaking Unitarian gathering in Tokyo. Meets every second Sunday of the month from September through June at International House.

Margaret (Peggy) Kanada, Chair
International House 5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 106-0032
Phone: 03-3470-4611
Contact: unitarianfellowshipoftokyo@gmail.com

Unitarian Friends Circle
Yoshitsugu J. Konno
Koyama 2-11-23
Higash-Kurume
Tokyo 203-0051
Phone: 0424 76 5927

Unitarian Contact in Japan
Dr. Gene Reeves, Special Minister
International Buddhist Congregation
201 Taiyoso, 1-17-4 Wada, Suginami-ku
Tokyo 166-0012
Phone: 81 3 3383 6831

Kenya

Unitarian Universalist Church of Kenya

The organisation started in 2007 and has a membership of over 30 congregations in different parts of Kenya. It is a relatively new church in Kenya and has many challenges of different types.

The Well Mall
Karen Langata Rd
Nairobi

Contact: uuckkenya2007@gmail.com

Phone: 0111654074

Mexico

Libre Congregación Unitaria de México
An Emerging church holding regular public worship services since February 2006.

Contact: Francisco Javier Lagunes Gaitan, unitarius@gmail.com

UU Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

Founded in 1987 by a small group of expatriate religious liberals, this fellowship meets each Sunday in the atrium sala of La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15.

Lake Chapala UU Fellowship

English-language services are held every Sunday from 12 noon - 1 pm at St. Andrew's Anglican Church, which is handicap accessible.

San Lucas 19, Riberas del Pilar, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico

Contact: info@lcuuf.org

Nigeria

Bishop Adeniran Adedeji Isola's liberal religious outlook led to his break with the Anglican Church of Nigeria in 1915, and to the founding of what would become the Unitarian Brotherhood Church (Ijo Isokan Gbogbo Eda) in Lagos in 1917. This congregation offers Nigerians a religion that is based upon liberal Christianity but which is also welcoming to traditional and cultural practices. In 1994 another congregation, First Unitarian Church of Nigeria, was founded in a different section of Lagos. Affiliations exist with the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF).

Mr. Olufemi Matimoju
The Unitarian Brotherhood Church & First Unitarian Church
25A Bankole Street
Lagos Island
Nigeria
Contact: femmati@yahoo.com

Philippines

The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP)
The Rev. Toribio S. Quimada, then a Lay Minister of the Iglesia Universal de Cristo has ardent desire for religious education materials for his church in Negros Occidental. Destiny, luck or maybe guided by the Spirit, he discovered one of the Universalist Churches of America in a peculiar way. He was excited to send a letter but failed to receive a response the first time. He tried a second time and got a much needed response. This new connection paved the way for him to acquire books through the Universalist Church in America. A self-educated Pentecostal minister and traditional farmer, Rev. Quimada preached that God is love and because of that love salvation is a gift to all. He defended his faith to the point of his excommunication from his church. He requested the UCA to send missionaries to The Philippines to proclaim his newly-found faith and plant churches. But instead of sending missionaries over, the UCA provided moral support to Rev. Quimada, which led to the founding of the Universalist Church of the Philippines, on April 25, 1955. In 1985, it adapted Unitarian beliefs and became the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines, duly recognized by the Philippine Government. UU churches are mostly found in remote villages on Negros Island and one congregation in Bicutan in mainland Manila. UUCP continues to widen its local and global affiliations to strengthen its ministry.

Rev. Arman G. Pedro
Church Administrator
065 Rovira Road, Bantayan
6200 Dumaguete City Negros Oriental
Phone: (035) 4206120
Contact: uucp.ph@gmail.com

Poland

Though Poland was the home of early Unitarians—followers of Faustus Socinus—and some Unitarian Universalist activity has taken place there in the late 20th century, there is no formal institutional structure as of now.

Romania and Hungary

Hungarian Unitarian Church (Kolozsvár, Transylvania)
The Hungarian Unitarian Church has approximately 60,000 members, organized into six church districts in Transylvania and one in Hungary. The HUC was founded in 1568 with the Proclamation of Religious Freedom at the Diet of Torda, the first declaration of its kind in modern history. HUC's founder and first bishop was Ferenc Dávid. Today, they are a vibrant community rooted in the values of religious tolerance and liberal Christianity.

Zsolt Elekes, International Relations Officer
21 Decembrie 1989 Boulevard, Nr. 9
400105 Cluj-Napoca
Romania
Phone: (004)-0264-593236
ekt@unitarius.org

Singapore

UU Singapore: A Unitarian Universalist Community
An English-language based UU community meeting most Sunday mornings at 10:30am in the homes of congregational members.

South Africa

There are several Unitarians groups in South Africa: Cape Town, Somerset West and Durban.

Unitarianism was first established in South Africa in 1867 by a Dutch reformed minister, David Faure. The founding congregation has become the Cape Town Unitarian Church located in a historic building in the central city. This congregation has a minister, Rev. Nima Taylor, and has a hybrid service every Sunday at 10:30 am SA time. More information on all the SA groups can be found at the Cape Town Unitarian website.

Contact: community@capetownunitarians.org

64 Hout Street, City Centre, Cape Town, Western Province, South Africa

Phone: +27 760249120

Sri Lanka

Though some Unitarian Universalist activity has taken place in Sri Lanka there is no formal institutional structure as of now.

Switzerland

The Unitarian Universalists of Basel is a group of people from the region of Basel, Switzerland, who come together to support one another in the search for spiritual truth and meaning. Members of this community travel from as far as Zurich and Mulhouse and gather one Sunday per month for a worship service, currently in the Lohnhof near Barfusserplatz in Basel.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bern are a small, lay-led group that meets approximately 9x/year in the form of a chalice circle. Their meetings are usually in English and draw heavily from nature-based spirituality. They are happy to have new members and can accommodate linguistic and spiritual diversity in our group.

Contact: uu.bern.ch@gmail.com

Mail / address of most film nights: Holligerhof 8, 3008 Bern
Most Frequent Chalice Circle Meeting locations:
Winter: Church Room, House of Religion, Europaplatz 1, 3008 Bern
Summer: Apple tree grove on Huberstrasse but in the middle of the gardens with the address Holligenstrasse 54, 3008 Bern

Uganda

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Uganda—formed in 2004—consists of a church in Kampala, a Fellowship near Masaka, and various Human Rights and Educational ministries.

A Community Capacity Building Workshop (PDF, 34 pages) was held in Masaka in 2010.