The New England Region (NER) is composed of 232 congregations. The congregations in this geographical area were previously organized into districts. On July 1, 2015, the four districts representing 232 congregations in the six states of New England began sharing a single staff team. This shift served to free district leaders to focus on ministries rather than governance, and create more efficient, accountable, and mutually supportive systems to better live our faith in the world. As the UUA reorganized nationally into 5 Regions (New England, Southern, Central East, Mid-America, Pacific West), all former districts in New England merged into the New England Region.
The Ballou Channing District of the Unitarian Universalist Association (BCD) was named after Hosea Ballou, credited with being the American founder of Universalism, and William Ellery Channing, the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century. The district was formed in 1964, three years after the merger of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America, and consisted of 45 congregations in the South Shore, Cape Cod and the Islands, and Rhode Island. It maintained a staff and a district office at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brockton.
The District dissolved, effective August 1, 2019, and merged with the New England Region of the UUA. We thank the congregations of the former Ballou Channing District for their fellowship and faithful service over the years.
The Clara Barton District (CBD) was formed in 2000 when the Central Mass District and Connecticut Valley District merged. District delegates at the time of the merger chose to name the district after Clarissa Harlowe (Clara) Barton, a Universalist, who was born within our district borders in North Oxford, Massachusetts, on Christmas Day in 1821. She is among the most honored women in U.S. history and is best known for founding the American Red Cross in 1881. Geographically, we encompass central and western Massachusetts, and all but the southwest corner of Connecticut. Numerically, there are 63 congregations and one newly emerging congregation.
At the district annual meeting, on April 30, 2016, delegates voted for dissolution, merging with the New England Region.
The Massachusetts Bay District (MBD) was made up of 53 congregations in the Greater Boston Area. In April 2016, the congregations of the Mass Bay District voted to dissolve the corporation of the district and merge with the New England Region.
It has been then District's privilege to assist congregations, and the board of directors thanks constituent congregations for their contributions to the growth of Unitarian Universalism, the health of their communities, and the spiritual lives of congregants.
The Northern New England District (NNED) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations was created by the consolidation of the Northeast District (Maine) and the New Hampshire Vermont District of Unitarian Universalist Societies in July 2008. There were seventy active congregations within the boundaries of the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont including federated and community churches being served by the district.
At the district annual meeting on September 20, 2020, delegates voted for the dissolution of the district and merger with the New England Region. We thank the congregations of the Northern New England District for its service to its member congregations and Unitarian Universalism.
If you have questions, please contact newengland@uua.org