Channing-Murray Foundation

The Channing-Murray Foundation provides a liberal religious center for the campus community of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Its mission is to provide educational opportunities to explore Unitarian Universalist spirituality, reflect our concern for social justice, encourage free expression through the arts, and affirm diversity through outreach to the campus and to the community at large.
Channing-Murray offers regular programs, including informal, participatory Sunday services, a student Unitarian-Universalist Young Adult group (UUYAG), a women's spirituality circle, a meditation circle, social justice forums, classes on spiritual and social concerns; an annual Tagore Festival, poetry, fiction, and art classes, an Open Stage coffeehouse operated by the UUYAG, and frequent performances by student theater and improvisational comedy groups. Over the lunch hour we are also the home of the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant. Channing-Murray Foundation is housed in the former Unitarian Church of Urbana and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Staff and Officers: Claire Szoke, director; Jason Pitzl-Waters, office manager; Durl Kruse, president of the Governing Board; Ann Donovan, secretary; Ron Szoke, treasurer.