Together
We Grow Our Souls and Serve the World

WBUUC's chalice of hands holding a flame
The chalice at WBUUC by sculptor and WBUUC member Kate Christopher

Our church is of the free faith tradition — you don’t need to hold certain beliefs to belong here. We encourage one another along the journey.

Our religious education program helps our children and teens develop their spiritual curiosity and awaken their soul without imposing a particular set of beliefs on them.

We are a Welcoming Congregation, celebrating and affirming the active presence here of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual members and friends, and their families.

We come into this church because tending to the inner flame of our spirit – whichever language we use to name it, or practices we follow to cultivate it – is something we are called to do.

Every Sunday, the chalice is lit by an individual as part of the worship service. The chalice lighter also shares their thoughts for the chalice lighting. This is a chalice lighting by member Jo Ford:

“I grew up in a religious tradition where every church had a sanctuary lamp. It was a large candle usually held in red glass up near the altar.  It was always kept burning to signify the sacred presence of God in the Eucharist, Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. That made the church a holy place and the glow of that perpetual flame was comforting and reassuring to me at the time.

But life brings change and that brought me here where I found such a welcoming spiritual home even though it was so different from what I had known. I looked around for something familiar to get my bearings and thought I saw a sanctuary lamp, but no, I was told it was the chalice. But it wasn’t lit.

Then a new meaning dawned and I got it. There is no flame until we are all here together because, as is said each Sunday, we are who make this a holy place. It is we who bless this space with our presence and make it sacred.

Wow…what a privilege and responsibility. So I light the flame today in honor of the sacrament we are to each other as we each take hold of our place in this loving community.”

Learn About the Chalice in Unitarian Universalism

Our Values

Courage, Reverence, & Compassion

Our Relational Covenant

We adopt this covenant to build loving, healthy, and trusting relationships within our congregation. This living document of our shared commitments will continue to be shaped by our experiences together.

Spiritual Growth

  • We grow our souls in a spirit of courage, reverence, and compassion.
  • We commit our time, talent and treasure to promote positive change in ourselves and in the world.

Sustaining & Building Community

  • We are welcoming, kind, and inclusive, and invite the engagement of all.
  • We honor diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity, race, ability, income level, family structure, and ensure our actions are consistent with this commitment.
  • We agree that all gifts of time, skill, and money are of equal importance and worthy of gratitude.
  • We balance our individual needs with the well-being of the community as a whole.
  • We work for justice and engage in acts of service and compassion to promote love and equality in our church and community.

Communication with Each Other

  • We speak directly with respect and compassion to persons with whom we disagree, and listen deeply to each other, seeking both to understand and to be understood.
  • We value differences in perceptions, spiritual beliefs, religious practices, and previous experiences.
  • We recognize that communication is a dialogue and are aware of how our words and actions affect others.
  • We question our own assumptions, correct misunderstandings, and see disagreements as an opportunity for growth.
  • When conflict arises, we speak directly and respectfully with those involved.
  • We see differences through to an authentic resolution and accept skilled help when we cannot reach agreement

We may sometimes fall short, and we will do our best to bring one another back into covenant in a caring way. We bind ourselves to journey together in the spirit of love.

Abridged Covenant

Nurture

We nurture our ethical, intellectual, and spiritual lives in support of our church community.

Honesty

We hold honest and respectful communication as the basis of lasting, healthy relationships

Community

We build an enduring community as a spiritual practice.

Download WBUUC Relational Covenant

History Highlights

1955

In Nov 1955, 18 people met at Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Carlson’s home in Mahtomedi to discuss starting a lay-led fellowship & branch of St. Paul’s Unity Church.

The congregation was launched in 1956, and to expand their numbers, members began publicity in the area and succeeded in gaining new members.

1956

1959

1914 Mahtomedi Avenue

In 1959, the congregation became an independent fellowship of the American Unitarian Association and was named White Bear Unitarian Church.

Member Richard Sykes, a candidate for ministry, was chosen and began his ministry in the fall of 1963.

1963

1988

Ministry was provided by the Reverend Ted Tollefson, whose inappropriate behavior necessitated a negotiated resignation in 1988. There was division and difficulty, but with the help of the local district and the UUA, our own leaders guided us through a challenging transition.

Gail

In March 1990, members held a parade, moving joyfully from its tiny home in Mahtomedi, to a newly-purchased and much larger facility at 328 Maple Street under a light snowfall with balloons, banners, and an impromptu brass band. In late spring, the search committee presented the Reverend Gail Seavey, a Harvard Divinity graduate, resident of Massachusetts, and former artist and teacher. Reverend Seavey took an active role in interfaith, community, and denominational affairs, initiating the addition of “Universalist” to the church name.

1990

1999

Victoria

In 1999, the congregation called the Reverend Victoria Safford of Northampton, Massachusetts. A powerful preacher and thinker, Reverend Safford led our church in 22 years of expansion, both physically and programmatically.

In 2006, the UUA designated our church as a Breakthrough Congregation, a recognition of extraordinary growth.

2006

2021

Rev. Roger Bertschausen

In August 2021, the Reverend Roger Bertschausen joined WBUUC as our two-year interim Lead Minister.

Rev. Jessica Clay

In May of 2023, after a unanimous vote, the congregation called the Reverend Jessica Clay to serve as our Lead Minister. Rev. Clay began her ministry with us in August of that same year.

2023